Mobile phones.

[Feltmistress]

I took my grandchild to his gym where he was supervised and the parent had a drink or surfed the net during that time. When the children came out and then sat around a table to have a drink/ snack I noticed that more than 50% of parents had their eyes glued to their phone. I have noticed this on buses, on trains in cafes. Please put your phone in your bag. Your child is with you for such a short time. Talk to them. Get to know them not your however smart it is phone.

Come join my soft play thread also under parenting! Phones have so taken over!

Fair enough: a patent is first and foremost a parent and should of course be a parent and as such should focus on their children. This goes without saying. But there are times (like now!) that I play or talk on my phone instead. If my dc are busy doing something else and playing independently then I can sit back with a cuppa and a biscuit whilst on mn or texting or chatting or taking bookings for work; I really don't see a problem with that.

When you look around and see parents on their phones you are just seeing a snapshot of their lives; how are you to know that they don't pay attention to their dc? How are you to know they're not taking really important calls or arranging work or just chatting with a mate because adult interaction is still important - even for parents.

A parent sorry, not patent.

But my point still stands!

And my 1st sentence makes no sense...
A parent should of course pay attention to their children ...

I'll get my coat

What I have noticed is no attention paid to the child - in a cafe where there is family eating or on train journeys etc. An important call doesn't take a whole journey. Friends can wait. These are ideal opportunities to interact with your child, expand horizons, excite interests. Invite a mate along and they too can join in!
Really, I don't think many people actually think about what this says to their child. Oh my phone is so much more interesting than you. It is all auto response. Ooh text message, must answer that. Ringing phone, must answer that when in many cases a delay of an hour or so isn't earth shattering, barring emergencies and a reply to interviews etc.