Far be it from me to risk sounding like an alarmist, but would I be correct in my observation that many parents are on the verge of losing their children to screens? “Moderation in all things” has always been a very useful mantra for me. How difficult it is for us to get the right balance in how much time we allow our children to spend in front of a screen?

As part of my job as Chaplain at Newington I love doing my pastoral “wanderings” on a Saturday morning when we have home games at Stanmore – interesting conversations, comical situations (like seeing the referee move our enthusiastic supporters from behind the opposing goalie a few weeks back during a 2nd XI football game), and just the enjoyment of supporting our lads as they do battle in soccer and rugby throughout the day. There I was a fortnight ago watching a junior rugby game and beside me a family – mum, dad and a young son (8 or 9 I guess), sunny day, exciting game and yet this child was completely absorbed in a game on his iphone! There he was: standing up, on the side-line, presumably supporting his older brother – but glued to his small screen. Now please don’t be too embarrassed if that was you, but I was truly gob-smacked by this, stunned, even a bit shaken – and of course as I walked away and reflected on the moment, I have to admit to feeling quite sad.

I was encouraged to read an insightful article in The Daily Telegraph last month (July 17, 2013) by Miranda Devine. The article was entitled, “Why virtual parenting raises virtual children” and there was much to ponder in this short challenge to those of us raising kids today. Amongst many other points, Miranda Devine quotes recent research that indicates the average quality time parents are spending with their kids is now as low as 8 hours per week or 39 minutes a day – “increasingly children are being brought up by computers, TV’s and smart phones…they become isolated from parents by an ‘emotional firewall’ reserving their emotional relationships for friends, with whom they are permanently connected, electronically.”

I have had the privilege of being (and still are) a parent for five sons, who are now young adults, and am absolutely convinced that there is no more important, nor fulfilling role to play in life than bringing up the next generation. I agree whole-heartedly with Divine when she exhorts, “turn off the screens, play a game (together), go for a walk, read a book aloud” – and a little bit of wisdom from the Scriptures:

“You shall teach the way of the Lord to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” (Deuteronomy 11:19)

 David N. Williams
College Chaplin