One of my goals for this year is to spend less time with technology and more time with my family. So far? I’m failing miserably. In this time of iPhones, iPads and digital everything, it’s so easy to “connect” with people without actually having to interact with them in person. What kind of existence is this? I don’t know about you, but I’d rather talk to someone face-to-face than through text message. I’d rather run and play with my kids than sit and look at a screen together. If my kids look at me, what do they see? Do they see my eyes on them or my eyes on my phone? I’m not going to ask myself that question ever again, because from here on out, I will know the answer.
I read THIS post today from Hands Free Mama and it really made me think even more about the changes I’ve been wanting to make but have been resistant to begin. Please read it if you love your iPhone, Facebook or Pinterest just a little too much.
Step 1? I deleted everything “fun” off of my phone. No more Facebook or Pinterest apps. That literally hurt to delete Pinterest, let me tell you! But how healthy is it for me to always be focusing on what “could be” (aka my living room could be this color, my house could be pretty like this one) instead of what is? Why can’t I be satisfied with my here and now? I don’t want to compare myself to everyone else any more. That’s what I really use the social media sites for, isn’t it? To see how I stack up against everyone else? Too often too blogs make me feel inadequate or not enough as a wife/mother/person, too often does Facebook remind me that my job isn’t as good as someone else’s or my kids don’t do xyz as quickly as someone else’s kids and seriously, my house is never going to grace the front page of “Better Homes and Gardens,” so I can just forget the thousands of pins that are glaring me in the face day after day reminding me of what I NEED to be doing.
I quit.
As of right now, I am on a one week social media fast.
No Facebook.
No Blogs (including this one).
No Pinterest.
No YouTube.
Also, for good measure, no TV.
Nothing.
I’m going to be present with my family and I will not be a slave to screens any more.
Of course, I still have to email and such for work, but that’s going to be all. No “fun” computer time for a week. Why just a week? Well, because I may have major withdrawal- I need to take baby steps!! After the week is up, I”ll let you know how it went, and what changes I decide to make permanent. I know that I need to fix the way things are right now, and I am not willing to miss out on moments with my family in exchange for reading someone’s status update that I met one time in high school. No more.
As of right now, I am unplugged.
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I feel lucky that I have an hour commute on a train to check in on things like Pinterest and Facebook. Those two hours a day let me do a lot of random browsing, so I can actually enjoy my kids when we’re home.
I’m giving up Facebook for Lent. I’m hoping that after 40 days of no FB I won’t want to use it so much.
Good for you! I am almost doing the same thing. When I am at work and on a break its ok to check blogs..pinterest (I don’t have FB access) But when I get home, I do not check my email, fb, or any technonolgy it my family time. I have already noticed a difference in my son who is 6 who have been having some behaviour issues at school/daycare!
Good luck!
All of your points are VERY valid. I understand it all. One of the main resons why I love your blog so much is for your honesty. In the pictures you post you normally have toys all over you living room like a realy house always does. You talk about the good and the bad. YOU ARE HONEST! You don’t only post about the happy, sunny stuff. I don;t like blog where the writer has the perfect clothes, hair & make up is always done up, kids are always attending picture perfect play dates in matching outfits & so on. That just isn’t real life for mose people. I hope you don;t decide to pull the plug for good beacuse I would miss you & your handsome boys.
You are such an inspiration! What a fantastic idea! I may just have to follow in your footsteps. Hope you don’t mind me stealing your idea!
love this. i could handle it most of the day, but then when i am nursing at 3:00am, i often need something to look at to stay awake… you are an inspiration for sure!