A Quality Day

It is amazing what happens in our house when electronics are put away. Our days have  such a better quality to them. They feel better and, after everyone is done pissing and moaning about not being able to be on electronics, we are all so much kinder to one another. I don't why this is, but it just is.

After the kids got their school work done (because I am a mean mom and am making them work through the holidays since we took the first two weeks of December off to go back to Ohio) the kids and I got some chores done that we have been meaning to do. We also read part of a book, had a ping pong tournament, played Scrabble (my absolute favorite board game), and one of the kids took a much needed nap. We took the dogs for a walk and then made dinner. The boys and I sat around and talked for a bit while the girls played nicely together in Sarah's room. The girls then had a sleepover in Sarah's room. I had time, not once, but twice yesterday to sit out in my backyard and journal. It was an awesome way  for me to recharge & reflect something that is vital for my success as a mother.

If we had been plugged into electronics yesterday almost none of those things (outside of school work) would have happened. We would have been disconnected and distracted. We would have been apart and separate from one another.

I am not saying that electronics are going to be banned in our house forever. Video games are something that the boys enjoy doing. Elizabeth loves her some HGTV - as do I. Even Sarah likes to sometimes sit down and listen to a movie. Until we can figure out a middle ground that we can stick to I am going to be pretty strict with them. (With the exception of Christmas Day as each of my boys has asked Santa for a video game - Josh: Madden 2016 and Andy: some Star Wars pc game.)

I am excited to see what today will bring. It is always most difficult the first couple of days without electronics. Once we get beyond that point life becomes so much easier. I love not being plugged in like we were. It is nice to not know where my phone is right now instead of having it attached to me so that I can check the latest "news" and updates.

I am not an ogre, as it may appear to some, but I value my time with my family. I value making connections with them. I value them (and me) not having foggy brains. I value them making connections with one another. Maybe in your house you can do that while still being plugged in, but in my house we have not figured out how to do that yet. Until then we will do without.