CircleBumpCheckedFilledMedicalBookmarkBookmarkTickBookmarkAddCheckBoxCheckBoxFilled

Why I’m Ditching My Phone for More Time With My Daughter

save article
profile picture of Leslie Goldman
Updated March 2, 2017
illustration phone conversations
Image: iStock

Whenever I’m out with our daughter on a walk, it seems that 80 percent of the moms I pass on the street are attempting the stroll/text/sip combination known as the Mom Walk. The walk, much like it sounds, goes a little something like this:

1. Load baby in stroller, toss diaper bag underneath and head out wearing yoga pants and exercise-appropriate top.

2. Stop at Starbucks for drink of choice.

3. Hold cell phone in one hand and stare at it while pushing stroller with other hand. (If you own a dog, loop your stroller wrist through the leash, so as to leave your phone hand free for texting/Pinning/Instagramming.)

4. Do not look up for oncoming traffic, potential muggers or unicycling clowns … not that you’d notice a unicycling clown, because you are totally zoned out to your phone.

5. Walk very slowly. Seven minutes per block is a reasonable goal to aim for.

6. Occasionally toss Goldfish or Plum Organics Teensy Fruits in child’s general direction.

Last year, model Peaches Geldof was both Mom Walking and TWS (Talking While Strolling) when her stroller hit a bump, and her then-five-month-old son took a tumble, falling to the ground and spilling out of his pram. (Nobody was hurt, and Geldof blamed the incident on a hole in the sidewalk.) Not that I’m passing judgment: I’m guilty, too. Lately I’ve been blasting Sesame Street Pandora in an effort to assuage myself of the guilt; blaring Ernie’s reggae version of Rubber Duck somehow makes me feel like I’m being a more involved mother as I plod towards the park, furiously scrolling through Facebook.

Sounds hilarious but in all seriousness — the Mom Walk is rife with peril. We all know not to text and drive, or to text while drinking. But texting while strolling has its disadvantages, too.Not only is staring down at the phone murder on our necks and backs, and not only is it dangerous to walk without looking where we’re going or being aware of our surroundings, but it robs us of sacred time with our little ones.

Related Video

I’m not saying we need to be interacting in a meaningful, fully engaged way with them 24/7, but for many working moms, a late afternoon walk is our most quality bonding time. Why waste it on email multitasking when we could be pointing out birds and fire engines or sharing the highlights of our day with our babes?

I’m going to try leaving my phone at home during our next walk and see how the experience changes. The fact is, the world won’t implode just because I can’t snap a pic of our daughter laughing on the teeter totter. In fact, I bet I wind up capturing so much more.

Do you purposely leave distractions at home so you can spend more time tuned in to your kids?

save article
ADVERTISEMENT

Next on Your Reading List

mother and father cuddling newborn baby in hospital bed after labor and delivery
40 Amazing Push Present Ideas to Make a New Mom Feel Loved
By Martina Garvey
grandmother giving gift to toddler
One Grandma’s Smart Advice for Gift-Happy Grandparents This Season
By Wyndi Kappes
kwanzaa-gift-guide-HERO
24 Special Kwanzaa Gifts for All of Your Loved Ones
By Erin Wisti
ADVERTISEMENT
hanukkah gifts hero
23 Best Hanukkah Presents for Babies, Toddlers and Caregivers
By Erin Wisti
Rihanna attends the FENTY x PUMA Creeper Phatty Earth Tone Launch Party at Tobacco Dock on April 17, 2024 in London, England
Rihanna on When She Felt Like Herself Again After Having Kids
By Wyndi Kappes
Moms Vent About People Talking to Them Through Baby
Moms Vent About People Talking to Them Through Baby
By Wyndi Kappes
map of the united states with an american flag
7 States Pass Measures to Protect Reproductive Rights
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
grandmother lying in the grass with baby outside
55 Grandma Names to Choose From
Fact Checked by G. O’Hara
Meredith Gaudreau and John Gaudreau posing with their children on the ice hockey rink
Teammates of Late Johnny Gaudreau Celebrate His Daughter's 2nd Birthday
By Wyndi Kappes
Michael Strahan is seen in studio at ABC's "Good Morning America" in Times Square on August 15, 2024 in New York City.
NFL Host and GMA Anchor Michael Strahan Is Officially a Grandpa
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
mom and toddler reading a book together
Mom’s TikTok Shares the 9 Magic Minutes That Make a Big Impact on Kids
By Wyndi Kappes
New Sibling Gift Ideas-hero
30 Sweet Gifts for Siblings From Baby, According to Parents
By Emma O'Regan-Reidy
gifts-for-pregnant-friend-HERO
42 Gifts for Pregnant Women That Are Cute and Congratulatory
By Martina Garvey
ADVERTISEMENT
isaac rochell and his baby daughter
NFL Star Isaac Rochell’s Take on Being a Black Dad Goes Viral
By Wyndi Kappes
sofia richie grainge and newborn baby
Sofia Richie Grainge on Savoring That 90-Minute Newborn Nap Break
By Wyndi Kappes
baby baptism shoes and gold cross necklace
17 Baby Baptism Gifts That Bring the Blessings
By Martina Garvey
Eva mendes smiling
Eva Mendes Always Has This in Her Bag as a Mom of Two
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
dad kissing baby at home
The Best Gifts for New Dads, According to Parents
By Martina Garvey
mom and grandma sitting with baby in kitchen
Viral Video: Grandma’s Take on Disagreeing With Your Child’s Parenting
By Wyndi Kappes
mom looking at social media on smartphone while breastfeeding baby at home
Viral Video Shows How Overwhelming Social Media Can Be for New Parents
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
Article removed.
Article removed.
Name added. View Your List