Cell Phones are an everyday item found in almost every home.
Whether used for work or personal use, a cell phone is clutched in the hands of most Canadians, in fact, according to statistics Canada, 83 per cent of Canadians own and use cell phones.
Teenagers have a particularly bad reputation for having a cell phone addiction. Regardless of what they are doing, they always seem to have a phone in their hands.
“I notice people spending more time with their phones and other electronic devices than the people they’re with,” says Carihi student Matt Reise.
Reise isn’t the only one who notices this.
“Honestly, I’m too busy on my own phone to notice how much other people use theirs,” admits Katie Crombie, Robron student, “but if someone is standing right in front of you, who took the time out of their day to put all of their attention on that specific conversation, they are far more worthy than tapping on a keyboard to someone across town. It’s almost like I’ll get more attention and an actual conversation if I put my opinion on Facebook or send it through a text.”
“Technology made it easy for us to stay in touch while keeping a distance,” says Hailey Anderson, a Timberline student. “But now, we just keep the distance and don’t bother to keep in touch,”
Most teens have a really hard time putting down their phones, but what about adults? You don’t often hear as much about the negative cell phone habits the average parent has. “Between work, volunteer and social commitments, my phone is always close,” says Kirsten Billings, mother of two. “Dinner time is the one time in our home where cell phones are always put away. It’s often the only opportunity we have to sit down as a family. We don’t need the distractions of cell phones.
“As hard as it is for us all to put our phones down, it’s crucial we communicate as a family,”