A Promise To My Family

I took Cash and Chris to McDonalds after work today for lunch because I hadn't had a date with them in awhile.  Cash wanted to go to the one "with the slide and other play fings" so I agreed - eventho that entire area is a germ-infested place (in my opinion).  While we were eating I couldn't help but notice a mom of 3 sitting directly across from us.  Grandma was also there and was helping out with the youngest (an infant).  They had all just finished eating when I brought the drinks over and the oldest two were going out to the Playland.  I went back up to get my food and as I turned around I saw the middle boy (probably about 3) tapping his Mom and repeatedly saying, "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy....etc".  She would not look up from her phone.  It was not until the little boy smacked her on the cheek that she realised she was being called.  She looked up from her phone long enough to slug him on the arm and tell him not to hit.  I honestly feel now, like I should've stepped up and said something.  The little boy walked away with slouched shoulders rubbing his arm where she smacked him.  She never did ask him what he needed.

Her kids went out and played and kept coming up to the window and tapping trying to get her to look at them just once.  She never did.  She never even moved to the tables inside the Playland to be closer to her kids.  And in all honesty, I feel like a stranger could have walked in and snatched her kids - or the children could've darted out the double doors and she wouldn't have known until the battery started to die on her phone and she had to go plug it in - which is what happened.  It was time to go once her phone started beeping that she only had so much power left.

I could not believe how ridiculous this mom looked.  I was embarrassed for her and a little upset and mad.  I don't know why this kind of stuff bothers me but it does.  My biggest pet peeve is when we are at a family dinner and somebody is texting the entire time.  My husband hasn't had a cell phone in probably 6-7 years and I don't know that he'll ever get one again.  To him it is nothing more than an inconvenience and a nuisance.  And I'm beginning to feel the same way.

So here is a promise to my family:
I promise you that from this day on, I will not use my phone other than to make a call and take a call.  I will not text while we are out and I will not check-in, update a status, tweet, or play a game.

I am sorry if I have not given you my undivided attention.  I now understand how I may have looked at times and I am embarrassed.  While I know that I am not even half as bad as the mother I saw today ... even if I was buried in my phone for a couple minutes while we were out as a family, I am upset with myself.  The times we have together as a family is going by faster than I can believe.

Today was definitely a wakeup call for me.  It's unfortunate the mother of those three beautiful children doesn't have one too.  But maybe someday she will ... I just hope it's not too late.


Disclosure:  For once, both of my children were napping at the same time.  This is a very rare occurence.  So while I should have been doing the dishes or switching over the laundry during this time, I decided to get my frustrations out with blogging.
PS:  No cell phones were hurt during while writing this message.  Eventho I thought about it.