DOWN with digital!

I am constantly am chasing down my 1-year-old-phone-nabber to remove my cell phone or my husbands from his tiny little hands. And then it dawned on me,.. maybe his taking it away is a good thing... Maybe it's time to unplug. Maybe my child needs to feel more important than any electronic device.

I have spent the past few days, paying attention to other people and their cell phone usage...the children with the biggest smiles always seemed to belong to the adult without a visible cell phone... It saddens me to see a couple or family out to dinner, everyone pouring over his or her device, together but alone. Part of the fun of waiting is the time with pleasant conversation and anticipation.

I have begun to set rules for electronic use, and not just for the kids.
Mostly, I’m engaged with the children during the day. Mostly. Like all smartphone enabled parents, I keep an eye on email and, less importantly, social media. It’s not easy, balancing a part-time career with stay-at-home parenting, especially with several jobs and whilst homeschooling.

• No cellphones at any mealtime. 
• No immediate responding to every beep/ring (look for end-points, set a time limit...finish the work at hand and then check).
• No personal electronic devices between 8am and 8pm.

I want to be Supermom able to play make-believe, write memos, “like” Facebook statuses, and treat my children with patience and kindness, all at once and all the time. Of course, I can’t do it all. By valuing your time in the real world, you’ll teach your children to do the same.

We've all seen the images of the cell phone basket at parties with the cutesie little sign "be with those who are here"... but who's used it? Who's put their phone down for the party... the whole party?

My social life and work deadlines were stressing me out, and I need to unplug. Each day, I now feel  refreshed (and very popular) when I turned my phone back on and see dozens of texts and e-mails from people who apparently missed me.

I even set a blocker that kept me off social-media sites for eight-twelve hours. The temptation to procrastinate expands beyond Facebook to browsing viral-cat-video sites like Buzzfeed, binge-watching shows on Netflix or tapping away at addictive games like Candy Crush. Thankfully, I don't have a problem with all cellphone apps, so a single block works. It may be a bit much, but I tend to lean to the social media crutch to cub my boredom during nap-time...now I have to find better use of this time, like house-cleaning, working out or reading...

So if you’re one of the many who feel guilty about ignoring your family, or find yourself not living in the moment because you’re so busy posting pictures of the moment online, maybe it’s time to take a break and unplug for a few days. It’s all the rage, really.

And if you’re a parent, you might want to find a way to set digital limits for your children too.

But what are the best ways to beat iPhone addiction? Whether you’re trying to study or trying to be a good family member, here’s how you can go on that digital diet.

Check out the Quiet app, it blocks notifications and changes your status on things like Skype to “busy.” If you need  serious break, Delete the apps on your phone. There is an app called Anti-Social that blocks social-media sties. If your digital usage is more than just social media, try LeechBlock which blocks time-wasting sites, you can also target specific sites. If you feel like you are still in control and not yet addicted to your phone, set yourself on a schedule, with time limits... and follow it.