You saw that I decided once and for all to dispose of the evil little light boxes.
Wellllll…
I mean I did…
Sort of…
I think…
Just hold on! Let me Explain!
Yes, I did get rid of the tablets….in a drawer where they couldn’t be seen.
Ya know, just incase I had a break down and needed a back up, I think this is where my part of the addiction comes in.
But for the past 3 months we have been screen time free, ehhhh tablet free. Not once did I give in and bring those tablets out. Which I’ve been extremely proud of, given my profound track record of giving in. But to my great disappointment. Nothing else has really changed. There is still arguing, name calling, fighting and yelling. They still are not listening like I expect them to. So what gives? I got rid of the life sucking devices!? That was supposed to be it. Right?
Wrong.
Maybe I should make a list of our lifestyle choices and circumstances that have changed and then write down a list of what has not changed.
Things that have Changed Things that have not Changed
No more Tablets Everything Else
Ahhhh, I think I found the problem.
So let’s cut the dramatics and be real. I switched one bad habit for another. I changed none of my bad habits at all and was still expecting to have angelic like children when all was said and done. Instead of being glued to the tablets they are now glued to the T.V. screen. They do play outside a lot more but still, the T.V. time is a profound part of their day.
I underestimated the amount of change that was going to have to take place for me to experience the positive effects of “unplugging”. More so on my part than theirs. Because everything my children are and everything they do is a reflection of me…The Mom…The (so called) Leader. I am still on my phone way to much, the kids are watching way too much T.V. I still have a bad attitude, they still have a bad attitude. You see where I’m going with this?
I don’t feel like I’ve been modeling the human behavior I would like to see in my -not so little anymore- children. I mean we’re not savages but….we’re no model citizens either. You never really realize how awful the things you say or the comments you make are until you hear those same comments come out of your 7 year olds mouth. They aren’t so harmless now are they? Same with screen time habits. I spend way too much time on my own screen without blinking an eye, but then when I see my children spend way too much time on theirs, it sure is a reality check.
Sooo, with that being said, it seems I have some more changes to make in the Young family. The major changes starting with myself. Time to act like an adult and reign in these heathens (Currently pulling up my big girl panties)
I’ll get back to you with said changes in a couple of days…
Hopefully…..
Over and Out.