He wanted to play with what he constantly saw in front of his face everyday as we took numerous pictures or as we casually browsed Facebook or the internet. I remember how disgusted I was with myself one day when I realized how much of my time was spent with my face buried in the computer or phone. As I was searching the latest pins on Pinterest, that would help me be a better mommy and inspire Caden’s imagination, I was missing out on precious time with my son. How lame was I? I mean seriously. I knew in that moment I wanted to be more aware and engaged with how I was parenting.
When I spend time with Caden I want to make sure I spend time with Caden. I am not opposed to working from home or trying to check an email but when it starts to become habit to check your phone every 5 secs for the latest Facebook or twitter update you might need to start self regulating yourself. I love my little boy so much and always want him to know it. Your child could care less if you make them rainbow colored pancakes with gold coins sprinkled around their plates on Saint Patricks Day. Of course it would be fun to wake up and see these on the breakfast table, but in the big scheme of life what matters most is that you love your kids and they know it.
In May of 2013, out of 7,000 U.S. mothers that took a survey who absolutely love pinning their interests, 42 percent were found to be overwhelmed by angsty feelings of not being creative or crafty enough. Thats a whole lot of angst. I think the reason for these feelings are very valid. Social media has created a false sense of reality that is hard for most of us to compete with. You are good enough. Don’t let Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram tell you otherwise. The pictures that we often see posted are the best picture out of many photo’s taken. Trust me I know.
I love the saying “comparison is the thief of joy”. Life is such a gift. Time on this earth is short and instead of comparing ourselves to others lets be thankful for what we do have. Most of the time technology is a huge blessing, it allows us to connect with loved ones across great distance and keep up to date on the latest happenings around the world. It is easy to forget that the photos we see of others homes and kids are just a teeny tiny snapshot of their lives. We don’t see the tantrums, messy rooms, dirty kitchens, or countless photos that were deleted before the “perfect” photo was taken. Being a good parent is about spending time with your children and loving them. Not having an amazing picture so you can share it on Facebook. There is nothing wrong with using social media and technology to help fuel your creative fire but when it starts stressing you and your family out it might be time to reevaluate what you are doing and why.
Do you every feel stressed out from social media and technology?