There’s a new word in town. Have you heard of it? That word is a combination of two words: phone + snubbing = phubbing. Do you know a “phubber?” How would one know if this describes them? You can start by asking your friends. Ask your spouse or even better, ask your children. If people in your life are trying to get your attention while you’re looking down at a small hand-held screen all too frequently, you just might have a phubbing problem.
The actual definition goes like this: the habit of snubbing someone in favor of a mobile phone. I’m not kidding. Google it. Seems odd to be writing about this subject, but it is a reality in our technology crazed world today. Airport travelers run into me while walking and looking down at their phone. It’s tough getting someone’s attention that actually works in a service department while they’re glued to their mobile screen. We can forever notice how face-to-face relationships have taken a back seat to an email, a text message or a Facebook prompt. It’s not unusual to hear bells, whistles, buzzes and other such prompts from mobile devices while in a meeting.
But here’s who I really feel for. I am genuinely concerned for the children of the phubber. These children are pulling on their parents’ arms, legs, saying “Mommy/Daddy” repeatedly, asking questions, trying to converse and the adults are either not responding or saying, “Wait a minute would you? I have to finish this text message.” 
I just want to scream, “PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN AND LISTEN TO YOUR CHILD!” You brought them into the world to teach, train, listen to, care for, play with and love. PLEASE put your device aside and interact with your child.
Not too long ago I was watching the parents on the sidelines of a younger children’s sporting event. Parents, not too far back in the history of parents attending their child’s sports activity, would actually watch their kids on the playing field, yell and scream words of motivation and affirmation. Today, they’re looking down, addicted to a device that is causing them to miss watching their children grow up. And when that child asks, “Daddy did you see me…?” You can fill in the blank. That parent will lie and say, “Yea buddy, you were great!”
One day those same children will have their own device and then the snubbing of a parent will quickly and sometimes, most deservedly take place.
At first I was a bit taken aback by the expression that was just spoken half jokingly. It went like this, “We’re always in agreement; we do what she says.” Do you find yourself all too often acquiescing to your spouse’s desires in order to head off an argument? Should you be doing that?
Recently Mary and I, along with an auditorium full of people, attended a memorial service for a 19-year-old woman. She lost her earthly life in the recent Lancaster County, PA flooding.
I was awake at 3:30 AM in order to catch an early morning flight.
There was a study conducted by professor emeritus Robert Rosenthal of Harvard University in which he told elementary school teachers that some of their students were “intellectual bloomers.” Then the teachers were told the students names, who had been randomly selected, and also told that those particular students would excel in the forthcoming year.
I absolutely love being a grandparent. I have been named, “Papaw.” What an honor to hold, to love and to care for these little ones. To hear the words, “Papaw’s home” is music to my ears as it reminds me of when my children were small. I wrote a former blog that called, “Grandparenting a Lost Art” and it is, but it is as well, a second chance.
Why don’t you have an extramarital affair? Seriously, be honest with yourself and answer the question. What did you come up with? If I could guarantee you will never be found out, you’ll never get caught, would your answer change?
I have a theory and I believe the testimony of hundreds of married couples backs up this theory. The theory is the more sex you have outside of marriage, the less sex you have within marriage.
