Mums on their phones

IMO nobody seems to talk to anyone, and don't get me started on Pokemon !!!
!!!

I was driving friends back to their house a few days ago when we noticed a fellow on a bike with a phone held to his ear. His bike was wobbling as it was controlled with one hand. I was pleased to overtake and leave him behind. This was a road in London so not a country lane.

I totally agree re young mums on phones, surely it isn't too much to ask that they can take their attention away from them and actually interact with their children!

I just wish that phones were not allowed on buses. You get on and someone inevitably witters on and on all the way, loudly. I don't want to hear all their trivia broadcast to one and all. Apologies for being a misery.

Strongly agree with all these posts. I so often see young children/babies in pushchairs facing away from their mothers who are on their phones. It makes me feel very sad.

mrsmopp this has inspired me to start a thread on "modern" parenting, I think you have much a very valid and important point, just wish something could be done about it

Yes I agree with posts
A while back I went with my DD for her Scan appointment at our local hospital.
A young couple came in to the waiting room, they had a young child in a buggy, as soon as they sat down they whipped out their phones. The poor child was completely ignored (apart from my DD and myself smiling and so waving to him).
There were some toys + books provided by hospital for the children but those were completely ignored as well.

charlygirl I've had the same experience with a cyclist on mobile, wobbling all over the road which was a bendy country lane. Nightmare to try and overtake!

The thing that makes me cringe is when I see a mother on her mobile with buggy waiting cross the road. Her conversation seems more important than concentrating on getting child safely across the road.

Ditto to all the above. Do you think we should venture on to Mumsnet and raise this issue?

Go on * Jane* - Dare you!

Jane10 I do not think so, my hard hat is off to be polished.

I dare you Jane10 I agree with most of what your all saying. There's nothing wrong with answering a call but to be constantly using the damm thing is isolating yourself from everything around you. I learnt so much about my children's lives as we strolled to school or nursery and chatted. I don't know who I feel more sorry for the children or their parents who don't know what their missing. They'll realise when it's too late. What I'd like to know is what on earth are they talking/ texting/ reading about that's so important? I just don't get it

Go Jane10!
"They" come over here from time to time!
Not that I dont like it or approve, because I do.
Though they are normally wrong!

Totally agree.
Charleygirl I can go one better. I followed an idiot on a bike the other day who wasn't even holding the handle bars as he was using both hands to text and had his head down looking at the phone

I think something like this was written about some time ago, and all of it is true, conversation seems to be a dying art, and I am not sure that the mobile phone is even a means of communication these days, so many people use them to play games.

I find it troubling that children are plonked in front of the TV so much, not necessarily because all the programmes are bad (although some are truly dreadful) but because they do not get the chance to contribute to what is going on in the family. My children were not entertained, they were simply a part of all that was going on - shopping, cooking, gardening etc. They had a a bit of a role to play. They did watch TV, but very little during the day, unless there was a special video or film that we had. There is nothing wrong with entertainment itself; it is the all-pervasive nature of it that I find disturbing. Children d like to feel useful.

The other aspect of the gadgetry is the competitive nature of this amongst the children, leading to increasing demands. This is of course essentially little different fromb how our children might have anted the latest bike, but the manufacturers of electronic gadgetry have really cottoned on to exploiting children.

We on GN are an enlightened lot, don't you think that MNetters are too?!
Saw a couple with a child at the breakfast table in a hotel last year, M&D on mobiles 5yr old on tablet. If you can't interact with your child when relaxing on hol when can you?

My great niece had cartoons on her phone to put on while the 18 month old ate. " He loves Micky Mouse,. " Bless!!

I live near to a school, mothers get out of cars and get their mobiles out, tots are left to trail behind with their bags trailing the ground in some cases. The only time I see interaction with an adult is when Granny walks them to school or collects them and it is a delight to watch, they also stop and have a word if I am in the garden. If you can't interact with your own child then you shouldn't have them.

I think I posted on another thread about this fully agree with op we sat having a meal recently couple especially female was on phone all through meal fellow off and on around 9-10months sat in buggy throughout looking up at them I felt like saying to them speak to your child

I'm not on Mumsnet and don't really want to be. Do you think GNHQ might mention it?

Having narrowly missed hitting a buggy with a baby when its stupidly dim mother pushed it straight out in the road in front of me whilst on the phone, it's enough to induce road rage in me.

She didn't even glance at me, carried on across with cars having to stop for her.

So glad you posted this as I was on the verge of starting a thread of my own on the very subject.I was at the Game Fair at Ragley Hall over the weekend.There was so much going on , so much to see and do.The weather was really good too.Perfect for picnics , lots of space overlooking the lake( a safe distance away but still with good views) especially for anyone with small children ....and there they were.....a young couple with a toddler strapped in a pushchair with an ice cream and child a little older tormenting the child and looking generally fed up.The parents were seated on the grass either side of the pushchair , they had their backs to each other and their phones in their hands texting.I walked past them on my way to the Anglers Trust Section ( lots going on there for children) and 30 minutes later when I walked past them again they were still there, the one in the pushchair was asleep and the toddler trying his best to get his parents attention , pulling at his dad's sleeve , just to be pushed away and told to ' stop it' , whilst he carried on with whatever was ' so' important on his phone and his mum totally oblivious to anything except the phone in her handJust across the lake ( 5 minutes walk) there were allsorts of things happening that small children would have loved, Gun Dog demos in one ring , puppies being trained to walk to heel and fetch ( often very amusing ) puppies everywhere so see and pet.Just behind them there was a lovely open area with seats and a folk group were singing and other small children were dancing in front of them and generally having a good time.I so wanted to grab their phones and throw them in the water.....aaaarrghhh! ( feel a little better for having this little rant )

It's not just family interaction that is suffering. I read somewhere that more children are visiting A&E because of injuries sustained whilst parents are on phones and social media.

Hear hear to all the above. I am sure parents will regret it one day, they will be saying ".....never talks to me". Why have children if you are not prepared to spend time and interact with them. I am so glad we didn't have mobile phones when ours were small. As adults with children of their own, mine will still say "mum remember we used to do that with you when we were little" and now I can do it with my grandchildren. It is lovely to think your children have memories of a happy and fulfilling childhood.