This nature is soooo boring.

So, I've seen this commercial a few times, and it always strikes me as odd.

The first line says, "This is Finding Nemo while getting lost in the woods," and shows children watching Finding Nemo on a tablet while on a camping trip. Am I the only one disconcerted by this?

(The original clip I posted here was taken off YouTube, it might happen again...)

We live in an increasingly technological society, and I am as addicted to technology as the next guy, but I'm pretty sure if we need a tablet to get us through a camping trip or a hike, we have a huge problem. I commend these fictional parents for even taking the time to take their kids into the wilderness, but sticking them on a log with a cartoon to watch is no different than sticking them on a couch in front of a TV. I'm a little surprised that Xfinity would even go this route. As technology becomes more a part of our day-to-day lives, as a society we find ourselves needing to put more effort into finding moments of reflection. Children are especially susceptible because they want to have the best gadgets and can get completely sucked in by the bells and whistles. As adults who are raising children, we need to be conscious that they get their time outside, that they are able to develop who they are away from a screen so that they are smarter about how they interact with technology when it's appropriate.

Even as an adult who makes all her own choices, I find myself reading less. I have always been an avid reader, yet still, since I caved and got a smartphone, I read less. I used to read on buses, trains, planes, in waiting rooms; any time that I had a few minutes to spare, I was reading. Now that I have my smartphone, before I pull out my book, I check to see if I have any moves to make on any of the games where I am competing with friends to roll dice or find words or whatever is the game of the moment. It's super lame, reading is so much better, but I gravitate towards the stupid games because they are easier.

The point of the story is, we spend so much time in front of a screen, when we actually do go into the woods, out onto the water, or into nature in general, we should put the technology away and experience the actual world around us (and the people, there are real people out there!). I'm sure as a parent, it is easier to distract an antsy kid with a glowing screen, but sometimes it's better to let them get bored enough to find a way to entertain themselves, the old fashioned way.