I love my iPhone.
Hands down, I find it’s the best mobile phone I have ever owned. Ever. It’s intuitive, smart, fun and takes great pictures I can upload IMMEDIATELY onto Facebook. I can even post to this blog directly from the WordPress app on my iPhone. It simplifies my life in many wonderful ways.
One of my favorite features is the Google Calendar interface. One calendar, multiple devices and multiple reminders. It keeps me on track. I have become 100% dependent on these alerts to get us out the door in the morning and get me where I need to be throughout the week.
Most of the time, it works beautifully. The kids even listen for the tell-tale sounds and say to me, “Mom! It’s time to go!”
There’s just one key: the volume on the device must be ON. (Or the device must be ON me, so I can feel it vibrate!) Here’s how I learned this valuable lesson.
Thursday night at a parent meeting I did the Socially Correct thing and muted my phone. The meeting went well. But I forgot to turn the sound back on after the meeting adjourned. “Whoops” is an understatement. Not having my phone ring all morning, would’ve been a clue. But alas, I went through most of the next day completely unaware that people were trying to reach me.
After dropping the kids at their classrooms, I got into a conversation with another mom, chatted with the principal about upcoming school functions and got caught up on a little work in the school library. I picked my boy up after his half-day was done and we surprised my girl by staying on campus to have lunch with her. Upon returning home, both he and I settled down for a little afternoon nap. I set my iPhone out on the counter, so I’d hear it… and I dozed off…
Suddenly I sat bolt upright! Shaking my head to clear my vision, I focused on the kitchen clock. 3:44?! How could this be? 3:44?! **PANIC** My girl was dismissed at 2:50! **PANIC** I woke the boy, called the school, started the car and drove all at the same time – in one adrenaline-pumped fluid motion. **PANIC** I wasn’t crying, but I felt like it. How could I have missed dismissal? Where was my Google Calendar alert? Where was the choo-choo sounding ring tone I’d selected for these IMPORTANT alerts?! **STOP** That’s when I realized the phone was on mute. The list of missed calls and alerts covered the entire screen!
The self-loathing began right away. I thought, “I am a terrible mom. I have abandoned my first-born child at school on a Friday afternoon. I am an HOUR late!” And you wanna know the worst part? I wasn’t in a meeting or on a business call or even ill. I was napping. Napping. Taking a nap.
Oh the shame.
Needless to say, I apologized profusely. My girl wouldn’t make eye contact with me initially. I felt like a heel. Yes, she was in good hands. Yes, they were following procedure and were moments away from the THIRD call attempt which would’ve been to her father. Can you imagine the HORROR that call would have generated?
Oh my. I think I need to go lay down.
Where’s my iPhone?
Is it on?
whatsmamawriting.com 