Are you a victim of “routine panic?” What the heck is routine panic, you ask? Routine panic is what happens when we live an overcommitted, fast-paced existence.
Many of today’s parents suffer from routine panic, whether they realize it or not. In Focus on Your Child, it was pointed out that the result of being too busy has devastating effects on our children. Over time, we become isolated from the ones we love and our child end up being the ones who suffer the most. The article also notes three trends concerning being too committed.
(1) According to Robert Putnam, a Harvard University political science professor, there seems to a growing trend toward overcommitment and isolation in America. And the most significant factor contributing to this trend is the increase in the number of two-career families.
(2) “Americans are going to church less often than we did three or four decades ago and churches are less engaged in the wider community,” according to James Davison Hunter in the Weekly Standard.
(3) Dr. James Dobson blames, television, the Internet and other forms of electronic communication for weakening the link between the generations. He also feels that these communication devices have, “ interfered with the transmission of family traditions.”
(4) According to Dr. Armand Nicholi, a psychiatrist from Harvard University, routine panic produces some of the same effects as divorce. For example, the amount of time a parent spends with their child. Dr. Nicholi notes that if this trend continues “serious national health problems are inevitable.”
(5) George Barna, a pollster reports that it is becoming less and less common for teenagers to have focused interactions with other family members. He says teens spend what‘s called, “family and time: family and TV, family and dinner, family and homework, etc. What teens need is time together with family members doing unique activities like visiting special places, playing games or just talking about life.
Finally, Dr. Putnam says the “social capital” of America is shrinking, “ stealing much of the meaning and enjoyment out of life.” The good news is that you can avoid routine panic by simply removing as much of the “busyness” from your life and spend more time with your family.
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