Talk to the toddler

Time for another phone rant, or rather, the behaviour of some people who use them.

If there is one aspect I like about the town I'm currently living in, it's seeing all the parents and their very young children. It's great that people consider it to be a family-friendly area and are comfortable walking around with their kids. Some walk their youngsters and others use baby transport.

What do I hate seeing? A parent pushing their baby/toddler's pram/stroller with one hand and holding a phone with the other. On most occasions, the parent is looking straight ahead while talking into the phone but on others they are texting; when they text, they are looking down and aren't observing their surroundings. Some parents have their child walk and yes, those parents have one hand on the child and the other on a phone. In all three circumstances, they are not paying their child any attention. This is not something that is specific any gender, either; I have seen both men and women alike opt to use their phone when out with their kid(s)

This angers me immensely. If someone has a child, they should be bonding with it whenever possible; going out on a walk is an excellent time to help bond and to educate. Merely talking to the child helps in that process. I consider it shameful for someone to be messing around on a phone — something that can be done anytime — when they could be interacting with their offspring. Children, especially the very young, need human input, not adults who appear to talk to or play with an inanimate object. It doesn't matter what you talk about; the company and the attention is what count.

It's bad enough when people neglect their friends because they spend all day fiddling around with their phones, but neglecting their kids as well? Honestly, why are some people — when not at school, working or sleeping — always obsessing over a gadget, to the expense of other people and even themselves? Don't get me wrong, I like my phone and use it on a daily basis, but I don't use while interacting with people in person and I certainly wouldn't prioritise it over a child.

A potential response to my rant here would be that how other people choose to raise their kids is none of my business, and I can respect that. That being said, when people bring a child into this world, it is their responsibility to ensure its well-being; simple human interaction contributes enormously to a child's development. Parents should not squander their time with their offspring; both them and their child(ren) will regret it if they do.