Get Off of Your Cell Phone and Parent Your Child

Warning: this post expresses my strong opinion and judgments.

On Monday I took my little guy to a bouncy place (I don't want to give the actual name or location of the bouncy place) for an open play event. It was just the two of us. I am considering the place as a possibility for his birthday party and wanted to check it out.

If you read my last post, you know that I am far from the perfect parent. I try not to compare myself with other moms. Fortunately I have wonderful friends who don't make motherhood a competition. Sometimes, no matter how hard I try, I compare myself to others.

When I compare myself to the parents at the bouncy place, I look like parent of the year. I along with two other mothers where the only parents actually looking at, talking with, watching, helping and parenting our children. There were tables of parents with blank looks on their faces staring at their cell phone. Parents of small children where playing games on their phones while their children ran around unsupervised! I did not feel the bouncy place was safe enough for me to mentally check out and stop watching my child. I saw one parenting atrocity after another.

Then there were the parents of the older children. All I ask is that you pretend to parent. By all means stay in your comfortable seat and just yell, "Watch out for the little guys," "Take turns," "No hitting" or "be nice."  Sadly the parents remained silent and mentally checked out.

There is a huge different between children who are 4 and children who are 8. My suggestions for the bouncy place: have an age limit on the free play days and a huge sign stating  GET OFF OF YOUR CELL PHONE AND PARENT YOUR CHILD. They can add the word Please if they like.