I have noticed many things about parenting styles by observing the people around me lately. I am not trying to be judgmental or rude by any means. I am merely writing about the things that I see that make me feel that children are not being cared for in the best way possible. Parents must be alert and aware of their children at all times in order to keep them safe and to be responsible parents. I have noticed many parents distracted, unaware and downright oblivious to their children’s care. These people may not be limited to parents as caregivers, relatives and more are responsible for taking care of kids. As respectable adults we should be putting our priorities in line and using self control when it comes to what is right by our children. Such as smoking in the car. With the weather in the freezing temps these days people are keeping the car windows up and the heaters on. These changes have not seemed to have curbed parents smoking habits however as I see little ones in the back seats of vehicles filled with cigarette smoke. Even those who crack the window to sweep away the smoke still leave unacceptable amounts of addictive nicotine, deadly chemicals and ash in the faces and lungs of their helpless little passengers.

Add texting and driving to this scenario and kids are quite literally in danger of losing their lives. I am astounded at the number of adults with children in the car looking away from the road numerous times and for long periods of time completely distracted by their cell phones. Sometimes I honk then point and wave a condescending finger if they are weaving, disobeying traffic lights and such. I realize that reprimand is not my business and certainly not a deterrent for adult behavior, but I feel like making a justifiable point in the face of potential danger is warranted in protecting a child.

I am seeing cell phone use as an epidemic in poor parenting in today’s world. So often I would see adults fixed on their screen while their children were running off , making mischief, getting hurt or needing care. I saw so many situations that it made me frightened to think that what was happening. And what if we were at a public pool instead of the mall and the babysitter was distracted for the same amount of time it takes a child to slip under the water. What if we were walking on a busy street instead of a busy store and a child wandered into traffic instead of into a round of clothes while dad checks his e-mail. What about the mom multi-tasking on the phone who did not notice her child pick dirty food off the ground at put it in his mouth. And what about strangers for heaven’s sake! Keep your eyes on your kids! And stop literally running into me and my children because your face is in your phone!

I really believe that our world is so based on technology that we see it as a necessary and normal function of our everyday living. I walk and text and check e-mails all the time, but I don’t have little ones in my care and even when I am driving alone in my car I do not use my cell because I am not the only person who would get hurt or killed in an accident I might cause from being distracted.

We are so concerned about public campaigns for teen texting and driving which is certainly worth the hype to save lives of many people in car accidents due to phones, but I believe from my recent observations that caregivers, parents and anyone responsible for children should be made aware of the dangers of texting and parenting.