Happy New Year to you all! 2025
There are moments when I find myself deeply nostalgic for the world before we had information—and each other—at our fingertips. Lately, I’ve realized that much of our modern mental stress stems from the constant "ping" of social media.
This past New Year’s Eve was a perfect example. As the clock struck midnight in both South Africa and Ireland, my phone became an ongoing alarm clock. WhatsApp messages flooded in from people I hadn’t heard from since the last New Year. It makes you wonder: without the ease of a "copy-paste" broadcast, would these people reach out at all? Next time, I’m turning off the Wi-Fi. It’s not about being grumpy; it’s about valuing real connection over digital noise. If you’re truly thinking of me, call or email. Otherwise, a Facebook post covers it!
Thinking back to the 80s and 90s, life worked differently. We didn't have cell phones to check up on each other every ten minutes. We made plans, we met up, and we lived our lives.
This brings me to the modern trend of tracking apps. I know parents who monitor their children’s locations well into their 20s—even after they’ve moved to different countries. I recently visited a couple whose 22-year-old son came home at 5:00 AM; the mother knew exactly where he had been for the last twelve hours. I simply don't get it. Unless there is a genuine emergency requiring the police, why play detective?
I refuse to do that to my daughter. Relationships should be built on trust, not surveillance. My rule is simple: text us when you’re heading home so we know when to expect you. Other than that? Enjoy your life.
When I was 17, my parents had no clue what I was up to half the time (which is lucky, or I might have been sent to a convent!). We’d tell my mom to drop us at the rink, then sneak off to teen discos like "Just for Kicks" or "Club Chicago," racing back to the Carlton Centre just in time for pickup. It was innocent fun, and we learned how to navigate the world on our own. Maybe the parents who monitor their kids today are just afraid their children are doing exactly what we did!
My advice? Give the kids a break. Let them grow up and "bump their heads" a little. And as for me? If I don’t answer your WhatsApp until Monday, don’t take it personally. If it was urgent, you would have called... right?
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