Clear Minds, Full Hearts, Can't Lose- How to (try to) Manage Electronic Devices During Christmas/Holiday Break

This past weekend we took extreme measures to control our kids' obsession with electronics...we took them all and I yelled "no one will ever have anymore electronics, I'm serious, never again for the rest of all time!"  

Awwww yeah, I showed them.
Well actually I didn't, because my family knows I pretty consistently make empty threats(especially when I completely lose my cool and act a little nutty). But when their dad got in on my attempt at banning all electronics, the kids started to get concerned.  

Tim dressed up as the electronic stealing elf because that's the kind of stuff we do. Lol.

After Tim took all the electronics away, the whole family had a serious conversation about not spending every free second on devices. And then we caved and gave them all back. 

Banning all electronics for the rest of time is tricky. I mean let's face it, Tim and I have a love/hate relationship relationship with electronics. Social media is fun and addicting and ahhhhh. I love that we live in a time where we can watch TV on our phones, I mean I LOVE it! It's kind of amazing and awesome. Tim loves getting his work email on his phone, okay maybe he doesn't love it, but he loves that he can take care of business on his phone. He also really enjoys videos games, on his phone and on Xbox and Playstation. And seriously, texting each other has really helped us communicate better about schedules and kids and life.

But parenting with all the electronics? Yeah I don't love that. I do not love seeing my kids get sucked into their electronics and not look up when I speak to them. I don't like to see them have that whole "addicted" type of I-have-to-get-to-my-electronic-device-no-matter-what attitude, or the zoned-out, I've-stared-at-a-screen-too-long face.  Nope, I do not love any of that at all.

Honestly, my kids aren't even on their electronic devices that much compared to some kids and families (yeah, you know those families that make us feel better about ourselves, lol). We are sort of strict. Two out of four of my kids have phones but no social media* yet. They have to leave their phones in the kitchen every night at bedtime. The younger two kids love the tablet and ipad and Xbox. But the amount of time my kids spend on any electronics is really starting to bother me. Annnnnnd holiday break is in two days and I don't want to be yelling empty threats about banning electronics every other minute. So, what do we do?

*This post isn't even about all the social media yuckiness and  those issues that happen with tweens and teens. That's a whole other topic. 

Poor Peyton has gotten a little more into his phone lately because of his broken leg. But he's getting a lot better and so his time on his phone is getting cut too. No excuses!

For the break, we are considering a sign-in/sign-out system with a, wait for it...an old-school pencil and piece of paper. Yup. Just like the stuff the Super Nanny suggested a million years ago on her TV show, "set up a routine and a schedule" for kids. Remember the Super Nanny? I liked that show. 

The idea is 30-minute time slots for Electronic Time, or ET, during the morning, afternoon and evening. That is plenty of time right???

The kids may not love it, but at least they will understand the expecations and there will be some rules and guidelines.

I'm hoping this system/schedule/routine will lead to clearer minds, and eyes looking up, and less fighting. I'm hoping this will lead to full hearts, and kids appreciating the electronic devices when they do play with them but not being dependent on them. I'm hoping for a can't-lose Christmas/Holiday Break miracle. 

Clear Minds, Full Hearts, Can't Lose---the line borrowed from one of my favorite TV shows of all time, Friday Night Lights, is my new How To Manage Electronic Devices During Christmas/Holiday Break mantra.

(click here to  watch and be inspired!)

More Tears and What I Know For Sure

I cried more than normal this week.  I cried over my pants being too tight, the house being too messy, bills being too expensive and my dog being too needy.  I cried because  all the leaves are gone from my favorite tree which means stupid winter is coming.  I cried because I felt stuck in old, impulsive patterns.  I cried because my hormones suck and make me feel crazy.  I cried because I felt powerless and vulnerable and like life is so unfair.

As I sat in the kitchen watching YouTube videos feeling sorry for myself, Cosi my needy best friend/dog started barking out the window.  She thought the coat that Peyton had left on the fence was a person in our back yard and she was sort of freaking out.  I was annoyed.  "It's a coat!," I said.  She kept barking.  "Fine! I'll show you, it's a coat," I reasoned with her and went out the back door.  She followed me out to the yard but was acting funny.  Cosi was circling me, barking.  I started to jog to the coat and that must have made her even more nervous.  The next thing I remember is being on the ground with Wade standing over me.

"Are you okay?," Lucy called from the house.  "Should I call 911?"

"No, I'm okay," I assured her.  Cosi had run so fast in circles she had knocked me over onto the ground and I possibly blacked out for  a few seconds.

I hobbled my old ass into the house and starting crying, again.  I cried with relief because I was okay. But geez, life can change in one minute.  One wound up/scared dog circling you can knock you over and change everything.  I mean what if I had blacked out longer? hit my head on a rock? broken my old ass hips that just graduated from physical therapy?  I cried with relief from all the what ifs' and near misses in life.  

I felt better sort of, like I got perspective, like I dodged a bullet.  Like the bills, my bad budgeting and too-tight pants didn't matter as much.  

The next day I got a call about a friend whose husband is dying.  What? How? No! I cried because it didn't make sense.  I cried because I felt powerless and vulnerable and like life is so unfair.

Later that same day, I read a status update on Facebook about a friend who got good news that she didn't need chemotherapy for breast cancer. I cried because I felt so happy and hopeful.


What I know for sure this week is that too-tight pants don't matter at all, but good friends and good health and love do matter.  Life is all highs and lows and roller coaster-y.  It's unfair and beautiful and cruel and heartless and random and intentional and hopeful and all kinds of wonderful.  There is so much to be grateful for and so many people to hug and cry for and support and celebrate and love. And some weeks are full of more tears than others, I know that for sure this week.

I cried because I thought it was so sweet that Lucy was trying to watch the solar eclipse with a handmade viewing device.  I remember making something like that to watch a solar eclipse in Mr. McKee's class in 1984.  

Here's What Else I Know For Sure This Week:

• Wade is one cool Pre-K kid.  It was picture day in Pre-K this week and Wade chose his own outfit.  He was so excited.  I told the teachers it was okay for him to wear the sunglasses and he did indeed wear them for the professional pictures. Ha!

• I read an amazing book, a New York Times bestselling book called Rare Bird.  It taught me so much about grief and faith.  I got to write a review of it on Mamalode.  Click here to read it. 

• Art is everywhere.  Wade and I stumbled upon this in a town nearby us.  

• I got paid recently and it felt great.  Here's the video in case you missed it.

• I have thoughts on the whole Renee Zellwegger situation.  Did you see people get all fired up on her possible plastic surgery?  Here's what I think...yup, she looks different. BUT I didn't hear ANYONE say that she might have had the eyelid surgery because her eyelid overhang was giving her headaches and causing vision issues.  I will say it.  Look, Renee and I have the eyelid overhang issue in common, or at least we used to.  I hate my eyelids and they give me headaches, I would have the surgery in a heartbeat if my insurance would cover it and if I wasn't such a wimp about anesthesia.  

• I miss Friday Night Lights.  I may have cried this week because I miss watching my show.  Tim and I are finished with all the seasons and waaaaa, I miss it.  Best.Show.Ever.

What do YOU know for sure this week?  Share all your knowledge here in the comments or over on my Facebook page.


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It's A Revolution & What I Know For Sure

This has been a long week of first days, finding routines, letting go and trying to figure things out. There was so much anticipation on the night before the first day of school and then the night before the second day of school.  So  much excitement, so much hope.  

I was determined, as I am every back-to-school season, to be different, be better.  I vowed to not lose the Get To Know My Child paperwork, to buy all the right school supplies, to finally find a morning routine that is smooth and doesn't involve anyone yelling.

And just like every year, by the second day of school I was um, what my older kids would call a "total fail."  I lost paperwork, forgot to buy the damn protractor, only bought one composition notebook instead of three and I yelled a little when I found the kids literally climbing the walls of the porch before school.  Total fail.

I was yelling at the kids while taking a picture.
Because yeah, I'm pretty good at multitasking.

A few years ago, I called these vows of "I will be and do better" Back-To-School Resolutions.  You know, like the resolutions people make in January to be and do better.  Just like in January, my back-to-school resolutions were seemingly made to be broken.  I am very good (and consistent) at breaking resolutions.

Back when I first talked about making these autumnal declarations of change, Lucy, a sweet non-eyerolling second grader, misheard me and asked "What are back-to-school revolutions?"  I thought that was so cute.  But looking around at our week I also think she was right, this time of year is more revolution than resolution.

There is so much change, so much breaking away, heading out into the unknown; so many new experiences, new ideas, so much learning and doing.  It is filled with hope and anxiety and energy.  It is messy and imperfect and uncertain.  It is full of setbacks and triumphs. It is overthrowing a schedule, putting in a new regime.   
It's a back-to-school revolution.

Wade heading into his new adventure...PreK.  He seems older this week.  Even his shadow looks more grown up.

I don't think I will ever find a morning routine that doesn't involve a little bit of yelling or rushing, but I can handle messy and imperfect and hopeful.  And yeah, we are exhausted, but we got this back-to-school revolution, I know that for sure right now.

Part of the revolution is acceptance.  I accept that some people might think Wade showed up to PreK orientation with messy hair, mismatched socks and a spider tattoo because he is our fourth child.  Even when I know that is not the case.   The truth is messy hair, mismatched socks and spider tattoos are pretty much who we are. I accept that and pretty much love it.

Here's what else I know for sure this week:

• My obsession with Friday Night Lights via Netflix is in full effect.  This is the only back-to-school advice I could come up with for the chalkboard.  We are in the middle of season three and I'm LOVING it so much.

• This is a funny football commercial.  It's not just back-to-school season, it's football season. Whether you are a fan or not, this commercial is funny.  It makes me laugh out loud.

• I'm still trying to meditate.  My last attempt involved me spilling coffee all over me.  People meditate with coffee (filled with really bad for you artificial creamer) right?  I posted this picture on Instagram and was going to use the hashtag "peaceandlove" and my autocorrect made it "peaceandlice."  Yeah, I'm still learning this whole mind, body, peace, zen thang.

The winner of the Mala bead bracelet from Little Bird Soul is Jeanna Parks. Congrats Jeanna.

• I'm cool with Pumpkin Spice Lattes.  People are upset that we are rushing fall and I say who cares.  I won't order a special fall drink until the leaves start to change, but if people want to and it makes them happy I say do it.  Just like the people that have already started counting down days until Christmas, it's not my thing, but if it brings you joy....go for it.

• Imaginary friends have gotten very tech savvy.  Wade uses his fake phone to "text Frank" all the time.  Yup, this is what having an imaginary friend looks like in 2014.  And yup, he is wearing his snowman Christmas pjs and it's the first week of September.

What do YOU know for sure this week, right now? Are you embracing the revolution? Share it here or over on my Facebook page.

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