Devices, devices and vices...

My Mother's Day Request: I want to be a handsfreemama!

Devices, devices and vices...two weeks ago I looked at my husband and said, "you know we have no idea how all of these cell phones and computers are going to effect this generation of children".  I was not referring to cancer or carpal tunnel.  It dawned on me that every time our son enters a room, one of the two of us likely has a phone in our hand or a laptop in our lap.  I never walked into my parents bedroom and saw them staring at a screen when I needed to ask them a question.  I never sat in the back seat of a car and listened to my parents on blue tooth or look down at each red light to see if something new had popped up on Facebook in the past 20 seconds.  So, I tried to imagine what that might be like for our son, the voice in my head was deafening.  This phone is not more important than my child.  How does he know that?

Timing is funny.  Shortly after I decided to make a better effort to put the phone away, three things happened.  First, I heard of a family last week that has a charging station and as soon as they walk in the house, all phones go on the charger and they do not look at them until the next day.  Doesn't that sound intense?  Just think...if we all put our phones away the moment we got home, we would actually have to talk to each other, listen to our children while making eye contact and we might not know what happened on Drudge Report, Facebook, or TMZ.  We might actually be living our lives instead of reading about someone else's? Then, I was at Waffle House Sunday and I watched as a father and son sat and ate breakfast together, sort of together.  They were both on their iPhones and neither of them looked up or said one word to each other. I wondered if anyone had ever looked at my family like that at a table?  Then, I came across a site called handsfreemama.com. I encourage parents to read her post "The Children have Spoken", it will make you think twice about how you are spending your time.  

This is a photograph from her site {a picture is worth a thousand words}:

My husband doesn't know this yet and I am curious as to what his reaction will be {as we sit in bed next to each other, me on my laptop, Cold Play on Palladia and the light of a cell phone screen in my peripheral}, but next week is no electronic week after 6pm at our house. It is my only Mothers Day request.  I hope that you all try this with me.  I cannot wait to hear how it goes!

So, to my mom, dad, sisters, and friends...I will not be available next week after 6pm via cell phone.  I am going to be a hands free mama!!!!!!