Phone Reaction

Why is it that we feel compelled to drop what we're doing and answer the phone when it rings? Is it some carryover from the Neanderthal era? Do our brains liken the ringing of the phone to a clan leader banging on a hollow log as a danger alert?

I have been fascinated by this need to run for the phone ever since I was a teenager. I used to call my friends and when they answered the phone I would say, Isn't it interesting how I, sitting in my house, can cause you to do something in your house? When my friend asked the real reason for my call I would say, That's all - just wanted to make you do something you hadn't been planning on doing just now.

When my friends tried to turn the tables they were often disappointed. I never felt compelled to answer the phone if I was in the middle of something. I always figured that if the call pertained to something really important the caller would try again almost immediately.

Today, with cell phones practically having become a new evolutionary appendage, the phone interruption in our lives is worse than ever. I have observed that teenagers are on the phone 24/7 - it is absurd. There HAS to be downtime in our lives.

If you are the parent of a teenager and have Verizon service here's a tip for you. You can go to online account management and program your teenager's phone to be inactive during the hours your child should be sleeping. The programed down time does not affect calls to 911, nor calls to and from parents - so you can be assured that your child can still make contact with the outside world if there's an emergency. You can also pat yourself on the back for making a least a small contribution toward better sleep and better health.