Blog Post #14

    Fasting.  Not many people realize how addicted to our media we have become.  In this day almost everyone has a computer, ipod, electronic reader or who knows what.  To think that it is easy to go without all of our fabulous gadgets for 24 hours really is laughable.

     I chose to try to do the media fast.  I started at 10 p.m. on Friday night.  That part was easy.  I had my children in bed so I didn't have to worry about them wanting to watch something.  My husband was supportive and hid my phone.  But it started to get difficult pretty quick.  I sleep at night with one of the music channels playing on my TV.  Since I was unable to use the TV it took me forever to go to sleep. Saturday was very difficult.  My kids were not happy with going without TV.  This actually made me feel like a bad mother because I was faced with how much TV I allow my children to watch.  But I kicked them outside for a while and started working on school assignments that needed to be read.  This helped pass the day and I was able to concentrate on what I was reading.  But of course it could not last.  I needed to call my mother and I had to use my phone.  So I broke the fast.  To be honest I don't think I could have made it much longer.  I continued to try not to use any technology but it was very difficult.  I have to admit that I like to just sit and watch a movie  whenever I want to.  It seemed to be like being on a diet.  When you tell yourself that you can't have something it makes you want it 10 times more and that is what my e-media fast felt like.

     I learned quite a bit during the 24 hours though so I am glad that I tried.  I have decided to limit the amount of time that my family uses media.  I want my children to be active and feel that if I turn the TV and computer off  and go play with my kids more it will be better for all of us.