‘Twas 3 days after Christmas

when all through the land,

not a kid was in sight.

No fussing, no arguing,

there was not a single fight.

Where could they all be?

I looked out my window

the streets are  deserted.

I looked here, there,

I looked everywhere

and I grew disconcerted.

There they are!

Didn’t have to look far.

They all have their eyes,

glued to their Kindles-

their hands on their iPads.

They no longer wonder.

They no longer ponder.

Little ones, of all ages and sizes

too early to be  wired,

6,8,10 12 year olds,

young minds now in a quagmire.

So I looked in the past,

when kids did kid things-

they played cow boys and Indians

and the sunsets seemed to last.

They played hide and go seek

some even thought they had wings.

Some jumped rope and hopscotched 

and they made up their own nursery rhymes.

They had imagination,

because it was encouraged.

They had less information

thus, they weren’t so discouraged.

This is a plea for the parents

of this current generation

now being nurtured,

on their iPhones, iPads,

Kindles, Androids, and iPods:

Our kids need US!

Our kids don’t need anymore APPS.

There isn’t an APP to replace

a hug, a kiss and a smile.

There isn’t an APP to replace,

time well spent with your child.

-EVA SANTIAGO Copyright 2011