Wednesday, June 17, 2015

#childhoodunplugged




This is very near to my heart as I have struggled with it so much in motherhood- letting my kids have my iPhone, my iPad, the TV to play with so I can have a break. 

It sounds so simple and to many other moms, it may have no affect or no problem, but in this home we do. My children are very very technology obsessed. And it's been my fault. As a mom whose husband works away from the home, I very very very rarely get a break. So at night or periors during the day I would let them have devices so I could have silence. But this has completely back fired because in the last couple months I have dealt with some horrible tantrums from my children and I didn't know why. My children weren't using their imaginations or running free they weren't engaging in anything but a screen. There is a little phrase a sweet friend on my Instagram used one day that really tugged at my heart. #childhoodunplugged. Photos of her children outside- running and playing- adventuring made me really see that it's so vital for children to not miss out on just being kids. Making up games and climbing trees. It's also very vital I don't carry a phone with me all the time or be distracted either. My babes are constantly watching me and what I do. So I am NO expert but here are a few slices of things I am trying with our time that has completely changed things around for more of a distraction free way of life for me and my babies. 

 It's not good to be on social media all the time for me personally. The enemy likes to use our weaknesses to his advantage, and this is a weakness of mine. Since I stay at home with the kids, I am especially targeted. If I have a free moment, I'd just jump on. But now I'm realizing that a lot of social media is so dull but it pulls us in. Thinking everything on it matters and we have to know about it. I'm learning I don't.  

 We took our cable off and opened the front door. Which I loved cable- but I would mindlessly scroll on it night after night when God was pulling at my heart asking for my time to be His. We have Netflix which we use in the mornings for a cartoon, but other than that the TV stays off and I really don't miss it. And I showed my kids we DO have a huge yard- for playing.

There is beauty in just being. I realized I don't need to check in, post every thing that is happening, let everyone know my business because there is just a sacredness about my own life that I want to keep intact. 

We are falling in love with adventuring. With very limited screen time now- they have formed up so many games, crafts, make shift tree houses. I now can see what I didn't realize we were missing out on. Or just sitting outside feeling a nice breeze does way more for me than anything.

5 minutes just 'checking' my phone can turn into 30 real fast, and with trying to unplug- I can tell now that after I get done it makes me feel like a zombie. Social media is very draining. Yes it can be uplifting and good at times, so I like a couple things and read my close family and friends statuses and I close it down/ I don't allow myself to check anyone's page or anything that doesn't pertain to my focus of living intentionally. 

Our worth is not found on a phone, device or TV. It's found in making a real life with real moments that count- and Jesus made sure I was convicted really bad about this/ so very thankful I was. I needed stripped of the world and put on what my heart was aching for- real purposeful living. 

I made myself learn how to do other things. Like showing my girls gardening, cooking, helping others. Even in the smallest gestures at real life are a million times better than what we find online. 

Yes I mess it up daily and yes I fail. But my girls see I am trying my hardest and that's what matters. I am really trying to live it out with childhood unplugged for my girls. It's hard hard work for me since I decided to break the viscous cycle of being distracted. Jesus came to this earth and did the hard, dirty work of breaking a cycle and I can do it too. For my family and myself.

Love,





4 comments:

  1. What a great post. I can get so easily distracted and pulled into social media. I really needed to hear this today. Thanks for the post! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Amen!! I can totally relate. My son is the same way when he gets too much screen time. We drastically reduced it. I love my tv cabinet because it has doors, so I can shut it away. Out of sight, out of mind. :) Have you ever thought of taking up embroidery? I've fallen in love and I am training myself to pick up the needle instead of my Kindle when I desire something to engage my mind.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I couldn't agree more with you - It is so easy for me to allow my children to watch Netflix while I catch up on my phone. It's a hard habit to break, but I've finally gotten it down to not checking my phone that often - It helps that it's summer. :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Before long your garments will fit better and you will feel lighter on your feet.Try not to hold up until you get to your optimal load to remunerate yourself. Accomplish something exceptional each time you shed pounds. http://boostupmuscles.com

    ReplyDelete