There is a commercial I saw on tv once. I can not remember what the ad was selling but I remember the message I got. The mom was inside the house and wanted her husband who was in the garage, so she sent him a text. Then she wanted to get her son from the backyard, so she texted him. I remember thinking how lazy that was! But the truth is, it happens all of the time. And yes, I have done it! If my child is in the other room, instead of walking in and speaking face to face I will text or instant message them. It is just so easy instead of getting up. Boy, do I sound lazy!
Or what about this one, your child is speaking to you and you are texting or on the computer and you just keep looking down at your device instead of giving your child eye contact? Yep, I've done that one too. I have been guilty of nodding and saying "okay" and then my child walks away and I am not really sure what they said.We expect our children to look at us when we are speaking to them, so why do we not see it as important to look at them? Many times I have had to walk in front of the tv or pull a toy away and tell them, "Look me in the eye!" But I am not giving them that same respect.
If this is you, maybe it is just me, I want to encourage you to be more conscious of this. When you child is speaking to you, stop what you are doing and look at them. If it is something important that can not wait, ask them to hold on for one second until you can stop, then give them your full attention. This goes for our spouse too. Let's get face to face and focus when our family is speaking to us.
Sweet Blessings~
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By big media 'sin' is "Hold on... I'll talk to you when I finish this." Epic fail on my part. I've got to do better. Great post :)
ReplyDeleteHi Jenifer - for my spouse too? Only kidding. Great post. I will definitely be more conscious of this. I want my family to KNOW they come first! I will text them to let them know! Sorry - in a cheeky mood!
ReplyDeleteGod bless
Tracy
Tracy, you are so funny! :)
ReplyDeleteGuilty! I try to give them eye contact when I'm on the computer, but I don't do so well and I shew them away and even get frustrated with them for interrupting me! Thanks for this reminder. Blessings!
ReplyDeleteI'm guilty of this too. That scene you described of being on the computer and not giving my son my full attention. That is often me. I don't want my son to grow and look back and think that his mom was too busy typing on the computer than to listen to him. I was convicted about this over the weekend too. My number one priority right below God needs to be my family. Thanks, Jenifer.
ReplyDeleteI'm guilty of everything scenario you mentioned, Jenifer. Thanks for challenging me to be in the moment with my kids and yes, even my spouse. ;)
ReplyDeleteOuch! Ok, yes, I'm convicted on this one as well. We try to work on the whole eye-contact / respect issue with the boys often, but we're certainly guilty of doing the reverse to them as well.
ReplyDeleteGreat reminder!
Have a Blessed Day!
This is such an important reminder. I have texted my kids and I have also gotten caught up in what I was doing that I didn't look at them when they were speaking to me. Ouch! Your words are timely. I kind of regret ever getting my kids MP3 players because extracting headphones from their ears is major surgery. haha.
ReplyDeleteSuch a good reminder, Jenifer. I don't text, but the computer is an extension of my eye and arm.
ReplyDeleteI just now did this to my husband, who came in to ask me to do something for him. Maybe he added that unnecessary sentence about why it was important just to make sure I'd heard him!
I think it was Kermit, on Sesame Street, who used to sing the song, "That's about the size--where you put your eyes--that's about the size of it." I'm going to try to remember where I put my eyes when people are in my vicinity.
I'm glad to connect on your blog. It's beautiful.
This is a good reminder. Our entire society would benefit from more eye contact.
ReplyDeleteFondly,
Glenda
Ouch! Yup, My son is 4 and so he'll say something and repeat it about 50 (no joke) times :) he has started rewording it some though (Score!). I've become so accustomed to it that I have caught myself smiling and nodding the entire time and I never caught what he was trying to say. :( No matter how frustrating it may seem, my son truly wants my attention. He truly wants to know that his mother treasures him and treasures his presence. I'm working on it. He's working on it - We'll get through it :) but I pray that I will pass this "Stage Test" with flying colors.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the punch in the gut!
I totally agree with you! Thank you for this timely reminder. I thought about this at She Speaks, too. My first priority has to be my family -- just what Michael O'Brien was talking about. I should never confuse my calling and my gifting.
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking up! Hope you will be back next week!
Very good reminders for parents, Jenifer. This could go for spouses as well, we need to be in the moment. I know you've seen two people sitting at a table in a restaurant and one or both are on the phone or texting, sad, they are not there for each other at all.
ReplyDeleteHugs, Cindy
Timely reminder. My usual sin is I am watching TV and my husband or son comes in, and it takes me some time before i turn the TV off :^( Patsy from
ReplyDeleteHeARTworks
Thank you for the reminder... it's so important to give the example of respect if we expect our children to respond respectfully. Wonderful post!
ReplyDelete