Are you guilty of “phubbing” your family?

Gemma Capocci - 8 Nov 15

In one word, yes. For anyone who is unfamiliar with the word “phubbing” (I promise I haven’t made it up!), it comes from the mash-up of phone and snubbing, and is essentially someone who is snubbing you in favour of their smart phone. That person most likely being me.

I first came across the term whilst getting my weekly fix of Grazia, roughly two hours after my husband told me I spend too much time on my phone. Charming. But before I had even got past the first paragraph, I knew this was me. When working I was pretty much permanently attached to my blackberry, but as a publicist it was easy to justify with emails filling my inbox day and night. Now in my on-going role as chief bottom wiper there seems to be less necessity, yet I’m more glued to it than ever.

Of course, blogging doesn’t help. In fact, if I’m brutally honest, blogging has sent me more than a little bit mental. Despite promising myself it would be, “all about the writing”, it wasn’t long before I was hooked on a social media high, eagerly peaking at my phone every 30 seconds to see who had liked/commented/shared my latest post, and consequently ignoring my poor family in the process. Of course, contrary to popular belief, being a parent can at times be bloody boring, and sometimes a quick sneak at my iPhone instagram app is enough to pass an afternoon pleasantly, which would otherwise be filled with nothing but back-to-back Peppa Pig, play dough, and tantrums. After all, everyone is entitled to an odd moment of craved escapism. But when your baby has been stuck in front of Paw Patrol for the last half an hour, and you find your toddler rearranging the knife drawer, it’s high time to switch off Twitter and put the darn phone down.

Social media has also sent me a bit cray, cray in other ways. There is nothing like seeing the seeming “over night” success of other bloggers / mumtrepreneurs to ignite your own fiery, hell bent need to succeed. The thing about social media is that it often just shows the shiny, glittery side of success and not the years of serious hard work that has proceeded it. A few weeks back I read an Instagram post from the brilliant Mothers Meetings, who said one of the things that unites all the mums at her meet-ups was the desperate desire to find that one big business idea that will propel them into stardom, allow them to be their own boss and of course super mum at the same time. My first thought upon reading this? “Thank God, I’m not the only one”. It’s without doubt that my most important job is to keep the kids safe, healthy and happy, but sadly that doesn’t stop my mind being distracted on a daily basis by an all consuming craving to have my own successful writing career.

But with all addictions, the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. As a result I have been trying to keep the phone at a decent distance during the day and as far away as possible from my bedside table at night (I’m a sucker for a super early morning social media fix). But I am a blogger, and if I want anyone to read my ramblings, a regular presence on social media is required. But as long as I make sure the balance is heavily in favour of my own gorgeous family, than the likes of Facebook, that must be ok, right!?

A self confessed social media addict.

Gemma x

Gemma Capocci

Mama of 3, Part-time PR, Wife of an Ice Cream Pedlar Founder of Calm Mamas Club - Events Where Mum Comes First

View profile for posts, events and more info