I am an American woman, wife, mom - I carry a small computer in my purse (otherwise referred to as a smart phone or a leash). I use it to text, update my facebook status, pin recipes and crafts I may or may not try, check my email a bazillion times a day, and look up random trivia online - all while pretending to be present with the people who are actually in the room with me.
In addition to my iPhone, there are movies, TV shows, and Wii games that desperately need my attention. Sometimes their cry for attention can be louder than that of my daughter's. "Shh, Elisabeth, I'm trying to hear this." "Hang on, babe, I'm checking my email." What am I teaching my child? Father, forgive me. And thank You for not shepherding me like I attempt to shepherd my child.
Before you assume I am on my phone and watching TV 24/7, let me assure I am not. We don't even have cable, for crying out loud. (It is amazing how much time one can waste on Hulu, though...) We take family walks and play games together. But screen time takes up far too much of our time. And my personal little screen takes my attention (and heart and affections) away from those around me far too often. This month will be different - and will hopefully put us back on track to handling the media around us better, long term.
These are the "rules" this month:
- Facebook - work-related only (and that is legit, people!)
- Pinterest - retrieving recipes/ideas I've ALREADY pinned for a specific purpose
- Movies - limited to 2-3 nights this month (Saving them for when all of us have had long days and just need to crash - please tell me other families have those nights!!!)
- Wii - only when all three of us are playing and interacting together
- iPhone - calling/texting only - no web surfing/shopping/time killing
You know what I will probably miss the most this month? The Bob Newhart Show. No joke. I will miss Mr. Carlin's toupee, Howard's stupidity, Bob's dry humor. I like to watch it while I work out with my kettle bell. Sigh. Bob will be waiting for me in June. (And I'm somewhat ashamed to admit, in the back of my mind I'm thinking, "Thank goodness Biggest Loser isn't on right now!")
What I won't miss this month: the stories my husband and daughter are telling me because I won't be on my phone while "listening" or an extra hour of sleep because I didn't choose to watch one more episode. I could keep going but I think you get the picture.
I fully expect May to be the second hardest month of the whole 7 experiment. I mean, (and I probably shouldn't say this out loud) but can anything be harder than food month??? Something tells me, though, media month will be a very close second. Hard. But fighting addiction is hard. I think I just realized that as I typed it: I am addicted to media. News, stories, shopping, shows. Addicted. It's time to break the addiction. I'm fighting back this month; going to battle. My time with screens steals from my time with God and my time with my family. And. I. Let. It. Happen. Over and over again. No. This is NOT what I want - for me or my family. It's time to break the chains that I put on myself. Hard? Yes. But hopefully a "good hard".
Here goes.
