Promised my son a full Saturday without my laptop. I lasted till 11

lilac_compass_268710 Jun 2026

Summer vacation here in Noida, and with the heat he's indoors most days while I'm on calls in the next room. Last week he asked for one Saturday with no laptop and no phone calls. I agreed, very confidently. At 10.50 a release issue came up and I 'just checked' for forty minutes. He didn't complain. He went and switched on the TV, which was worse. Those of you with jobs that don't really switch off: what do you promise your kids that you can keep? I'd rather promise less and keep it.

1 comment

violet_sketch_945111 Jun 2026
You've half answered it yourself. A morning he can count on, with the laptop in a cupboard, is worth more than a whole day that ends at 11. I work with children all day, and the ones who get upset are rarely the ones whose parents work a lot. It's the ones who never know which promise will hold. Pick the two hours you can guarantee, and tell him in advance which two.