Priorities

So .. I kind of have a confession to make.  When I am home it's hard for me to detach myself from my email and Facebook.  I'm not doing anything other than I have a tab open on my browser at all times for each web page.  I go about my business at home .. making meals, doing laundry, playing with Quint, checking Gwyneth's homework, letting the dog out, etc., all with the computer open and in plain sight for me to see in case anything happens.  Even when I read, it's not uncommon for my computer to be on in front of me.  This kind of makes me sick.  I didn't use to be this way.  I need to be more in the moment when I'm home.  My family deserves better.

Today for example I turn off the computer and go sit next to Quint.  He randomly picks up my wrist and flings it back and forth to watch it hang limp.  For some reason this is funny to him.  I think it would be funnier to then sporadically have my 'limp hand' jump out and tickle him.  He agrees that this funnier and gets to a point where he's laughing hard.  The kind of laughter where I fear he's going to run out of breath.  Those are the best kind of laughs.  As he's laughing so freely I realize that this may have been the first time I really looked at him all day.  This tugged at my heart.  It's so easy to take things for granted.  Even people in our family.  How often do we stop what we're doing in the day to really look at each other?  Gwyneth comes home from school and it's immediately homework, then dinner, then "oh my gosh you kids are SO loud, GO UPSTAIRS!", then getting ready for bed, blah, blah, blah.  Life happens.  Life happens fast.

When we tune out everything and tune into each other we build better relationships.  I had coffee with a friend this morning and I wouldn't dream of having my phone out 'just to see what was going on' while visiting with her.  I need to give the same courtesy to my kids.  This is my pledge to myself .. and to my kids.  Mommy is going to limit her computer-open time and give you my undivided attention when we interact.

I tell my kids that when we say "I love you" and "I'm sorry" we need to look at that person in the eye when we tell them.  I'm going to change that to when we talk to another person in general that we need to give eye contact.  It lets that other person know I'm here.  I'm listening.  You're important.