Hang up and enjoy your family!

Entertaining when there is not playroom

This is going to sound like a rant... sorry folks. Hubby and I wanted fish for dinner and the best place in town is also Irish, this is not the weekend to try to have fish there.  We thought we'd go to Chick Fil A... I know, not a fish place, but it was remarkably good.

Hubby and I were sitting there, enjoying our meal and also enjoying one of our favorite pastimes, people watching.  Mostly kid watching if the truth be told.  We both love to watch the little ones, they are so entertaining.  But tonight while observing the room full of kids, my heart broke.  Right across from us was a little one, less than six months to be sure, with her little eye brows all skewed up trying desperately to get her momma's attention, kicking her feet waving her little arms, smiling and frowning, but not able to get her attention.  Mom was busy surfing on her phone.  Her siblings were all playing in the toy room.

At first I was mildly annoyed, I wanted to tell her that precious baby would not be little for long and that she should be enjoying her.  But the more I looked around the room, the more crestfallen I became. 

Everywhere I turned there were parents paying intent attention to a phone or electronic device.  All around them were children, that were babbling to themselves, or their siblings with no adult interaction. Parents oblivious to those precious little ones that are going to grow up so fast, and not remember a mom and dad that laughed at their stories and talked to them.

I am glad I raised my children in a different time.  TV was pretty much the only vice available for them, and we lived in Europe, one channel is not much of a distraction.

I remember long walks in Europe, Colorado, Washington, etc. I remember dinners, and conversations.  I remember questions and ideas. I remember trips and picnic's, camping and biking, I am sure there were times I was distracted by a book or my own thoughts, I hope that I wasn't so wrapped up in non-important stuff, that they did not feel loved.   I hope that I remembered to take enough time just for them.

Looking around tonight, I had an overwhelming desire to scream out at all those parents to put their phones away and play with those precious babies.

As we left that adorable little girl was still trying to get mom's attention and mom had switched to using two phones to keep herself entertained... it broke my heart... How very sad... Snuggle those babies they grow up so fast!