Happy New Year!! Apologies for the two month wait for my next blog post. A combination of my youngest not being well, Christmas and a busy period at work has made it difficult to write anything substantial. 

I’ve been racking my brain for a few days now about what I want the subject of this weeks blog to be, especially as it is my , hopefully, long awaited return. I’m like that famous sportsperson who comes out of retirement to sort out unfinished business.

Anyways, after having a good think I decided to settle on a subject I believe is quite relevant at the moment and, according to one of my fifteen friends on Facebook (popular guy), something that is happening more and more. Hopefully many of you that read this blog will relate to this ‘demon’, something that, I believe, has the potential to tear families apart. This big threat to all things ‘fam’ is……

Best...Phone..Ever

Mobile Phones are commonplace nowadays. They are an essential part of life and are used by nearly everyone aged from 12 to 65 years old. I have heard stories of children as young as five having mobile phones but I guess my issues with that will have to wait for another day as there is something else bugging me about mobile phones. 

No, my biggest gripe with mobile phones is this….

"Yes!! Next level on Candy Crush."

This saddens me. Parents are more interested in what is happening on their mobile phone than what their child is doing. Precious moments are being lost all because parents would rather look at their phone rather than look at their children. This might sound preachy on my part but I assure you, it’s not. I am guilty of the very same thing and it makes me sad to think that I could be, and probably am, missing some special moments happening with my children. 

A few weeks ago I was waiting for a bus when an old man approached me. Before anyone asks, I do own a car but said car was having work done to it. Not to go off on a tangent but cars are so expensive to run. I fear that I will soon have to get a second job to pay for the amount of work that needs doing to my car. 

Anyways, I was waiting patiently for the bus when the previously mentioned elderly man (more PC I think) approached me and commented that everywhere he goes he see's people glued to their mobile phones, including many parents with their children. At the time I was on my own but my face was fixated on my phone. He asked me why people do it but I honestly couldn't give him an answer. Since then I have started to notice so much more how people are incredibly  reliant on their phones including several parents at a soft play centre yesterday who were supposed to be looking out for their children.

How did this become the thing to do? Mobile phones have taken over our life enough as it is, surely it can’t take over our family life. 

I, for one, am making more of an effort to avoid using my phone when my children are around and, in fact, I will be attempting to cut down my mobile phone use all together. 

When I finally reach the end of the road, I don't really think that I will look back fondly at the times I spent sat watching a video of something falling over on YouTube or reading an article about how putting a mentos in Coca Cola is awesome. I will look back with happiness at the time spent with family and friends and, going forward, will try my very best to increase this time.

Next time you are sat glued to your phone just imagine what you are missing of the big, wide world.