Recently I received some feedback from my daughter that really made me reflect on the way I do things from day-to-day. Although she's only five years old, she's very opinionated. I took her to Blanchard Park, Wednesday, after picking her up from school. As I held the phone to my ear with one hand and pushed her on the swing with the other, she attempted to say something to me. I held my pointer finger up, and gestured for her to give me a moment-I couldn't understand what she was saying because I was so engrossed in the words that were radiating through the phone line. Honey, this conversation was good, okay {and no, it wasn't gossip, it was just a plain ole good conversation}! After, several minutes of chatting on the phone (with different people), I looked back at my daughter from the rear-view mirror and then glanced back at myself as I pinned my cellphone to my ear, to make "just one more phone call" (as I explained to her). Later on that night during bath-time, my daughter said to me, "Mommy, I miss talking to you- you're always on the phone now. I really wanted to tell you that I still remember what a veterinarian does, and that someday I'm going to be a veterinarian, so I can take care of the animals when they get sick."
Hearing these words from my daughter really made me re-evaluate my priorities. As I flipped through my phone log, I realized just how much time I spend on the phone-short of the long, it's A LOT. I know as parents we need to have our space; and we want to be able to communicate with our outside circle-there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. However, there is a time and place for everything. I realize and accept that I don't always have time to hold those forty-five minute conversations (although, I wish I did), especially when the children are awake and yearning for some motherly love and attention. It's totally not okay to neglect their needs (although sometimes they can be a little over-the-top). I have decided that I will only chat on the phone four days out of the week- and that these phone conversations will only take place when the children are not in need of my attention, which will be mainly after seven-thirty, when my daughter goes down for bedtime, or during errand time when I'm out- and-about w/o the kids. Sometimes in life we have to make sacrifices, and this is one sacrifice I am willing to make.
So, tell me, has your child given you any feedback lately?
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