No More Distractions

So lately when I get home from work I have been trying to put my phone on the dining room table and leave it there for at least an hour without touching it so I can hang out with Char and not be distracted.  It’s not enough to worry about her screen time so I might as well worry about my screen time too.  But a couple of weeks ago she was trying to tell me something and said “mommy! look up from your phone!” and that was basically the kick in the ass that I needed.  I don’t need to be mindlessly scrolling Instagram or Facebook or looking up recipes for food I do not have time to make during the week.  And honestly leaving the phone in a place I’m not going to touch it has really helped!  Sometimes I will quickly respond to a text from my watch but for the most part I really find the late afternoon goes faster when I’m doing things with her instead of looking at food videos while pretending to play.  And isn’t that what we want as parents?  To make it to bedtime faster?

Last night we went into the basement (and after the hot water heater disaster of Tuesday, Charlotte helped me mop the floors, AGAIN) and we played with her vanity set and dolls she hasn’t played with for at least a year.  She even set up a dinner table for the dolls and herself and she ate her entire dinner while I cooked mine.  I had to talk to the dolls and pretend to be the daddy (she was the mommy, of course) but it was actually really nice.  I did break the phone rule and bring it up during her bath though, because she insists on 40 minute baths and I can’t sit there and watch her try to blow bubbles and then cry when the water goes up her nose for that entire time.  I have my limits.  But the important thing is that I am trying and so far it’s going well.  My goal is to not use my phone at all until she goes to bed and I think I can get there.  Once the weather gets warmer and summer comes I think it will be even easier because I just picture us in our yard playing and swimming every day.  I can’t wait to come home from work and be able to jump into the pool!  And grill outside while she swims!  SWIMMING MAKES GOING TO BED SO EASY!!  I see good times ahead.