I have no idea how pilot families survived back before the days of Skype and FaceTime! Since school got out, our new favorite thing is Breakfast with Daddy! When he is out, Quinn makes every effort to contact us during breakfast. We set the iPad up on the table so everyone can see each other and Quinn joins the kids for breakfast! This sweet time is completely worth getting a few drops of milk on my iPad!(from "sharing" cereal with daddy)
Without giving too much credit to Apple, I do have to say that the iPhone and the iPad have made Quinn's time away so much easier on all of us! The other day, the kids were talking to Quinn via FaceTime when he was in Japan - I walked out of the room for a few minutes, when I came back in Quinn was demonstrating all of the gadgets on his "fancy toilet" to the kids! It had a heated seat and three different spray options which Quinn was more than happy to press each button so he could hear the kids giggle as water sprayed out of the toilet. I'm sure that to the average family, this seems like strange entertainment, but to us, it's a way for the kids to be connected to their dad and to bridge the gap of our two different worlds. Whether it's a tour of his hotel room, sharing the view from his window or standing outside the hotel in a typhoon to show the kids (yes, he did that!) it makes daddy seem not so far away!
In the reverse, it gives Quinn a chance to take part in the ordinary parts of our day. Whether it's sharing a meal with us, watching Dora with Emma, seeing Elijah and Isaac's latest Lego creation or watching Alex play with trucks on the floor, Quinn gets the chance to feel connected. As I type this, I realize how absurd it is and how our kids will probably have to go to therapy as adults to work out the fact that their daddy was in the form of an iPad half of the time...but for now, it works and our FaceTime moments with daddy brighten our day! So for now, we will pretend it's perfectly normal to hug and kiss the iPad goodnight, to offer bites of our food to the iPad, or to yell "Daddy's here!" when we hear the FaceTime alert! Now if I could only figure out how to make it work so that "iPad Daddy" can watch the kids while I go have coffee with a girlfriend! Surely there's an app for that...
Before our India connection, I wouldn't have understood, but I sure do now! We've hugged and kissed our laptop more than once at the end of a skype visit! And, I'm thinking your kids probably won't need therapy...instead, I'll just bet as they look back as adults, they'll remember in awe and wonder about how their mom and dad took a difficult situation and went to amazing effort to make it work for their family. It will be a wonderful life-lesson in not giving up or giving in, of perseverance and how to love and care within the framework we have been given. Personally, I think you all are amazing....and I'm sure they will too as they grow up and have families of their own!! (Sandy)
ReplyDeleteEricka, if only people understood the sacrifice you make in being a stay-at-home mom! You could easily send your children to day care and have interaction with other adults while making an income, but instead you surrender to a higher calling for the benefit of your family. You will never regret these years with your children and for being with Quinn when he is in town. Just think of all the wonderful memories you are making with all of them. Sandy is right, you are amazing! Love you all! (Lisa)
ReplyDeleteSo well-written! You could sell a lot of iPads!! Love you all!
ReplyDeleteMattie
Love this! And it's not crazy at all. I agree with everyone. You are amazing. And by the way you are always a super mom to me! :-D I also don't think your kids will need therapy. Love you!
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