About Those Headphones

I don't like headphones.

Not too long ago, I began to notice, more often, young children wearing headphones. Interestingly, the first time I began to think about this was at the homeschool convention. I was taking a break and sat with a friend. Across from me was a family hanging out together. Three of their large brood were lined up against the wall, each with their own ipod and headphones on. They were staring like zombies and as a result were not interacting with their family. While the parents chatted with the other children and played while they were hanging out for their break, the three sets of headphones barely moved. Their eyes were literally glazed over!

Now, granted that was my own interpretation and they could very well have been listening to lessons after having their own time with their parents. It just got me thinking. We got our own family ipod not too long ago and we use an ipod player/boom box. Rarely do we use the earphones. But, son has begun to want to use them. And, he wants to use them when we are all together in the room, meal times, in the car, etc.

I may be paranoid, or overly leary, but warning bells seem to be going off in my head. Headphones, to me, are like whispering. They harbor the ability for secrets. But, more than that even, they separate a member from it's family. Isolation. The headphone wearer cannot hear you, so therefore cannot speak to you. They can't interact with you, or share with you. It's as if they have left the premises--checked out. I'm not having too many warm and fuzzy feeling about headphones!

I know from my own experience, that people put on headphones in public (ie: library, airplanes, etc.) when they don't want to be talked to. They send a message with those headphones--"Leave me alone." I don't want to leave my children alone. I want to know what they are doing and want them to want me to know what they are doing. I think that is called parenting?!

I know that they can be a useful tool. But like all good tools, you need to know how and when to use them. That is what we are teaching our children. That, will then be a habit worthy of them.