Monday, August 11, 2014

Parents: Stop calling your kids

I would like to issue an overdue apology to my five roommates in college: I'm sorry I wouldn't answer the phone. Back in the pre-cell phone days (you know, when dinosaurs roamed the earth), a call would come into the dorm room phone, and I wouldn't move to answer it.

This drove my roomies nuts. How could I not want to answer a ringing phone?

It seems I haven't changed. I'll be playing with my son today and my phone will ping indicating that I have a text message. And this conversation will ensue:

"Mommy, your phone made a noise."
"I know. It's just a message."
"Don't you want to answer it?"
"Nope. I can answer the phone later. Right now I am playing with you."

And my son will smile at me.

Turns out my phone avoidance is actually a good thing. You see, my son is going to mimic my phone behavior. And it's good for me to teach him to not answer his phone every time it makes a noise. Especially when he is driving.

New research by Parallel Consulting has found that up to half of teens talking on their cell phone while they are driving are talking to their mom or dad.

Wow.

I think whatever that conversation is, it can wait.

How about you? How often do you talk on the phone while you drive? Tell me in the comments.

2 comments:

  1. I'm just like you. The phone rings, the kids don't even bother to look up anymore. If they do, the youngest one will say, "It's just junk mail call." ha ha.
    I'm hoping my kids learn the people they're with in person are more important than a phone call. Our exceptions are grandparents and dad. I feel like I wouldn't expect a person in the room with me to just interrupt what my kids and I are doing, so why would I allow a phone call to interrupt? In the car, I must stay I'll take a call from my husband (and say, don't you kids ever do this when you're older! ha ha) but generally my phone is off in the car.

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    1. I usually forget to turn the volume back on my phone after work, so most of the time I never even hear it ring in the first place!

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