Those born in the digital age...thought provoking article
 

This is one view of those who are children of the digital age:

Generation Z: Born in the digital age

What do you think and experience?

I am the bad guy at the table when the grandchildren and especially the great grandchildren visit. No electronics at the dinner table. When they are done eating stay put and visit with us until we are all done.
When we are not at the dinner table they must look up when addressed.
I refuse to talk to the top of anyones head.

I shudder at the thought of what it will be like when us old farts are gone?

My experience with my son is because he has a very busy job, he does answering of e-mail at times. but not excessively. He always apologizes for the intrusion. He knows I feel as you do and respects the time, we spend together.

I'm afraid my grand-daughter will not follow in his footsteps and I may have to read the riot act, when she is in my presence. She can be with her friends at all other times and I agree, it is disrespectful to others. Just like when I visited my brother and after a few minutes of conversation, he started to watch television. I felt I could have stayed home, if he wanted to watch television. Really rude!!!!

When my son was very small, he asked me if he could play with my nephew in his basement that was kept very cool. I told him he could if he left his sneakers on, as he had a cold. I noticed after he had left, his sneakers were taken off. He came up from the basement and asked me if he could go outside outside and play. I ignored him and he started crying. I then stopped my conversation and said, "If you don't listen to me then why should I listen to you". He never pulled that stunt again.

I feel the same way if I were in the presence of someone texting, all the time.
I would tell them to either play attention to the people in the room or go somewhere, where their presence is not needed. It's rude and disrespectful.

I find it amazing that some people think that whatever they say or do, is so fascinating, to the world, at large. Communication skills have taken a severe hit and social skills are on the decline.

Taking to other people keeps up connected in a meaningful way. It is healthy and necessary. IMHO

I followed the link and read the piece.
I'll have to think about what I read. I don't have grandkids [yet] so I don't think I should offer an opinion.

But my quick response to the last sentence "But like any idealistic generation, they want to change the world and love the idea of volunteer work, which a quarter of Americans in their late teens are already doing." was one of disbelief and pride.

I read the link. I too have struggled with children and grandchildren not doing things the way I think they should. BUT, this is their world, their age and life. They are going to live it their way just like you and I lived ours. Kids today don't do, think or act like we did when we were young. And they communicate on many different social media levels which quite frankly are beyond me.
You might try to lead us to believe that you were the perfect, well behaved child. And did exactly what you were told, when you were told it. Just like the old days....but remember when you were a child or young adult , what you thought and believed was very different than your parents. We don't have the right to expect our children or grandchildren to act the way WE want them to act. This is their life to live, not ours.
And I admit that going to restaurants and seeing kids with their heads down and thumbs moving on their devices while ignoring everyone else at the table bothered me. But we have to remember, they are living and growing up in their age, not ours.

Age old complaint....."The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers." Socrates....

How about an app for smart phone etiquette.

"What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the Sun"
Ecclesiastes..

Lighten up! Enjoy your grandkids!

I agree! :thumbup:

"children should be seen but not heard"
I always cringed when I heard that years ago.
Now I guess I'll be cringing when I see them and can't hear them because the [someday] grandkids are using an ipad, laptop or smartphone.
I've always enjoyed playing with my kids, especially when they were little.

I applaud BTK for his rules. It's the very least expectation, and somebody ought to do it. After all, these kids need listening skills as well as manners if they expect to become successful adults.

Boy do I sound old. But oh well... My house, my rules.