Hang on a minute, I'm just checking FB...

Last week I read an article entitled Are you really there for your kids, or are you on your iPhone? on the Essential Baby website and as I read, I cringed and knew that this was me.  I was guilty of this.

The article discussed a blog by Hands-Free Mama entitled “How to Miss a Childhood”.  The premise of the article centres around our obsession with technology, specifically our phones.  I am that parent.  You know the one – pushing the swing with one hand whilst reading something on my phone with the other.  And is it wildly important what I’m reading?  Am I saving lives or the planet with my phone?

Of course not.  I’m updating my status update.  I’m checking in.  I’m sending the latest photo to Instagram, Twitter & Facebook all with the click of a button.  Little Warrior could be hanging upside down by one foot for all the attention I’m showing him.

And then I read this article and it seemed to be the wake-up call I needed.   The next day dawned and I was determined to keep my technology in my pocket, look my children in their eyes and listen to them when they spoke to me.  I would be in the moment with Little Warrior when we went to the park.  I would know that he’s just run behind that structure to play because I would have been watching him and not my phone.  I would not have my nose buried in my iPad or the Mac when the children are asking for afternoon tea and I would engage.  I would be there.

And I did it.  The world kept turning, no asteroids hit the earth and when I finally DID check my Facebook, Twitter, RSS Feed and Instagram hours later, I had missed nothing.  Nothing at all.  Five days later I’m still on track.  I’m only losing myself in technology when Little Warrior is asleep and Polynesian Princess is at school.  And I don't miss the constant engagement with the phone/pad/computer.  And even if I did, I refuse to miss their childhood.

So thank-you Hands-Free Mama.  And my children thank you too.

Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The prodigal phone returns...

Sixteen days.  That’s how long it’s been since I’ve been without my iPhone.  And today I got the call.  THE call.  It’s ready for pick-up.  Squeeeeeeee!!!!!  For those out of the loop, my phone has been getting repaired after Little Warrior broke the screen.  You can read about my rant here.

But I now have a replacement phone and I'm a very happy Diva.  So after a quick sync with iTunes and a message or two to the Architect to find out our various passwords, I was back in business.

I want to send out a big thank-you to the two phones that got me through this difficult time.  The first (my old, old Dopod) died on me after about a week but the second (a $29 Samsung purchased at Australia Post) got me through the rest of the time sufficiently.  So thank-you.

I would have to say: the one thing annoying about waiting for a phone to be repaired/replaced is getting used to using a new (old) phone.  Waa Waa – yes, it’s a whinge and I know I’m very fortunate in many ways, but can I just say this?  Please?  Going backwards and trying to type texts the ole ye fashioned way was doing my head in!  I became a little (more) curt in my texts, and I apologise to some people who I have totally ignored in this time.  Communicating got all too hard sans my iPhone.  What’s that you say?  Why didn’t I just pick up the phone and call someone?

Eh?  What.  And actually communicate with somebody??  Pffft.  I don’t recall the last time I did that.

Oh wait.  Yes I do.  Last week I got a gift in the mail from a wonderful friend.  She posted me a copy of Julie & Julia.  She knows how much I love cooking and blogging, and she highly recommended this movie to me.  I had never seen the movie, but always had it in the back of my mind to watch it someday.  So it was with pure delight and happiness that I opened this package last week and there was a copy of the DVD from my friend.

That definitely calls for a telephone call.  A reach across the wires to contact somebody who thought of me, and thank them wholeheartedly.   I watched it and loved it.  And yes, now I’m somewhat inspired to start a food blog.  Hmmmm…

So happy Wednesday everyone - I hope yours has been as rewarding as mine :)

xx

My mobile, my friend

Little Warrior has killed my iPhone.  With one swift downward motion, my communication device was shattered.  Three and a half years I’ve had an iPhone and in all that time I haven’t damaged it.  Yes, I may have lost one, but damage?  No.  Never.

I can remember a time before I had a mobile phone.  A time when, if you HAD a mobile phone, you were considered a wanker.  Or was that just the friends I had at the time?

If you were running late to meet someone, you were just late.  They figured you were late by the time 30 minutes had ticked by and there was still no sign of you.  There wasn’t any texting or calling saying you’re just popping into Baker’s Delight for a scroll or tear n share, and do you want anything?  If you couldn’t remember what type of yogurt you had to buy at the shop, you just had to rely on your memory.  If you hadn’t called your Mother for her birthday, you had to wait until you got home or call from a payphone.  And if you were waiting for a phone call, you actually had to stay home.  Barbaric.

So blah.  So boring.  How dynamic we are now.  Now we can be in touch constantly.  That thought alone makes some people shiver.  But me – I love it.  I love having everything at my fingertips.  Calendar, music, contacts, telephone, shopping list, to do list, weather, eBay, internet.  It all works so beautifully until a certain two year old decides to fling my phone with all his might in a downward motion onto the bathroom tiles.  Sigh.  Really, Little Warrior?  You couldn’t have just given Mummy the phone and BRUSHED YOUR TEETH?

Everything was in that damn phone.  I had to desperately copy out my shopping list whilst at the Optus Shop, plus my to do list.  I even had to borrow a pen.  I haven’t had a pen in my handbag for at least four years.   I had to go into my Period Tracker app to find out when my next period is ferchrissakes!  Hey - I’m nothing if not honest.  But it’s true!  Hello, my name is Leanne and I use my phone to track my cycle. 

So now my phone is off to the insurance peeps at Optus and no doubt it will cost a bomb to replace and then where will I be?  At the moment I’m using my old Dopod.  Remember those?  I think that’s what the HTC was before it was HTC.  It’s fine, it’ll do.  It’s a phone, but it’s not my iPhone.  Sad face emoticon.

I’ve come so far from my first mobile phone.  A bright yellow Alcatel mobile phone.  My mobile phone lifeline looks like this:

Alcatel

Nokia (didn’t everyone?)

Siemens (tiny little silver thing)

Motorola (hellloooo Moto)

Dopod

iPhone

So until we meet again my trusty phone,  thank-you for keeping my entire life running smoothly.  I'll miss you dear friend.  Now has anyone got a pen I can borrow?

Have you ever thought about your mobile phone lifeline?  How many have you been through?  What's your favourite?  No prizes for guessing which is my favourite in my lifeline.

Image: Idea go / FreeDigitalPhotos.net