Juliana Farris, from Houston, was picking up her kids from day care last Friday afternoon when she noticed a sign on the door.
It read: “You are picking up your child! GET OFF YOUR PHONE!!!! Your child is happy to see you! Are you not happy to see your child?? We have seen children trying to hand their parents their work they completed and the parent is on the phone. We have heard a child say ‘Mommy, mommy, mommy…’ and the parent is paying more attention to their phone than their own child. It is appalling. Get off your phone!!”
Juliana was surprised by the message, however, she agreed with it. She even noticed that her phone was in her hand at the time she was reading the sign. The mother decided to share the image and it instantly went viral with almost 1 millions shares.
“I thought it was awesome,” she told said. “I thought it was funny and it definitely made me think.”
While Juliana hasn’t heard what other parents at the day care believe, she noticed that none of them was on the phone since.
“I think it definitely resonates with people,” she said. “And it’s not just at the day care, it’s anywhere.
Another mother, Rachel Morris, told reporters that the sign is accurate.
Rachel never picks up her children while speaking on the phone, she believes that spending time with her children is precious. Although some parents might disagree and say they can’t put down their phones because of work, most think this message is powerful.
“We love this day care. It’s a great place – really loving,” Juliana said. “They obviously care for the kids.”