I don't think I need to watch every second of a ballet class or every second of playtime at McDonald's in order to be "present" in my children's lives.  And I certainly can't blame my iPhone for that.

Back in my day (haha I've always wanted to say that) I talked with other parents, read books, wrote letters, listened to walkmans (did I just say that???) while my kids participated in a zillion after school activities. I didn't watch them every minute and I have no guilt about that.

~Denise BlogHer Community Manager
Flamingo House Happenings

Rita,

You sure hit a cord here with me. I hear what Denise is saying. But I am that guy at times!! My multi-tasking, however,  is not limited to my devices. I was folding laundry in my car at football practice last night!!! Who does that, right?!?!  I was so determine to get this done, that I didn't notice that all the parents and the team had gathered in the middle of the field. Thinking I was missing something important, I threw the laundry to the side and ran over. I had just missed the coaches giving out "Good Teammanship" awards...and my son was one of the recipients!!

I felt bad--like bad mommy again...But then again, he needed a clean, wrinkle-free shirt for school the next day--didn't he?!?

Think Act: Proactive Black Parenting

P.S. I think its worse when you are interacting with your devise instead of other people. Ballet practice and football practice-- wherever there are real, live bodies present that you have lots in common with, it's important to connect. But our devices get in the way of that!

My mom has pointed out more than once that my addiction to my Blackberry and my son's to his Nintendo DS can be equally annoying to those sitting at the restaurant table with us. On the other hand, we are easily entertained.

Susan Getgood

There are some days when the only chance I have to read email or catch up on blogs/news is when my daughter (5 mo old) is nursing. One day I was catching up on my Twitter feed and I looked down to see my daughter just staring at me. It's as if she was saying, "What the heck, mom?" I have to admit I felt a tad guilty about that. :)

Sometimes I will be feeding her and wishing I hadn't left my laptop on the other side of the room. Even though the time could be well spent multitasking, it's also well spent just being in the moment, enjoying my kid. 

But having said that, I'd probably be whipping out the iPhone during ballet practice, too. ;)

Amy

http://www.thisnorthernlife.com 

I haven't yet decided how distracting it is, because I ususally don't check e-mail or phone messages on the weekends when my daughter is awake. But then I'm overwhelmed if I wait until she goes to sleep.

Rita Arens writes at Surrender Dorothy and BlogHer and is the editor of Sleep is for the Weak.

I have no qualms about leaving the ole crackberry in the car, but my husband will put the damn thing in his pocket and bring it along. Not his Blackberry. MINE! I don't know why he has such an issue with leaving it in the car.  Maybe he thinks it will get damaged by the heat, but trust me with the amount of times I've dropped that thing it's tougher than he must think.

  Devra Renner, MSW BlogHer Contributing Editor Family Connections and an author of "Mommy Guilt: Learn To Worry Less Focus On What Matters Most and Raise Happier Kids."

www.parentopia.com/blog

If I am on my phone or laptop during an activity... I try to keep it to items that are pressing... deadlines or if that activity will be helpful later on.

But I don't have it nailed. I get tempted. It is a struggle, and I think it is a good sign when we recognize the pull. It means we are thinking and not just carrying on mindlessly.

I've been good about my Blackberry. I think the worse I do is check the football score right when the pastor says "Amen" during final prayer on Sunday. ;)

At home, its a whole other story. My husband says that my MacBook is attached to me and the kids aren't being paid attention to. I don't believe that's the case. They get lots of attention, and when I know I have a moment to steal (i.e. when they aren't fighting, are simply building a fort or watching tv, or at nap time), I will go online or do homework...

-Mary-
A Student for Life

I've become 'that guy'. I'm always attached to something electronic. I dote on them, but sometimes, you just can't pull my laptop or my phone away from me. It's pretty awful, I think. Admitting it is the first step though, right? Haha

- Maria Young

http://immoralmatriarch.com twitter.com/maria0305

I freelance, so sometimes the kids come home in the afternoons and I still need to get some work done.  In that case, I feel no guilt.  I remember reading an article by Dr. John Rosemond saying that when he was a kid and he had a single mom who worked and studied, she felt absolutely no guilt that he had to entertain himself while she got her stuff done.  I'm working and I don't think it'll hurt my kids to keep themselves occupied for stretches of time (they're 4, 8, and 10). 

On the other hand, if I'm actually playing with them or watching them do something, I don't have anything in my hand, except maybe a camera.  And many times I am loath to take pics or videotape because it feels like I'm distancing myself from the moment. 

Maybe that's what it's about-- not distancing yourself from being "in the moment" (as anyone who's taken an acting class probably recognizes, LOL). 

American Housewife www.margaretdilloway.com

Your comment made me realize sometimes I text my husband in full view of my daughter, saying "Let's see what Daddy thinks." Or we look at LOLCats together when she's starting to whine. In those cases, having my Internets or phone handy isn't taking away from my time with her.

As a freelancer, I also don't feel guilt when I have to get something done, but I try to balance it with "as soon as I finish this interview, we're going to race your Hot Wheels like nobody's business." I don't think it's fair to just always have your nose buried and never engage with your child. That's the way I felt about McDonald's Blackberry Man. He NEVER put it down.

Rita Arens writes at Surrender Dorothy and BlogHer and is the editor of Sleep is for the Weak.

I was just struggling with this topic the other day when I glanced up from my laptop only to see my son with my Blackberry up to his ear chattering a way what I can only describe as kane-talk. I knew then that I was obviously spending too much time with that addictive device reading email, blogs, tweets and countless other distractions that keep me feeling connected with the outside world. I am a recently inducted stay-at-home mom and I am having a difficult time adjusting to not having a deadline or project to work on. What really struck me though is the feeling that I had....Am trying so hard to stay connected with the outside world at the expense of staying connected with my son? I am really glad I stumbled on this post because a lot of the comments about striking a balance and just staying "aware" really put me at ease and made me feel better about taking some time to read posts like this!

Tales from the sippy cup