You know you are tethered to your smartphone when you start looking for an email button on a ten plus year old electronic Yahtzee. I did that – yeah I did. It’s the gold electronic Yahtzee by the way. I think they are extinct. I should have bought ten and saved them way back when. I love electronic Yahtzee. Anyway I was playing it in the bathroom -sometimes mom just needs quiet time – and I checked for the mail button. I don’t take the cell phone into the bathroom. I’m afraid it might get wet -or worse-fall into the commode ( better word than toilet?) But apparently I miss it- I miss the phone.

When I looked for the email button on that gold and red device I laughed out loud. What is up with that? Then I thought “crap Anne you really are tethered to that cell phone”.

I yell at my son for spending hours on his phone playing games. It drives me nuts. I’ve written about it. I’ve tried to limit it but then I get a moody teen. In the fall I will limit it when they are back to school. I am really not setting a good example. I’m with my phone all the time-except in the bathroom but even then it’s outside the door. Once in a while I will go to workout in our gym and I leave it in my room. When the weekend comes I try to leave it alone while I’m home. But if I go out it’s part of me. We are friends my phone and I. Oh and I have a Kindle too.

I’m not going to pretend I’m feeling badly about it. I’m not. I love technology and I love what these devices do. I’m not going to tell you I’m going to give myself a break away from it. Nope. I’ll continue to check it at midnight or 3am if I wake up. It’s always next to my bed and the Kindle sits next to me earphone ready if I need to watch a show in the middle of the night.

Once in a while I run out of the house to take a kid someplace and I realize I forgot my cell phone. If I’m only going a short distance and won’t be gone long I’ll go and just come back without the phone. But if I realize I forgot the phone and am going to be out for a good while or if I am going far I’ll turn back and go home and get it. I’m anxious without it. I have anxiety issues and I think having the phone with makes me feel like help is near if I need it. If you have an anxiety disorder you might get this. So I hardly ever forget it as it’s on the checklist in my head as I walk out the door.

So I’m not the best example for my child. But in my defense just because the phone is near me doesn’t mean I’m on it all the time. I’m not a gamer like my kid. I’m not even on Facebook all the time. I do take a break from that even if the phone is next to me. But I know it’s a real part of me when I look for a email button on my ancient Electronic Yahtzee Gold.

Yes I’m tethered to my phone (and Kindle) and I like it. It could be worse I think -right? (At least It’s not booze)…

Thanks for reading.