Parenting Advice from a University Student?

    Here's a tad bit of a rant that I felt the need to quickly jot down! So recently, a miscellaneous woman that I follow(ed) on Instagram posted an unsettling video which she deemed as ultimately adorable. The video was of her little daughter (perhaps 3 years old - max) playing with some toys on the floor, the child then says something along the lines of "Mommy.. mommy.. can you put your phone down and play with me. Mommy, please!" *insert genuinely sad face of a beautiful toddler here*, and the mother giggling and continuing to record the video.


    I don't know why this bothered me so much, but I suppose my main thesis here is constantly recording and/or photographing your children is the equivalent to attending a concert and viewing the majority of it through that little screen in your hands.  I mean, having all of those lovely memories to look back on and to be able to provide to your child later in life is lovely and all but sometimes (more so mostimes), you should probably be experiencing these moments first hand. Obviously I'd be bummed if my parents had never taken any photographs or home videos of me and my sibling - as I cherish them dearly, but there's definitely a line to be drawn, and when it gets to the point where your own child looks you in the eyes and pleads for you to pay attention to them rather than your electronic device.. that should be an unavoidable hint. This appears to be becoming more and more prevalent with the advances in technology and social media and can undoubtedly be linked to some sort of human tendency to live in any moment but the present. I do not have children, but I don't believe that this makes my argument any less relevant, but this is just an observation that managed to get a little under my skin. I know that parenting is of utmost ambiguity, and no one can tell another how to raise their kids properly as there is no proper way to go about being a parent. All I'm saying is that something as seemingly little as this can have a massive effect on your children as they are at the height of human malleability. It won't be long before your child comes home from pre-school with a painting they made of you that looks something like this: 

    Note to future me perhaps reading back on this: live in the present, man.