Plugged In

Lately I've been a bit distracted by some extended family stuff going on, and I've learned that when I'm distracted I tend to zone out. Yep, the very thing I nag Babe about, I find myself doing when my mind is focused elsewhere.

When distracted, I can find a zillion things to Google, even if it is useful information (possible Christmas gifts for the kids), my time could be better used hanging with the kids or doing the inevitable sink full of dishes. But no. My distracted mind finds itself pacified by constant texting about, well, nothing. Or I get on the computer and check my email, read different blogs I enjoy, see what's happening on My Fitness Pal and Facebook, and I even found myself trying to figure out how to create a DVD of Nas' football games. Meanwhile, my kids are relaxing doing the things they enjoy.

Now Babe would say, "They don't care, they just want to do them." But I noticed when the Blackberry did its "text message" alert for the umpteenth time, Jay glanced over at me and thought, "Just WAIT til I can text - I won't even need the English language anymore 'cuz I won't say a WORD to any of you!" I know Jay, I can almost guarantee that was her exact thought.

So I turned my phone to "silent", I put away the magazine, I forced myself to plug in to whatever the kids were doing - I had to force myself to be PRESENT. Now, in my defense I don't zone out often, almost never. But this past weekend was hard on me mentally, which meant everything else was out of whack. Typically I try to do my computer business in the morning before we all get moving or, really, before the kids are fully conscious, that way it's done. I get on later in the day to log my daily food - but other than that, I'm all theirs.

What I wonder is, what must it be like for kids whose parents are ALWAYS unplugged? Constantly distracted by whatever might be going on in their world. I know it irks me to no end when Babe is distracted by all things electronic (or athletic) because it feels like he'd rather be left alone to do his thing. Sometimes that is necessary, but for a full weekend? No. Again, I have high standards for my family and being unplugged for an extended period of time is unfair to those witnessing the incessant activity that doesn't involve them.

So I have tonight, tomorrow, Thanksgiving, Friday, and the weekend to make it up to my kids and Mama's gonna do it up - because although I know they need their time alone like adults do, they still want their parents to plug into their lives, especially when they're out of school. And I'm going to enjoy it because there will come a time, all too soon, when all they'll want is to be left alone.