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I'm That Parent That's Always on My Phone Taking Pictures, and I Don't Regret It

31/01/2019 - 06:50 PM

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When people see parents constantly on their phones [1], they're often quick to judge. You'll hear them say things like, "They're missing out on so many moments with their kids" or "Why can't they live in the moment?" I'm one of those parents that's always on my phone, but I will never, ever regret it. Why? Because one thing some people may not realise is that I'm almost always taking pictures of my children. I try to catch moments by turning them into memories, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

It's entirely possible to be on your phone and be present. I am a present mother.

While it may seem like I'm not "present" or thoroughly enjoying a moment because my phone is in my hand [2], I'm actually having the best time capturing snippets of my children growing up. They'll say or do something that I know I'll want to remember or share with family members, and my phone allows me to freeze that precious moment in time. Oftentimes, I'll take photos for a few minutes before putting my phone away to enjoy the moment without any distractions. It's entirely possible to be on your phone and be present. I am a present mother [3].

I love being able to look back through my pictures and say, "I remember that day — the day my daughter was brave enough to go down the slide for the first time by herself." And I love looking through those memories at night after the kids have gone to bed. I scroll through my phone [5] and see the highlights of the day. It reminds me that all of these good moments are worth every hard one, and the joy of being a mother [6] fills me. I also get to share that joy with my husband, who sometimes misses out on funny or precious moments during the day. He truly loves the fact that I'm a busy picture-taker.

I understand that this whole childhood thing goes by extremely fast. After all, that's the exact reason why I snap so many photos [7]. When I'm older and my children are grown and off to college, at least I'll have all of these photographs saved (and hopefully printed eventually) to look back on. No matter how old they get, I'll always be able to go back to their childhood whenever I want or need to. That's a very comforting and beautiful feeling.

So, fellow parents who are always on your phones taking pictures, I will never judge you. I know you dedicated, engaged, and present. I know you're just trying to desperately hang on to the littleness of your children before it's gone. Because the unfiltered truth is that it really does fly by.


Source URL
https://www.popsugar.co.uk/parenting/Why-Im-Always-My-Phone-Parent-45738122