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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

put your phones away!

42 replies

lovesherdogstoomuch · 22/03/2013 19:47

to find it unbelievable when parents are busy texting/chatting on their mobiles and ignoring their kids at the swings when the poor things are obviously trying to get their attention! Helllooooo. you brought your child to the park to have some 'together' time didn't you?

OP posts:
everlong · 22/03/2013 19:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AllTheWittyNamesAreGone · 22/03/2013 19:50

Umm i go to the park to not spend time with my child. Its the only time he isnt clinging onto my leg going' mummmmmeeeeee'

I would help him if he got stuck eventually though

honeytea · 22/03/2013 19:52

They might be working, there might be a family emergency. Maybe they have been baking cakes/doing crafts with the kids all morning and they brought the kids to the park to get a chance to relax a little before making dinner and putting the kids to bed.

AgentZigzag · 22/03/2013 19:52

You've got no idea why they're on the phone, sometimes I text or ring my older DD while I'm with my younger one, maybe to check she's on her way home and safe or has taken her medicine, or I could be on the phone to the doctor or any number of other things.

And some parents take their children to the park so they can have a few minutes off and couldn't give a monkeys arse what other people judge them to be.

IneedAgoldenNickname · 22/03/2013 19:56

I take my children to the park for a break, I play with them at home!

Original poster
lovesherdogstoomuch · 22/03/2013 19:59

MNers you are right. i was being judgemental. it's just i've seen a few kids trying to get their parents' attention. my kids are older now and i've forgotten. the park is a respite, and you hope your DC's will run and play with other kids.

OP posts:
BlueberryHill · 22/03/2013 20:05

DH is often on his Blackberry, checking work emails, he has a job where people need to be able to contact him, most of it is crap but occasionally he needs to respond to something at night / weekends / holidays.

Plus it does give you a break and the kids a chance to run off some steam.

We do play with them as well, they are pretty good fun.

AgentZigzag · 22/03/2013 20:07

Children are just about constantly trying to get their parents attention, it doesn't mean they should get it instantly every time they ask.

How old are your DC?

Bet you've got a whole different set of judgments being made about you now they're older? Grin

FlowersBlown · 22/03/2013 20:10

There is absolutely nothing wrong with children being able to play without adult interaction. I would say that it's actually very good for them. While they're playing, adults might as well engage in another activity.

Dillydollydaydream · 22/03/2013 20:13

I quite often take pics/videos on my phone of my dc to send to dh, most of the time they are happy just to play by themselves.

AliceWChild · 22/03/2013 20:18

A blog post discussing this for you

Original poster
lovesherdogstoomuch · 22/03/2013 20:21

ok i've been flamed! agh! My kids are 17 and 20 now. and i miss the 'going to the park bit'. i will slink off now.....;)

OP posts:
AgentZigzag · 22/03/2013 20:25

I think you're over dramatising it, you haven't been flamed, nobody's called you a cunt yet Grin Grin (plenty of time for that when the thread gets longer and posters only read the OP and not the rest Grin)

Original poster
lovesherdogstoomuch · 22/03/2013 20:27

ok. thanks AgentZZ.

OP posts:
chandellina · 22/03/2013 20:31

I think it's about more than just ignoring children. People are less engaged with the people around them, including their loved ones, because we all have our noses stuck in phones half the time. There can be good reasons for it, but a lot of rubbish ones too.

Astr0naut · 22/03/2013 20:32

The park is boring and, for the last 6 months, fucking cold. Most of the time I am on my phone I am checking what time it is, so I can give in and go home. Grin

LetUsPrey · 22/03/2013 20:34

I'm supposed to take them to the park? But it's cold outside and that's where the park is. I can ignore them quite as easily indoors.

honeytea · 22/03/2013 20:35

OP I think you should go and volenteer to play with people's kids at the park if you miss going to the park, the mum's would love they could sit and mumsnet whilst you play tag with their kids :)

kerala · 22/03/2013 20:35

My phone is broken and cant get another until my "upgrade" is due at the end of April but it is quite liberating in a way. I speak to my children now and read books.

AgentZigzag · 22/03/2013 20:36

Just going on my own experience and things I've read on here chandellina, there are quite a few people at the park that I'd rather not engage with tbh (and I admit I'm making my own judgements on that one Grin)

Hahaha Astr0.

DuttyWine · 22/03/2013 20:38

So it's probably 10 years since you took your kids to the park? I'm guessing your phone back then was a Nokia 3210 and the best thing you could do on it was play snake Grin

Would you make the same judgement if the parents you saw were reading books or newspapers? I often read online news on mine when I get a spare 5 mins as well as go on mumsnet of course!

honeytea · 22/03/2013 20:45

So it's probably 10 years since you took your kids to the park? I'm guessing your phone back then was a Nokia 3210 and the best thing you could do on it was play snake

I want to play snake! goes to search for a snake app

maisiejoe123 · 22/03/2013 20:47

I was on the tube the other day and the majority of people were 'on their phone'. We have gone far too far on this mobile marklarky! People have falled down potholes and been run over looking at their mobiles. What's the urgency....

MrsKeithRichards · 22/03/2013 20:48

You can get a snake app called snake97 or something it turns your whole phone into an old Nokia, it's fucking amazing.

babacoon · 22/03/2013 20:49

Lol at Nokia 3210Grin