Families' Mornings Start with Tech Check

Families boot up computers, phones on waking
By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 10, 2009 9:58 AM CDT
Families' Mornings Start with Tech Check
Children play with the XO laptop in Cambridge, Mass.   (Courtesy of William Hicks)

When it comes to morning routines, the modern family has a new set of priorities, many of which require a screen, the New York Times reports. “It used to be you woke up, went to the bathroom, maybe brushed your teeth, and picked up the newspaper,” says an expert. Now, “I’ll be the first to admit: the first thing I do is check my email.”

East-coast Web traffic drops off from midnight to 6 am, then surges. “It’s a rocket ship that takes off at 7am,” says an analyst. Text messaging between 7 and 10am on Verizon Wireless was 50% higher this July than last. While adults are checking email, kids log on to Facebook and check texts. “They used to have blankies; now they have phones,” says one mom.
(More family stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X