So, this woman said: “I loathe seeing other parents disconnect from the swimming lesson week in week out, smart phone in hand. Just being there is not actually being present.”
She was having a spray (0n ivillage.com.au) about a blog by a woman called Josefa Pete, who wondered if her smart phone was making her a bad parent. Josefa had confessed: “For the past weeks, my conscience has been struggling with this last part, where classes start and smart phones come out. I have had mornings by the pool, where I have tried not to use my smart phone, only to be more annoyed at my hubby sitting there killing zombies right in front of me on his.
“On some mornings, I have tried to watch every single stroke, across the two different lessons my boys swim in. I have tried to catch their look as they come up for breath. But often my thumbs up and frantic waves only catches the eye of other parents, momentarily looking up from their smart phones.”
I have just one word for the “disconnect from the swimming lesson” woman: seriously?
OK, two words …
SERIOUSLY?
OK, three words … GET A LIFE.
If watching every stroke of a swimming lesson is a sign of being a good mum, I am very, very content to be a bad one.
Because if there is a part of my week I look forward to least it would have to be the hour I spent in a sauna-like swimming centre while my kids have their lessons. I hate it with a violent passion. It is hot, it is uncomfortable, it is intensely BORING.
Is she really, honestly saying that parents should avidly watch every stroke their child takes in the pool. Because if she is she’s totally bonkers.
I had a drink with a friend last night and mentioned the infuriating swimming mum. My friend looked a bit stricken for a moment and recalled playing sport as a child and looking up excitedly for affirmation whenever she scored a goal, only to realise her mother wasn’t paying the slightest bit of attention.
Eeek.
I assured her that a child doing laps in the pool and playing a sporting match are completely different. (Am I deluded?)
When my youngest plays netball, for example, I am completely present. I am cheering like a mad woman.
But swimming lessons. Swimming lessons!
No. Any mum who thinks it’s a badge of honour to watch the whole thing and not sneak a peek at her smartphone is BONKERS. Absolutely BONKERS. If it wasn’t for my iPad (and my antique Blackberry while the youngest plays Jetpack Something-or-other as she waits for her lesson) I would be certifiable. As it is I usually need a can of sugar-free Mother in one hand and a social media device in the other to make it through.
Tell me I’m wrong – go on …
(I tend to fly off the handle and listen to reason later.)
housegoeshome 
Is she for real…watching swimming strokes?? You’re right, she needs a life! Goodness, by her reckoning I am a bad, bad, mum…I watched the soccer and netball but on countless other occasions (parks, dancing, sandpit etc) I had a book in hand 🙂
As it should be (in my opinion!)
Ooohhh interesting topic. I am the mum who tries to watch most strokes – mind you my children are just learning to swim 3 & 5 years – so the milestones and strokes are bigger achievements at the moment. I do however from time to time look at my smart phone (or lets face it) chat avidly to the people next to me…so my answer is that whatever works for you and your child. It is nice for the child to see you watching them from time to time, however if you are cheering at netball and not at swimming then I think its fine. your child is constantly asking – did you see me – then perhaps you need to make sure you see what they are doing.
P.S. I am the mum on the smart phone while they are safely playing at the park -so everyone does it somewhere…. 🙂
It’s a good point, Lorraine. When they are younger, they often need your affirmation. ALthough one mum told me her daughter plays up if she can see her at lessons so it’s best she stays away!
Agree – absolutely ridiculous. Our parents only ever watched our games if we were in the grand final. They actually had their own lives and weren’t living through us. I remember them being really peeved with me because they’d had to endure hours of a school play in primary school where one of my two lines were muffled. Swimming mummy should drop the kids off at swimming and go and do something for herself. She’ll find that her kids will head off at 18 and she’ll wonder what to do with her life
If I sat through gynmastics lessons, skipping lessons, trumpet lessons, netball training … Can’t even imagine. There definitely wouldn’t be groceries in the cupboard or dinner on the table or a mother than had a life of her own.