Monday, May 28, 2012

Childhood Lost

My second son, Kit Kat, turned eight today.
We had a nice birthday party for him on Saturday.  We decided to have the party at home this year and keep it simple.  Since he always tells me that I make the best cookies in the world I decided to make him a giant chocolate chip cookie cake!

We set up volleyball and ladderball in the backyard, had a cookout and just planned to relax and enjoy the abundant sunshine!

Of course the best plans do not always go the way that you expect.

We had five boys (plus my three) over here and I would say that  3/4 of them immediately and constantly gravitated to the almighty screen.  They wanted to play on the computer, or watch television or play a video game.


*sigh*

I think I am really starting to date myself since all of this is not floating in my house at all lately!


I have been feeling the need urge to disconnect for quite some time.
I cannot really explain it too much, but, I truly feel that we are too plugged in at times and I really am pretty strict about what I allow.


My kids do not have an iPhone, iTouch or any handheld game thingies.  I just don't think they need to have these things.  I watch as all of their friends walk around the neighborhood oblivious to anyone around them like little moths to a flame and just don't feel that we were put here to sit in front of a screen for extended periods of time.



Of course I could say the same for what I do here on Blogger, but, I am trying to keep this as a journal of our experiences and really do limit the frequency of my posting.


Getting back to the party...
My kids were the ones who mostly stayed outside and played along with their bff from next door.  They have friends whose parents admit that their kids are addicted to the computer.  I hate that we as a society are like this and am so very thankful that I did not grow up in this era where there is so much coming at you all of the time.

This morning I spent 55 minutes in a live chat with Kodak because something happened with my son's camera and it would not transfer the pictures to the computer.  55 minutes that I will not get back.  I am not saying that I am not grateful for the assistance with the camera, but, really was using film that bad?
You took pictures, you had them developed and you got what you got.  There was time for things and everything had its place in time.  Now we have so much and not enough time to do it all!

Again...I am dating myself, but, things were simpler when I was a child.

That is why I am probably known as the unfun mom on the street who won't let her kids and their friends sit around playing video games aimlessly for hours on end.  I am also the mom who makes lots of cookies with her kids and their friends to sell at their lemonade stand during the summer and always makes sure we have a freezer filled with popsicles for those hot summer days.  My husband cannot believe we got through so many popsicles in a week!

I just want life to slow down a bit and for everyone to enjoy it the way it is supposed to be.
Can you imagine how much would have been missed throughout history if everyone was constantly plugged in most of the time?

I am also the mom who is prayerfully contemplating cutting the cable and going to regular tv for the summer.
We can do so much more if that is not an option.  Like I said we don't watch alot of tv, but, getting rid of it appeals to me for many reasons (money being one of the perks too!).

The most amazing things happen when we slow down and just take a deep breath of fresh air and look at all of God's beautiful creations around us.

It is just the way it's supposed to be, but, this is just one momma's opinion.

1 comment:

  1. I agree, Ann-Marie. Our childhoods were so much simpler than they are today for children. But alot of it has to do with the parents, and the extent to which they encourage ((insist on sometimes)) outdoor fun instead of tv. Happy birthday to your Kit Kat.

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