After reading the last blog, I realized the three things I had been thinking about the past few months was much deeper than I expected! So today I plan to talk about issue number two from the last blog post: How did anyone ever survive without their electronics emailing them and reminding them to do something?
What brought this to mind is that I got an email from this website that I created, telling me that I hadn’t blogged in a month. That got me to thinking what in the world would I do without my electronics reminding me? How in the world did moms in the before-smart-devices survive?
It’s simple. Focuses were different.
I downloaded the game called Guess the 90s to my iPhone. It is a game that shows a picture of movies, tv shows, actors, toys, and so forth and you must name the item from memory with the letters provided at the bottom. While going through many of those levels, I realized my focus during the 90s was different than my focus today. Being a mother and saved child of God aside, my focus was on things to entertain me. Tangible things. Foods, tv shows, movies, primitive video games,characters, stars, clothes/fashions (if you can call it that!).
With the increased availability of electronics such as my i-everything, I find myself more dependent upon those items to help make my life easier. Or at least that’s the excuse I use and have heard others say. Am I really making my life easier? I set timers. Why? Because I’m too busy to remember something. I set the alarm on my phone to wake up, yet have a perfectly working alarm clock next to my bed that I sit that phone on top of. I check my email incessantly? I check for text messages probably embarrassingly too many times a day. Why? Because I feel important and needed. Because I want to talk to someone, but as soon as I get on the phone the kids magically need me?
The problem is that I allow access to myself at all times. I have at my fingertips gossip, slander, negative influences, abilities to do things that just aren’t healthy. Balance is key. Enforcing self-control with the i-everything is very important.
Our 3 year old son has an iPad. Many people would gasp at that, and quite frankly, have. Here’s the thing. I don’t want him to depend on electronics for entertainment or occupying him. I don’t want him to be addicted to it. But his generation is going to have to be on top of their game electronically. It’s everywhere.
I think we are going to have to learn how to use these devices to their benefits. Allow them to enhance our lives and not control them. Most everything is great in moderation. i-everythings are the same.
Do you have a smart device or devices? Do you find yourself addicted to them or not able to leave them behind? What are your thoughts?
