I’m reaching some sort of breaking point.

We are all addicted to screens. And I just can’t take it any more!

Every pedestrian walking down the street has a smart phone in hand and headphones in ear.  Every rider on the bus is slumped over a phone. Every kid at a restaurant has an iPad or Kindle.  And, perhaps the most outrageous offense, 7 out of 10 drivers I pass on the road are TEXTING WHILE DRIVING.

I get it.  Smart phones and tablets sure are convenient.  Any question we have is answered in seconds.  Plans with friends are made with minimal effort.  Kids are quiet and obedient when the promise of screen time looms ahead.  But, things are starting to get a little out of control.  About a year ago I made the choice to put my phone down more often.  If I’m spending time with the kids in the toyroom or going on a date with my husband, my phone is out of sight.  And, I never look at it while I am driving.  I know that someday my kids will have a smart phone, and I won’t want them ignoring me while they are staring at it, so I need to set an example for them now. We can’t let a screen get in the way of real life and real relationships.

And, now this is apparently a thing: a bouncy seat designed of the 0-4 month old set with a built-in iPad holder.  Yes, for just $80, parents can introduce their little baby to the lifelong joys of screen addiction via the Fisher Price Apptivity Seat.  Seriously.

Just the thought of this contraption makes my blood boil.  I believe it is a parent’s job to engage with a tiny baby.  I’ve had three newborns, so I know they aren’t always fun and sitting with one for an afternoon can be boring.  But, no app can ever replace a mother’s smile or a father’s baby talk.  Babies learn through example. They learn how their expressions affect other people. They learn how other people’s expressions affect them.  And, they need to learn how to entertain themselves when mom has to make dinner or dad has to tend to big brother.  No doctor would recommend this product, and no parent in his or her right mind would buy one.

SHAME ON YOU, FISHER PRICE.

But, it doesn’t end with there.  Once the baby outgrows the bouncy seat, he or she can walk right over to a little toilet with a built-in iPad holder. A mere $32 is all it takes to keep a toddler glued to the screen while learning how to potty train.  Seriously.

I have potty trained two kids by the age of 2 (and I’m working on the third right now).  It isn’t always easy. It isn’t always pretty. But through patience and good intentions I got the job done.  I encouraged them.  I guided them. While they sat on the little toilet I sat on the floor and read them books.  To think I could have cut myself out of the process entirely thanks to an iPad is a little startling.

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I feel like we are all at a big turning point right now. Are we going to let these screens dominate our lives, or are we going to go out and actually live our lives?  I know what my answer is.