When Phones Aren't Allowed at the Table

Like most moms, I am a stickler for not allowing phones at the dinner table.
And, like most kids, mine challenge me on that ruling almost daily. (Or would that be "eveningly"?)
I cannot count how many times a certain man-child of mine gets up from the table to, oh, throw something in the trash or fill his glass with more water or whatever - and "happens" to notice something on his phone as he walks past it, to which he just has to respond right now. Because if he waits another 10 or 15 minutes until we're finished with dinner, well, something terrible might happen!
If I could count the number of times a scenario like that has occurred, I could also tell you how many times I have threatened to destroy hide keep the phone in my possession for all future meals. *ahem*
Anyway, I value the limited time we have together anymore, and I don't want it to be ruined by needless interruptions.

Which is why I got my phone out the other night during dinner.

Because my guys were having fun around the dinner table, and I wanted to record the memory.



One of them (probably Josh) grabbed the foil which had been covering our dinner while it baked, and made a ball of it. Then he threw it at Brian's water glass - and waited to be reprimanded. (I think. I mean, that's usually what I would do. Josh, don't throw things at the table. You could knock something over. Yada, yada, yada.)
But instead of going down my typical road, I watched as Brian picked up the ball and threw it back at Josh - aiming for his glass.
Thus began the challenge of seeing who could actually make a "basket". And I thoroughly enjoyed seeing my guys enjoying time together at the table, not in a rush to be excused and run off to some other activity. Just content to play.
It took quite a while, but amidst much laughter and smack talk (as well as some serious horse play) each of us eventually made several baskets. (Yes. I got in on it , too. I mean, if I'm going to let it happen, I might as well have fun with them, right?) And, in spite of allowing my rule to be broken about not throwing things in the house, I was simply delighted in the fun we had without any phones at the table.