I'm on the phone!

[5ft Diva]

I feel angry when I'm on the telephone and am repeatedly interrupted by my children after I had told them not to interrupt me because I would be making a phone call that needed my attention.

How can handle the interruptions in a more Christlike way? (P.S. - I get really frustrated because I lose my train of thought when I get interrupted. Plus, I think it's really rude to the person I'm on the phone with.)

Also know that there isn't any place in my house where I can be alone so not being interrupted is really the only option - at least the only one I can see. NOTE: interruption means walking up to me while I'm talking or listening to the person on the phone and having one of my kids begin a conversation with me. Writing a note or patiently waiting until I can ask them what they need is perfectly fine.

I know this was kind of all over the place - hope you could follow me.

[bookworm]

Okay, I'm giggling a little because my kids are that way too-- even those old enough to truly know better. It's like their radar goes off the moment I get on the phone! I usually point to the phone and frown at them (not very Christlike) and then ignore them. Your younger kids are probably more insistent, though, and probably noisier about it. I totally understand.

When mine were younger, I would often lock myself in the bathroom or closet. That didn't always work, though. They would bang on the door and wail.

Maybe you could have them practice-- make a pretend phone call and have them practice finding other ways to either solve their problems or simply wait for your attention?

[Erudite]

Practice...that's a good idea! Role playing is often useful for kids, especially if one of them "gets" it and can say to the others....Mom is on the phone and we need to do this by ourselves. They also might need to know exactly which circumstances warrant interruption. Bleeding does, banged heads do..."connor took my toys" and missing socks do not, etc. Maybe you could even make a pictogram (since the little ones can't read) on the situations and hand it to them when you're on the phone so they can determine if they can interrupt you.

On the other hand...do certain friends call up way too often and keep you on the phone too long and you need to tell them that you need to go be a Mom? I can't be me because I'm totally overdue for some 5D phone time. But then know that good friends completely understand that there needs to be a balance and that your phone time is taking you away from Mom time at least the mental Mom time, because we all know you can make sandwiches, tie shoes, clean up the kitchen, wipe snotty noses, and be on the phone ALL at the same time. You're just that kind of gal.

[5ft Diva]

I really like the role playing idea.

Good point, E. I don't have a problem when my friends call and my kids interrupt, but I do when I'm trying to have a private conversation with a member of the bishopric or the stake Primary president, etc. - which is actually the reason for the thread.

We had a family council about it and determined that the kids could write me notes (which would only leave the two little ones verbally interrupting me). Do you think the notes have started happening? NOT! It's a challenge, but one that I think the role playing could help with. Sounds like we have a great activity planned for our next FHE!

[natickgirl]

I find that my oldest is often the worst at bugging me when I'm on the phone...or bugging my youngest so SHE bugs me when I'm on the phone...or hanging around trying to eavesdrop on the conversation. Any advice on how to get people (DH, MIL, etc.) to NOT eavesdrop on private conversations?

I do think kids sense when our attentions are elsewhere, like a little radar goes off that says, "Mom's not zoning in to our needs right now...let's go redirect her attention back to us!"