Stop Texting While Driving and Dining
He who has ears to hear, let him hear. –Matthew 11:15
Stop Texting While Driving
You probably already know this, but you shouldn’t text while driving.
The main point of driving is to get you and your passengers safely from point ‘A’ to point ‘B.’ Texting while driving requires you to take your eyes off the road. Even if you use voice dictation, you will probably find yourself glancing down to make sure auto-correct didn’t mess up before hitting “send.”
I totally understand the desire to be efficient with your time—you can still make a few phone calls or listen to a good podcast while practicing safety. But it’s just not worth jeopardizing your safety and that of your loved ones.
Several years ago, I read about a woman in Colorado who did this and found that the split second she was not paying attention to the road caused her to hit a pole, which went through her car and impaled her buttocks. She was lucky to survive, and it was not a pretty scene for the emergency crews to come upon.
I haven’t even mentioned that it’s illegal in most states to text while driving.
That said, I have a confession to make: I used to text while driving. Shame on me. My wife and kids encouraged me to stop. I would sometimes hand them my phone to do the typing for me, which was an improvement. But when I considered the story of the Colorado woman, the fact that texting while driving is illegal, and the prodding of my family, I finally got the message and changed my habits for the better.
For me, there is no more texting while driving.
Stop Texting While Dining
And it’s occurred to me that there are other times I need to put down the phone. Many people today are hunched over, staring down at the glowing light of their phone screen. It doesn’t seem to matter if they’re sitting alone, standing in line at the grocery store, or in the middle of a crowd. The worst offenders will often send a quick text while in the middle of a conversation with a “friend.” This shows a shockingly low level of awareness. Sadly, many people could stand to work on improving their EQ (i.e. emotional quotient), which is sometimes called emotional intelligence. We all need to be present with the people right in front of us.
Take a look around the next time you’re at a restaurant. There will be more than one family with Mom checking in on social media, Dad reading his e-mail, and siblings playing a video game or texting multiple friends. Everyone is in the same room, sitting at the same table, and ordering from the same menu, yet no one is having the same conversation.
So, in addition to the admonition to not text while driving, I offer an addendum: No texting while driving or dining.
Put the phone down at the dinner table, but not on the table. In other words, make sure your phone is completely out of sight. Don’t set an alarm, look anything up, check e-mail, or look to see who just called. If you need a little jingle to help remind you, try this:
Put the phone in your pocket to stay,
Or simply put it far away.
Being Present at Dinner
While you’re enjoying a nice meal at home, start a meaningful conversation. Ask a thoughtful question. And don’t rush yourselves — linger. Your kids want to hear from you, Dad and Mom. So look them in the eyes. Concentrate on their questions and answer them in a heartfelt manner. Listen to the cry of their young hearts. You will find that your kids like having you around and fully engaged in the dinner conversation. You’ll enjoy it, too.
All seven of our children have left the nest. And yet all of them have communicated the following similar experience: when they talk with college friends about having conversations with family around the breakfast, lunch, or dinner table, their peers looked at them funny. Some have even commented that it sounded like a regular occurrence. For our kids, it was! But so many of their friends couldn’t relate. It’s a foreign concept. Each of our kids now recognizes how unique, powerful, and relationship-building mealtime discussions were to their own growth and development.
Ready to Change the World?
The title of a Breakpoint article says it well: Ready to change the world? Eat dinner with your family.
Are you ready to change your texting habits? I was—and did! And it made a world of difference in the relationships that I hold near and dear. And if you want to create a family culture that has the potential to shape the next generation for the better, then put the phones away at mealtimes, be fully present, and engage in deep, meaningful conversations around the table.
Stop texting while driving and dining. When you do, you’re actually not being safe, and you’re not being present. As for me and my house, no more texting while driving or dining.
Let me know if you give it a try. I’d like to hear if your spouse and kids notice or comment on the change at the table. No need to call attention to the change. Just listen to how your conversation changes for the better.
