Forgive me while I hijack my usually totally photo-centered blog and use it for a personal post for a minute.
I’ve been thinking a lot about my iPhone use recently. I’ve read a number of articles friends have posted on Facebook about how we all use our phones too much, that we’re taking our kids to the park, but we’re not really with them if we’re pushing the swing with the iPhone in hand, reading an article a friend recommended, finding a recipe for dinner, replying to client emails, texting a friend… and that our kids are suffering for it.
Unfortunately I know I’m at fault – I do all these things. It’s such an addiction, especially for those of us who work from home. It’s the new water cooler conversation from the old days when we worked in offices. I’m hungry to connect with other adults, to just touch base a few (dozen) times a day with other people out there slogging through the parenting trenches with me. But I know my kids notice it.
“Put down your PHONE, mom.”
So I suggested something timidly to Annie (my six and a half year old) the other day. I kind of knew that I was signing my name in blood to the plan when it popped out of my mouth, but I took the risk and went for it. “Do you think I should do something new this summer? Do you think I should make a promise not to use my phone when I’m hanging out with you and your sister?” I almost wanted to grab the words and stuff them back inside my mouth as they hung there, heavy with promise. But her face LIT up. She smiled a huge smile, and said, without hesitation,”Yes!”
So it’s out there. And it’s been said, so it’s on the books. And summer is looming. Here’s my plan.
June 1st – August 31st:
-Deleting the Facebook app from my phone.
-Deleting the Twitter app from my phone.
-Turning off email on my phone.
And that’s the plan. Hoping my clients will understand that I’ll take a bit longer to read and reply to emails over the summer. Hoping Facebook can survive without me trolling the feed three or four times a day. And hoping my kids can swing higher when I push with both hands.
Anybody wanna try something like this with me? I could use all the help I can get…
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