On the Beach!

So attentive LOL

I agree with notanan2. I think some people are romanticing the time they spent bringing up their children and have forgotten the seemingly endless demands on time and attention . I also think that children should realise that their parents are human beings as well, and should not be expected to spring to attention at each request. Are those who did this the same people who describe the younger generation as "over entitled" and wonder why?

I am reminded of the song by Harry Chapin
Cats in the cradle

^ written in 1974 ^

Thanks notanan
Still relevant today as it was way back then.

Should add Imho.

Sure, I agree. But ignored kids is not a "sign of the times".

Ideally a balance is where kids arent taught that they are the centre of the universe and get to interrupt whatever adults are doing Vs kids also being listened to and important.

There is no harm in kids WAITING for parents attention, so long as they do get some. They do not however need to be the centre of attention all the time.

There are helicopter/overbearing/controlling/tiger parents at one end and neglectful/mean/selfish parents at the other end. Most fall somewhere in the middle, as has always been the case!

There is a problem:
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/07/05/duty-care-mothers-excessive-use-mobile-phones-driving-behavioural/
Manchester is being proactive in launching a campaign to encourage parents to address their usage of digital technology.

Yeah, bit like in the 80s when there was a run of memorably graphic TV campaigns aiming to cut the number of child deaths and life changing injuries caused by inadequate adult supervision in and around the home....

phones CAN be problematic, but the harping back to the days when mums hung on their children's every word... I just don't recognise that at all!

Cherrytree59 Yes, Cats in the Cradle is such a sad song.

I had another idea for a positive about mobile phones, texting etc - at least it encourages adults to read.
During my working life I tried to help children with reading problems. In the majority of cases their parents were illiterate, couldn't help at home. So now perhaps they can help?

I was talking to someone who was saying that she and her husband had to take holidays at different times, to cover the school holidays, so couldnt have a family holiday. Seems sad that children are seen as a problem to be solved.

yggdrasil is not watching the face but the social interaction
that is important. The talking and looking together.

It is so sad that children are learning that it is more important to give your attention to your mobile, not to the people with you. ie Mobiles are more important than your children. Strange. And when the children have their own mobiles they can hardly be blamed for doing the same.

grannypauline, i was just about to write the same message as you, except that i live in Gateshead. I have seen this happen so many times, and it is worse when the pushchair is between parked cars when it is pushed out into the road.

GabriellaG: The mothers you describe are not real mothers or minders. If they were, their children would come first at least during their years before adulthood.
I absolutely lived being immersed in virtually everything my children were involved in, whether on holiday, days out, weekends or evenings in besides all the school activities.

I find this a very sad comment.
Did you have no life of your own? Did your children have no lives of their own without your involvement? And what happened when they left home?

This might be the wrong word but I really think this is why children are more ignorant now than they used to be, also I think it’s why children shout more when they are talking to people. It really is very sad and at times very dangerous

When was this golden age, where mummies wanted no more than to be immersed in everything their children were doing?

I don't think anyone is suggesting that in the past mothers hung on their child's every word and action, however, you didn't see them pushing a pram whilst reading a magazine, they may have been chatting to a friend but they were still looking out for the child. These days it is not unusual to see people walk into lamp-posts because they are too busy looking at their phones - I actually saw a young girl (not a Mum with a child) walk into the side of a bus which was stopped in traffic

Isn't it about giving children what they need when they need it?

Babies need holding and eye contact, toddlers verbal and physical play, young children need freedom and responsibility etc., etc.

Anything that interferes with normal emotional growth has to be questioned.
Unlike books tv or other distractions the phone is available 24/7 and as others have said very addictive.

Finding reasons why the phone use equates to the past use of a mothers time, is missing the point.

Mums always need help either to relax or get through, and phones may help...…. but lets not forget children MAY be the ones who pay the price.

I totally agree. When my children were little We bought a face to face pushchair and I loved pushing them along chatting about the birds etc. Now I see most mums with outwards facing buggies, so they cant even see the children, either with headphones on listening to music or chatting or txting on their phones. My pet hate. They dont know what they are missing.

Or what the children are missing ?

I sat on a long train journey, and it made me so sad to see the little boy opposite.
"Look mum! A cow! Mum! Look, its a cow!"
Silence from mum who was engrossed in her phone.
After about 10 mins of silence he said "well it was a cow.." to himself.
By the end of the journey he was just sitting in silence too.

That is sad Misadventure. I see it too,in cafes etc where children are trying to get mum's attention. I know mums have always had other distractions but I do think this addiction to phones is becoming widespread and it is a shame for the children. I've even heard children saying 'Don't look at your phone Mummy!'

This behaviour worries me every day. I have to stop myself intervening but I'm sure that one day I will!