​How I Ignored My Cell Phone If It Rang In The Middle Of Class.

If we were in the middle of a song or an activity and my cell phone rang, I would look at it, drop the call, and tell my class, ”You are much more important than the person who was calling me. I'll call  President Obama back later” which always freaked them out.

In my last few years, I edited it with a different ending: 

“You are much more important than the person who was calling me. It doesn't matter who they are - I'll call  them back later . . . . Unless it's my mom, and if it's my mom, I have to answer the phone. She hasn't been feeling too well lately so if she calls . . . . 

I know my mom. She wouldn’t call me at work unless there was something wrong. So if my mom calls, I apologize in advance, but I've got to take that call.”

That would draw a slew of questions about my mom and what was wrong with her. I would respectfully and gratefully answer their questions.

My intent was to make sure they knew they were more important than any phone call but if my mother called, I would respect her and take the call. I wanted to model that if their mother ever called them, they better answer it.

Years later, kids still ask how my mom is doing.