I am an eDad. I have an eTeen and an eToddler. We’re an eFamily.
In the middle of me trying to write a guest post, juggle client calls, respond to emails and read feeds, my family is struggling to eat together at the table, stick to a schedule and shove in some quality time. The television is on, the phone is ringing again, my daughter is text messaging her buddies and my littlest child is trying to eat off her plate like a cat while holding her finger down on a button that screams out a high-pitched wail.
Later on, my eLife quiets down. My teen retires to her room to chat on instant messaging, cell phone tucked between her head and shoulder so she can talk at the same time. My toddler wants to watch Disney’s Spirit on TV with me (without taking her finger off that damned button). I have her tucked in beside me on the sofa while I talk on the phone (again), glancing over at my monitor only to see new emails pop up on my screen.
What happened to my family?
I can totally relate to what you are talking about James!
I have an efamily as well. Four ekids, an ewife and an “eMe”. Life seems to be getting tough day by day. I hold a full time job which is quite physical and at the end of the day I am exhausted to the point where I can barely stay awake. But then again there are emails, guest post commitments, freelance writing gigs that has started opening its doors for me and it all seems daunting at times.
Sometimes it’s hard to find a little bit of time with my efamily. The next day while at my day job I wonder what the heck am I doing. I didn’t even spend any time with my family last night or do anything as a family. Then I return home and the “efamily” episode begins again where the ekids are busy watching cartoon and talking on the cell phone while myspace dinging on the background.
It will all get better and I am optimistic. Just a matter of time. Your “efamily” very well relates to my “efamily” and I am pretty sure much of us juggling and trying to start new things on the internet are going through the same phase. it’s just a phase I guess and like every other one, with time it will pass by and that will be the start of a new phase, hopefully the one where we can eliminate “e” out of the “efamily”
@ Ritu – I hope it’s a phase. It’s been going on almost… hm, five years now? Slowly, we just all divided into our respective electric corners and it seems to be worse.
In fact, I made a point of saying to Harry that one area of self-improvement I want to work on this year is getting closer with my own family again. It’s funny how alone you can feel when the kids you love are two feet away.
Then again, on the days where my teen snaps at me, argues, bursts into tears, and slams the door (while I’m still standing there wondering what happened) and on the days where my toddler tries to practice home renovation by inserting a screwdriver into a wall socket while sticking frozen peas as far up her nose as she can…
Yes, I like my eWorld. Escapism at its best.
What kind of job do you have?