Week Four: Media

Hello...my name is Amanda and I am addicted to Facebook.

 This week was on Media. The premise being how much of my time do I fill up with "media" i.e. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, E-mails, Chat Groups, Movies, TV, Music. This list could go on and on.

I spend so much of my day on the computer at work and for Noonday that I really had to think about this one. So here was my rules:

1.  Only check my personal e-mail 2x a day.
2.  30 minutes of "personal"time on the Internet (so facebook, instagram combined)
         (This one I really dogged around on because I used the need to post about Noonday
         things as a "work" reason for being on Facebook so I still allowed 30 minutes of personal time.
3. The 30 minutes must occur AFTER the little ones go to bed and AFTER I spend quality time
         with just the big kids. 
4.  No TV
5.  No movies


I did follow this for a week...and I epically failed!!!! As in, failed with in my first hour.

The first day I was in such a habit I actually checked my personal email like three times before 11am. I don't even have that many emails but I'm so afraid to miss one. You would have thought I was waiting for a email from publishers clearing house.

By the time I got home I reminded myself of the rules and had no problem with TV or movies but the computer taunted me. I mean, I think at one point it started calling my name. I had fun with the kids but secretly counted down my time to be on Facebook. Then once I was on there I couldn't think what to do first. My time flew by and before I knew it I was only half way through my news feed. (Oh the humanity!)

By day three I started to get come control on the Facebook cravings. I would notice as I waited in the drive through lane I instinctively picked up my phone to check face book. It had become by go to boredom fighter.  That's when I think it became a game changer for me.

I haven't always had access to the Internet.We only joined the smart phone club about 3 years ago so what did I do before all this access to media? I may have missed knowing that a friend of a friend got a new car or one of my co workers went to the beach. But what I was really missing was quality time. I had allowed media to sneak into the little moments of time that I use to spend with my children doing songs or rhyming games or just chatting about their lives.I was missing the nightly check and connect with my husband each night because he was watching Fox News (his other wife) and I was on my tablet.

I'm still working on this little addiction of mine. I know there is a problem and I have to daily think of what is truly important in my life. Ultimately I'm thinking what do I want my kids to do with their free time. If they see me with media all the time, then what am I showing them. There were some good blogs on this...if only I had more than 30 minutes I'm sure I could find them :)

Keeping it real y'all,

    -Amanda