Multitasking has become a way of life; and amazingly enough, even children seem to be increasingly adept at it. However, studies have shown that a child’s ability to communicate significantly decreases when the child is consistently exposed to adults who perform other tasks or do not maintain eye contact while the child is speaking. Reading that information challenged me again to stop what I’m doing and listen when a student talks. I enjoy communicating with our elementary students; and when they talk, I need to give them my full attention. I have been challenged to recognize that a looming task can actually wait so I can encourage them to be good communicators and also show them that I care. Similarly, I’ve noted times when a student ends up deflated at a program or activity when the person who came to cheer on the student seems more attentive to a device than to the student. Setting down a device may be a simple act, but it reaps a significant benefit in the life of a child.
None of these thoughts is new or profound; they are just areas I have been reminded of lately. How important it is to literally look up—to look up from our devices…and beyond that to look up for help from our loving Heavenly Father and make every day count with the wonderful children the Lord has entrusted to us.