To suggest that my kids deserve better than me being constantly distracted all day by Mumsnet?

[OrangeSpacedust]

Every day, I try to avoid putting on the PC, but always manage to come up with an excuse to myself ? bill to pay ... train time to check ... important email to send ... then inevitably, I get sucked in by MN (and other "recreational" sites that are really not compatible with caring for 2 young kids and stimulating them). I'm ALWAYS sneaking away to have a wee read ... my kids call me and I'll be like "Just a MINUTE!" ... "I'll be down in a second, just going to get some towels (yeah, and read about stuffed pasta and imaginary erections with a raised eyebrow)".

I just can't bloody turn it off, and know I have no self-discipline and am selling my kids short. I do love playing with them too, but when I'm down on my hands and knees building a train set or colouring in, I've still got my next fix of MN at the back of my mind, and am not giving them my full attention, there's no denying it. Any tips for a flaky distracted, NEGLECTFUL mummy for getting my arse in gear?

get your child addicted to Club Penguin so that every time you turn the computer on, they come mithering to play Club Penguin.

i have to leave the laptop upstairs hidden from my dcs (and me) to avoid Club Penguin related pressure (and also MN)

sorry no help really!

see, I have had a huge break, nearly 6 months or so as I emigrated so I have been a tad busy [understatement] arranging our new life

and you GET SO MUCH MORE DONE

and I didn't miss it because I had so much to do in RL

and now I have the time to bob on, I don't get sucked in a much as

a) I don't know who any fecker is and #
b) I only come on about twice a week so you don't get the "oooh I will just check that thread" scenario that I got when I worked 3 days and practically lived here

so there you go

emigrate and/or have a baby

If you only go on in the evening your husband will start complaining. Guess how I know this?

I used to be like you. Now I am more disciplined and only go on in DD's nap time and in the evening. DH is away ATM though, so it's easy! I'm not sure what will happen when he gets back.

TBH, both our lives are much better without constant internet. The baby gets lots of play and I don't have that twitchy feeling. ~Much, much nicer.

"emigrate and/or have a baby"

Love it, Olive. Will seriously consider both options ...

"I don't have that twitchy feeling"

That's exactly it! The Mumsnet Twitch! That feeling of being mentally pulled into another room to look at a screen when you should be in the middle of making up a story about the Fat Controller and Percy ...

yes, it is 8.30pm here so I am wanted in the tv room so will be off shortly

the twitch is v true, I do not get that anymore

and also thinking about threads all the time, now you just float by and I don't give a shit

see you in a day or so [twitch]

Try this: www.webjillion.com/

You need my 2 year old DS- obv fed up by my lurking on laptop all day, he threw his wheelybug at it, and ruined the display

Want me to send him round?

Hasn't worked mind, because here I am on a borrowed one!( though he is asleep!)

YANBU.

I overheard my daughter telling the baby to hush because "Mummy doesn't like to be disturbed when she is doing her emails".

I agree that you feel so much better when you give it a miss for a while. I've been on here nearly all day now and I'm cross eyed, slightly grumpy and I've eaten far much more than I would've if we'd gone to the park like I meant to!

Got the same over the farmtown game on facebook. Had to go cold turkey in the end. I had been dreaming about ploughing fields and making pretty patterns with trees!

I am a sad sad woman!

All day!

I try to not come to PC when DCs are around and DH isn't but when I do then we set a timer. They get 20 mins on a childrens webiste, I get 20 mins on MN.

If you are SAHM with young children, you need adult company from some source for your sanity.

Pmsl at "crack cocaine of the WWW"...

At least I don't get sucked into the best discussions because I'm in the wrong time zone, so when they're kicking off I am usually doing dinner/bath/bed related stuff with Dcs.

Set yourself a time when you will go on the computer, and set a time limit - so after I've done (whatever) I'll take a cup of tea up and play on the computer for x minutes then after that I'll....(list something else you need/want to do). Stick to it - and try to do it when your DCs are in bed/out.

"La La La La La" what addiction to MN?

I've name-changed. I have befriended a couple of mumsnetters and have visited them at times. I was shocked to find that they have the computer on all day as well as the tv for the children. There is no interaction between child and mother, all these mums wanted was to talk about what was happening on mumsnet. our conversations were punctuated with quotes read directly from mumsnet.

i think this place becomes a bit of a gossipy corner and mums are forever refreshing to see who has answered back and who is arguing with who. I've a feeling that some children will grow up feeling resentful of mumsnet, because it has taken their mum's attention away from them. So instead of playing outside or going for a walk, they are turning on the tv for the children and logging onto mumsnet.

I now only mumsnet when they are not around and when I've finished I switch the computer OFF.

Wouldn't dream of using MN when I'm with DS (2).
Wouldn't want to and he wouldn't let me even if I did!
But I work three days a week and so get the chance to MN during quiet times here

Bugger. I wanted to get fully involved in this thread but ds has just woken up from his nap and he'll want lunch.

Honestly. Kids. So selfish.

See, I abhor having the TV on all day. I really think it does kids damage, and have read a lot about it. My 2 watch maybe 20 mins a week max, and I'm happy with that.

... but there are plenty of times I scoop a child up onto my knee and whack a quick Thomas episode on YouTube while I gawp away at MN ...

What a hypocrite I am.

Glad 'the twitch' has been recognised!

Anything that helps me escape, and the computer is high on the list, is dangerous as I avoid reality, so try to limit times when I indulge in any activity that takes me away from what's really going on

What do your kids do when your mnetting then orangespacedust?
Are they happy playing by themselves?

What do your kids do when your mnetting then orangespacedust?
Are they happy playing by themselves?

Yes, they are, for varying lengths of time. Think it's because I don't let them watch tv ! I don't sit for 20 or 30 mins on MN at a time, though (usually) ... but I do nip on and off a LOT throughout the day. And fib to my kids, by saying I'm just off upstairs (for example) to get a cardy, or a nappy, or whatever ... they just don't get the continuous, concentrated attention that I think they should.

It's actually making me feel pretty good getting all this down though, and admitting to myself how crap I am in many ways. Maybe it's a watershed moment ...

Seriously OP, life is nicer without the twitch. ~Have it turned off for most of the day.

'Snot worth it. How often have you gone upstairs for a 'cardie' and discovered that you've had a wasted journey because no-one's said anything very exciting since you last looked?

In fact, the longer you have Mumsnet switched off, the easier it is to forget about it and start enjoying real life. It's like you suddenly realise what you've been missing.

"they just don't get the continuous, concentrated attention"

But kids don't need CONTINUOUS attention aa the time. Well, they do, in so far as you need to make sure they are safe etc, but you don't need to focus solely on them 24/7. Life is not like that. They have to realise you are your own person and have things to do.
That said, your Mnetting sounds a bit OTT.