It's a Wireless, Wireless World

Last night we went out to eat at a local restaurant and although we've been there numerous times before, this time they had portable touch screens, mounted on stands, available at each table. We didn't try it, but you could order your meals, watch movies, and even pay for your bill using the provided card reader. Our server, however, took one look at our curious, bouncing Chipmunk and showed him how to play an animal memory game on the device. Bear immediately came over and soon both the kids were happily matching zebra to zebra and lion to lion.

Matt then whipped out his smart phone and checked his email and sports scores.

I was left twiddling my thumbs with no one to talk to.

So I looked around the restaurant and let me tell you, it was quite a sight. At one table I saw a girl tapping away on her Nintendo DS next to her sister who was playing on the touch screen device, while their dad was typing away on his iPhone. At another table a boy was playing on the touch screen while his brother was watching a show on a portable DVD player. His father was chatting on his blue tooth ear piece and the mother, was reading on her phone. And it wasn't just at those two tables, it was a recurring theme throughout the restaurant. People were texting, checking emails, playing games, watching shows...it was hard to find people who were just simply talking to one another.

Is this what the future of dining out holds for us?

Granted, I'm guilty of pulling out my Nano to keep Chipmunk busy while waiting for our orders to arrive, and Matt has on many an occasion handed over his phone to Bear so she can doodle to keep her impatience at bay...

It was just such an eye-opening experience at how much more wireless our world is becoming. My mother mentioned watching a row of kids at a graduation where each kid had their own iPad to tap away on. I've read articles with suggestions for purchasing preschool age kids their own iPod touch to keep them busy on long car/plane rides. There are portable game devices for every possible age group, with many of them capable of connecting wirelessly in some capacity.

Hmmm...

I remember, as a kid, getting excited if there was a kids menu that came with crayons.

It's a different world our kids live in. I just hope that by becoming more connected with our gadgets and the internet, we don't lose the personal connections we have with each other.

Of course, as I'm typing away on the laptop right now, I'm thinking, "Gee, shouldn't I get off and go play with my kids?" So I'll quit my ranting and raving for now. Until next time...