It’s clear that technology has changed our lives in amazing ways. We can connect with people far away and find information in seconds. But there’s a problem brewing, especially for young people. Our phones and smart devices might be keeping us apart, changing how we interact with each other.

I interact with young people throughout my day and it’s becoming more and more obvious that screen time is interfering with their ability to have seamless conversations. Most of the time a phone call or face-to-face conversation is interspersed with long pauses or uncomfortable glimpses at their phone screen while they think of what to say next.

Think about how kids grow up today. They have smartphones almost from birth, always looking at screens. This means they often talk more through texts and emojis than face-to-face. They might struggle with talking to people in person, missing out on important social cues like eye contact or body language. This can make it hard to connect with older people who grew up without technology.

I’m slightly concerned how the next generation is going to fill out boots. Most of us grew up working with and around people. In high school I worked in fast food. I worked my way through college as a front desk clerk for several hotels. And my first career was sales. Very few jobs, even today, allow people to not communicate face-to-face.

New technology like AI is everywhere, from helpful apps to smart assistants. While AI is useful, kids might rely on it too much. If they always get answers from a computer, they might not learn how to understand people’s feelings. This could make them more comfortable with machines than with real, complicated human relationships.

This isn’t just about kids feeling awkward. It could affect our communities and how we solve problems. If people can’t talk well in person, it’s harder to work together and make decisions. Online discussions can sometimes get heated, with people hiding behind screens. This might stop young people from learning how to truly get along with others.

I’ve been pondering this for a while and am truly worried about our future. When my daughters were teenagers I insisted they work in customer service jobs that required social interaction outside of their close friend group. I guess I did the right thing because they’re both teachers who insist their students leave the phones outside of the classroom.

So, while technology brings us together in some ways, it can also pull us apart. We need to be careful that our digital lives don’t make us forget how to connect in person. Our future depends on making sure we value real human interaction, not just what’s on a screen.

Jeromy Patriquin is the president of Laptop & Computer Repair, Inc. He can be reached at 978-413-2840.