Last night, Susan and I watched a television show on Nickelodeon called “Middle School Unplugged”, in which three young teens (seventh and eighth graders) had “technology” taken away from them for a full week. After the show Susan and I joked about doing it, and before long we had talked each other into doing it.
Then we told Mason, who cried for at least ten minutes.
Once it was agreed upon, the battle lines were drawn. When we say technology, we’re talking about entertainment devices: computers, iPods and iPhones, video game systems, televisions and radios. We’re still going to answer our phones (both home and cell), but our calls will be limited to five minutes in length, and we won’t be texting. Susan and I of course have to use computers at work during the day, but we’re going to try to limit it to work-use only (no checking home e-mail or surfing news sites).
The hardest thing for me will be, well, everything. I am pretty much using or being exposed to electronic devices all day long. I check e-mail in the morning before hopping in the shower, and I fall asleep at night with the TV on. I know I’m on Twitter and Facebook too much; staying away from that for a few days is a real challenge. Many of my closest friends I only communicate with online. The thought of not checking in on forums, even my own, is already making me sad.
Susan is online less than I am, although she likes her phone when she’s bored and she likes her laptop time late at night after the kids have gone to bed. Occasionally she likes marathon phone calls as well, but I’m sure she can wait on those until Saturday. I suspect she’ll have the easiest time of all of us adjusting.
Mason is bombarded with electronic entertainment almost as much as I am. He takes either his Nintendo DS or his iPod Touch to daycare every day. At night he’s on the computer playing games or watching television.
Morgan is too young to have many gadgets yet, but she does enjoy Nickelodeon just like her brother. The two of them are constantly watching SpongeBob, iCarly, and other shows. I don’t know if she is old enough to understand what we’re doing or why we’re doing it, but I’m sure she won’t like it.
I wrote this post last night around 11:00pm. As of last night at midnight until Friday night at midnight, consider me “offline” — that means no Facebook, no Twitter, no e-mail … nothing. Through Saturday morning, if you need to contact us, call or stop by.
I’m sure I’ll have plenty to say on Saturday … see you then!
I like it
Although Michelle and I place limits on the amount of “electronic time” the kids get, something like this could be a useful exercise for all involved. Can’t wait to hear how this goes. I imagine you’ll learn a great deal about yourself in this time.
I make my kids turn off all technology from time to time, and they end up discovering games and books they haven’t looked at in a long time (or ever). They even–gasp–go outside.
I can’t live without my radio.
In the past, from time to time, technology would suck up my free time: Video games, Photoshopping my pictures, writing programs, Facebook and other internet stuff and so on. In the past few years, not so much. Mostly it’s because other, less high-tech activities have taken over: hiking, biking, meetings with friends, road trips and so on. I’d like to spend more time updating my blog and spending more time with thoughtful comments on other blogs (instead of quips, which is my usual response, but time does no permit this.
So, if something happens that disrupts my internet access, it’s not a big deal like it would have been three years ago.
I look forward to how this week goes with the O’Hara family.
What a wasted oppertuniy for a reality show, right there in Yukon, a fly on the wall about what really goes on…
what woudl be really cool would of been to have your ISP turn off your service, and seeing if either you or Susan actually “find out”