Christmas in the time of electronics

This Christmas, I have had cause to reflect on just how much life has changed since electronics came along. Our children are growing up with things that we did not have when we were young and life is just not what it was. Ours is not the first generation to say this, I have heard "things are not what they used to be" several times in my past. Things are never what they used to be, but we always ask ourselves are they better or worse. Of course, I am sure the answer is always "in some ways better and in some ways worse". However, surely the advent of computers and electronics has to be one of the major changes in our lives between one generation. I can remember when my Dad got a calculator at work. It could do basic mathematical functions and cost a huge amount of money in those days. We thought it was wonderful & much easier than that old slide rule. I can remember when computers took up a whole room: now you can hold them in your hand and access the Internet (and hence the World) from wherever you are. In fact, I am currently sitting at Monkey Joe's while the kids are playing on the bouncy toys. I can work on my computer while they are here, or at McDonald's, or any other number of places that have free WiFi access. Now, I can take the kids somewhere that they enjoy, but I can do something to occupy myself at the same time. Is this better or worse than how things used to be? Should I be standing around watching them and telling them how well they are doing rather than sitting in my comfy chair bonding with a machine?

When we went to Molly's on Christmas Eve, I looked in their family room to find Megan and Julie looking at Facebook on Megan's computer, Ben playing with Anne's iPhone and Maggie taking photos with Megan's phone. I remarked "family time in the electronic age"

The Prize presents this year were Ben's Nintendo and my eReader. I never thought that I'd prefer an electronic reader over sitting with a paper book in my hand. I can remember reading an essay in Time by Stephen King where he remarked that people would read electronically before too long. That was in 2000 and I said "not me, there's nothing that can replace holding a book in your hand". 8 years later, I have apparently changed my philosophy.

Even after Maggie opened all of her gifts on Christmas morning, she came into the kitchen and asked me if she could play Playhouse Disney on my computer. Instead of "the family that prays together, stays together", we've turned into "the family that clicks together, sticks together", or at least I hope so....