Somewhere, sometime back, I heard about the concept of a
“media Sabbath.” I think the idea was a
break from the internet, not necessarily tv, radio, and print. It seemed like a good concept, but I never
really did anything to pursue the idea.
But for some reason, I decided to try it yesterday. Maybe it’s because I’ve noticed my increasing
habit of hopping on the internet whenever I have a few minutes of down
time. I don’t think the internet is bad,
just that I am spending increasingly more and more time there. (Partly due to the fact that my laptop is in
the living room, right next to my nursing chair.)
So when I got up yesterday morning, I shut down both computers. I’m not sure Paul caught on, even though I
shut his computer down on him twice yesterday.
I would like him to come to the same conclusion, but I don’t think that
one’s convictions should be forced on another.
But I’m not above subtly (or not so subtly) hinting at something.
I did find myself kind of itching to start up the computer
and see what was going on in Cyberland….
See what my friends were up to, or who had commented on a
“controversial” post I put on Facebook. (About the Olympics.... a whole 'nother rant.)
Especially during those down times, like when the kids were napping and
the husband was playing Xbox with friends.
Not that what I do on the internet is bad– email, Facebook,
friends’ blogs, weather, and Yahoo articles.
But it seems like when I’m on the computer, it’s easy to tune everything
out. The kids can start nit-picking each
other and they’re full-on screaming and hitting before I do something about
it. And then what I do is wade in
yelling. Not the best parenting.
But it was kind of nice.
I talked to my kids more. I listened
to what they were talking to each other about.
I looked in my daughter’s eyes while she nursed. I felt like a better parent.
I have often wondered how women got so much done – like my
mom with four kids, homeschooling, caring for a huge garden, always having a
clean house, along with doing farm work.
But women didn’t used to have all these distractions. No internet.
No tv (or at least much more limited).
No cell phones constantly going off with text alerts. The simple life before all this “wonderful”
technology.
So I think I will keep doing this. Sundays will be the days I take a day off
from the world and all its drama. And
enjoy the simple life again.
Related links:
Best line: "Because all the connectedness in the world won’t mean much to me if I’m disconnected from those I love the most."
A family gets rid of all screens for a month.
And yes, I've written about this idea before HERE.
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