I admit.  I’m on my phone a lot.  All the time.

But I didn’t grow up on my phone all the time.  I grew up — using both hands!

The other day my daughter and I went to the neighbors’ house to walk their dog.  I wanted to make sure she could do it by herself.  Accordingly, I instructed her to open the door by herself using the key.  She dutifully inserted the key in the lock with her right hand and turned.  The door did not pop open, of course.  She turned the key again with her right hand.  It did not open.  Her left hand hung at her side.

She was bewildered, perplexed, really.

She turned the key again with her right hand.  Her empty left hand still hung at her side, useless.

Before my head exploded, I had to speak up — slowly:

“Turn the key with one hand, use the other hand to turn the knob and push.”

She’s  a teen, not a toddler.  Yet it had not occurred to her to use both hands.

I blame Apple.  Usually this kid has a phone and/or iPod in hand.  She is so used to holding a  device  that it has rendered one hand useless, even when it’s empty.

This scenario has happened often with my kids.   They only use one hand for most things, even cooking.  Oh, I admit they’ve become quite adept at using one hand, but it’s not efficient.  Not at all.

And it looks ridiculous.

When my children were babies and toddlers they always scored so well on those tests for large and small motor skills.  They could manipulate small toys and they could climb on anything.

Now they forget that they have two hands.

I think someone should conduct a study on the long-term effects of the use of personal digital devices on the (arrested) development of manual dexterity in teens — because I think this is a problem.

Seriously.  Have you ever watched a person do laundry with one hand?  It’s ridiculous.

Just Me With . . . both hands.