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The latest topic that I've delved into is that of the Internet and our family's usage. I'm still in the midst of it but here are some thoughts:
1. I want to use social media more efficiently. I would love to be on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter less frequently but more purposefully. If I want to have a photography business and a blog that people read, I do need to be involved with social media. I attended a Social Media Mastery conference in Vancouver on Saturday and the main thing I took away were some new connections, knowledge on how to use certain platforms better, and just the recognition that I don't have the time/energy/desire to invest in certain areas of social media. Also, I learned that it is very hard for me to attend a conference in Vancouver when it's absolutely gorgeous outside. My Fitbit was not happy with me that day.
2. I want to find balance and feel the #JOMO {Joy of Missing Out}. I'm halfway through the book `The Joy of Missing Out' by Christina Crook and I find it very thought provoking. The book talks about where we are digitally and how we got here (it's wild and scary). It discusses how we spend our time and energy and encourages us to consider what we seek in life. For me? Some things I seek are; peace, health, and meaningful interactions. I look forward to the upcoming chapters on how to do this well. I purposely only have 100 MB of data on my phone so that if I'm not on wifi, I cannot use my phone unless it's important. I want my time with my family to be focused on them and I don't trust myself with unlimited data to do so. One of the questions she asks is `What moves and sustains you?'. For me, one thing is that I love outdoor adventure (with my family and my real camera) and I know I need more of this in my life. It's where I feel most alive.
3. I want to protect my kids and prepare them for the internet. This is huge. There are so many kids that are addicted to video games, pornography, and social media. We can't keep it from them forever but we can put things in place to help protect, teach and guide them. I need to have better conversations with them about what the internet is and how to use it responsibly. Self control. Time management. Healthy connections. Security. This week our church is putting on an Internet Safety Course; Protecting Your Family Online. I'll be attending it. It's free so if you're in the Surrey/Langley area on Thursday (7-9pm) come join me!
{Photo taken from southdridgefellowship.ca. You can sign up there.}
I'm curious on your thoughts of social media. Do you love it? Do you use it too much? Are you done with it? Do you have limits? If so, what are they? What do you think is most important for your kids to know? Please share. I love this to be a place where we can bounce ideas off of one another.
Love,
Louise
I wrote a comment and the page got refreshed before I could click submit (one downfall of the internet!). Despite that, I think there are so many great things about the internet and social media. It allows me to connect to family members living far away or when they're on holidays by using free messaging apps or things like facetime/skype, but on the downside, it's currently distracting me from doing my homework assignment that's due tomorrow :) I don't have kids yet, but I am concerned about what the internet and social media will be like in the next 10-20 years. It's so hard to protect kids from what's out there, but hopefully there will be more resources for parents and teachers on how to teach kids to be discerning about using the internet/playing video games, etc. I'd be interested to read that book at some point to see the author's perspective and what she recommends.
ReplyDeleteI agree! I definitely think the pros outweigh the cons for me but I want to prepare my kids....just trying to figure out how! I'll let you know what the author recommends but so far, it's a good read!
DeleteI'm hoping to grab a copy of that book!!!! I Used to read Her blog, and got so excited about the book, but got caught up with a baby! The author is Lynns sister :)
ReplyDeleteI knew it was Lynn's sister which is why I love when she refers to her family. It's good and I think such an important topic as parents!!
DeleteYou have always struck me as someone who lives life well and who is also extremely efficient! How else could you get as much done as you do? Kudos to you, Lou!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness #3. I am so afraid of raising children in this internet world!! Hope you learn lots tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteIt's a love/hate relationship with the wired world. You can't avoid it (especially when you look at where we're going and what our kids are growing up in...ignoring it is going to cause some serious problems with our kids), but it can also be very good. We certainly need to be balancing how much we are connected and being an example to our kids so they learn how to use it responsibly and with balance. i know I need to work harder on this!
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