I'm sure every mom out there can relate to the problem of trying to manage children while talking on the phone. You get it. Around our house, the girls have taken to writing me notes while I'm on the phone. I guess they've heard me rant enough about not trying to TALK to me while I'm already TALKING or LISTENING to someone else. So they've decided it works better to WRITE to me. The problem is, I still have to concentrate on TALKING or LISTENING to someone else and it's not easy for me to READ and RESPOND to their notes at the same time I am LISTENING/TALKING. This is an example of a note I got yesterday while in the middle of an important phone call about our foster child, who happens to be sick with pneumonia.
The all-important subject of the interruption? Snacks
"can I bring a snak to soccer becuse Karly awas dos it and every time the coch says we can get a drink she gets a bite"
I don't know what non-verbal cues I gave her or what kind of "Can this please wait until I'm off the phone?" message I gave her, but this was her written response:
"does that mean yes?"
(I tried to scan the notes, but they were written in pencil and didn't show up well)
Oh my gosh! You don't even understand how so very similar our girls are! They're always writing me notes when I'm on the phone - often with little yes or no boxes for me to check. It drives me crazy because you're right, I still need to concentrate on the phone call and not on the note.
ReplyDeleteHow funny!! I'm glad to hear your girls do this, too.
(Their notes often have to do with food, as well!)
I was so sad to hear Christian has pneumonia. So sorry! We missed you today but hey you don't have to do anything till next week at least. So yeah for that. :-)
ReplyDeleteThe notes must be a girl thing because my boys haven't even considered that. That's funny though!
I'm still laughing! I wish I had movie footage of me trying to silently make Brooklyn go away when I'm on the phone so the caller doesn't feel bad I'm not paying very close attention to what they are saying! My kids turn into leaches the moment the phone rings! My facial expressions must be a hoot trying to convey how serious I am about her leaving me alone at the moment without really actually saying anything to her. Oh well, it never works anyway.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it amazing how the kids never need us until we are on the phone (or in the bathroom). I'm with Kelly, I'm sure my looks I try to get the kids to go away with while I'm on the phone are probably hillarious...and they never do go away anyway until they get what they want :(
ReplyDeleteI so know what you mean but my son can't write yet so he just bugs me. He also seems to increase the volume of whatever he is doing. It's a Phenomenon that I liken to socks going missing in the dryer.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't it be great to have a phone booth in your house? It would be sound proof and you could lock yourself in there, but you could still see out and make sure everything was still okay, and the kids could pound and pound on it, but tough luck, you're in the phone booth? I'd like mine big enough that I could bring a comfortable chair in there.
ReplyDeleteSally, that's a great idea! I usually lock myself in the bathroom if the phone call is important. I was looking forward to having them write me notes but I see now that it doesn't work. I hope the Little Guy gets better.
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