I bet I get some flak

If you are attached to an electronic device
are you missing moments like this?

I recently read a blog post, I found it because people from this page have been visiting Garden Tenders....  I looked around a bit; fun idea that you see all over the net now.  Mom's talking about what moms talk about and the quirkiness (or insane) things we see and do. 

I guess there was a post about moms on smart phones making the rounds recently.  I may have vaguely remember reading it.... Vaguely.....   Today I read a reply to Dear Mom on i-Phone...... at ....Dear Mom Judging Me.....  I had to reply.  I had to...  I am sure that I may even get some hate filled comments, but posted here is my reply.   

I get it. I do. You need time to “zone” and relax. I do too, I get it. I have been there.

That being said, I have also been the ignored friend while another mom assumes I will watch their child in the park while they text and “zone” on their smart phone. Its a leash, and its why I refuse to get one until I MUST have one. I have enough leashes and between other people demanding my attention and time I am well leashed.

When it comes to those I love and friends I DECIDE I am spending time with, you will get my attention. I won’t be “multi-tasking” my way through life. I’m not saying that you must 100% devote yourself to eyeballing your child and me, but put the damn phone down for 10 minutes, ok? Better yet, turn the thing off. Leave it in the car. Focus on the REAL life around you, not the electronic life that is contained in that leash. If you can’t do that, you might have an addiction and, well, no one here can help you.

I do get it though. I get needing to zone and unwind. I am a homeschooling mom that goes to school full time. I get the need for mind numbing zones. But when you do something like load the kiddos up in the car, drive to the park; can you give them your attention, at least for a little while? Then you can go back to checking your twitter and facebook pages…. trust me, that status update isn’t that important for the highschool friend you haven’t seen in a decade.

Sorry, had to share my perspective.
 

I really think when you get down to it, you need to put the phone down once in a while.

 I have literally had people I am talking to at the park for 30-45 minutes not raise their eyeballs from the phone, not once.  I gave up trying to talk to them long ago, and instead  I am enjoying the laughter, occasional cry, and the fresh air, unencumbered by the leash of technology. 

While I will not judge your ability to be a mother to your children because you are leashed to the phone, I will judge your ability to enhance our friendship.  Again, I am not judging your ability to be a mom.  I know many wonderful moms that have their smart phones with them all the time.  I know I am judged harshly, even by you leashed moms, because I am not a hoover/helicopter parent.  That being said, I am not judging your ability to parent your child, nor am I saying you must control every aspect of your child's life--shudder that thought...  ironically, those parents that will be the most angry at me for saying they are leashed, will be the first to judge me because I give Bear room to spread her wings and do not orchestrate her every waking moment.  Go figure.....

 

Thoughts?