Other Mothers

I took Brayden on our daily walk and we stopped at the park to play just like always. Today was a little different though. While at the park, I noticed two other mothers and their children there as well. Perfect opportunity for Brayden to interact with other little kids! However, the two other mothers were on their cell phones...the WHOLE time I was at the park. The other little kids were actually coming up to me and talking to me and Brayden. They were craving attention and I was the only one giving it to them. Brayden didn't really care about the other kids. I mean, there were wood chips and dirt at the park...he didn't care about anything else!

I felt bad for those other kids because I was the only adult at the park giving them attention. Why weren't the other mothers interacting with their children? I understand that these kids were a little older (4-5 years) and they are much more independent by then, but come on!!! How can you talk on your phone the whole time you are at the park with your kids?? Maybe it's just me but kids are just kids for only so long. They only say those cute, funny things for so many years and then it's all about their own cell phones and their friends. Isn't this the time that parents should be interacting with their children as much as possible? 

Sure, there are times that I don't interact with Brayden the way I should. I am not a perfect mother. However, I interact with my child as much as possible. I get down on the floor with him, knock on the window with him, play with the newspaper, sort noodles, read books, build with blocks, toss the ball or even just play games on my iPhone. I want to be the mother that Brayden deserves, the mother that will teach him things, the mother that will know what is going through his brain before anyone else. I WILL be the mother that interacts with my child at the park instead of sitting on the bench and talking on my cell phone, more interested in the conversation I won't remember tomorrow than the sweet, innocent child that actually deserves my full, undivided attention.

How could I ever be too busy and miss this face?? I really hope that I don't turn into one of the other mothers I saw today. It is my mission to always be an interactive mother and be there with my son, playing WITH him, not just watching him play!