3 Reasons to Reevaluate Mommy Media

“Mom, I’m done cleaning.” My son pulls my arm. “Is it good? Can I play Wii now?”

Stumbling behind him, I fight my phone’s auto-correct to send off a coherent text.

Even as I glance up and take a breath to launch my “You can do better than this” speech, my phone alerts me to a comment on my blog.

“Okay, bud. It’s good enough,” and I’m off to the computer to write my response… as soon as I shift the laundry from my desk chair to my unmade bed.

I try to focus on what “really matters,” but I’m interrupted by…

“Honey, I can’t seem to find matching socks.”

“Mom, where are the clean cereal bowls?”

“Has anyone seen the car keys?”

Ten crazy minutes later, I’m ready for a little escape. Just a tiny Facebook check to cheer me up. And maybe a clever (only partly whiney) post.

Surely with enough “likes” this homemaker won’t feel quite so alone (or so guilty?) in her messes.

 

Been there? Uh, five minutes ago?

I know.

All this texting and browsing has become so normal. It’s one of the great perks of modern life!

But it seems to be impacting my home more than I care to admit. And yes, probably yours too.

Today I’m challenging myself and you, my techno-savvy friend, to reevaluate just how helpful or harmful media is to us as we strive to make our homes havens.

Why? Because of what our “mommy media” so easily becomes.

1) An Escape

Have you ever thought of it in these terms? Is media an escape for you? The time in front of the tv in the evening? The 5-20 minute social media breaks interspersed throughout the day?

What are you escaping? Chores? Boredom? Loneliness? Pain?

If laundry, dishes, clutter, and dust are piling up during your mini-vacations, can I ask you to be brave and take a deeper look inside your heart?

Ask Jesus… ask a trusted friend… What am I really escaping?

And when you know, ask the next question… How can I meet that need instead of just escaping from it?

When our souls are at rest in Christ, our media addiction just might give way to lives and homes reflecting inner peace.

2) A Time Taker

Rarely do I feel I have enough time in a day, but if Jesus was able to effectively love and minister in 24 hours each day, I think it’s safe to say 24 hours is enough for me to manage my little home.

The question is, what am I doing with my time?

Oh, I don’t squander hours gaming or watching television, but if I’m brutally honest, many of the tasks I consistently procrastinate could be squeezed into the moments I spend checking Facebook, following random links, or analyzing blog stats.

My challenge to myself and you today: Let’s keep our phones tucked away and keep our computers closed except for true needs — the responsibilities we may have with a home business, blog, or other practical purposes. Let’s just see how many chores (the ones we “never have time for”) can actually fit into our sneaky little social media time slots.

3) A Joy Stealer

Very seldom do I turn away from Pinterest images with contentment or satisfaction with my decor, organization, or creativity. How about you?

Not only do I have the extra clutter and grime that accumulated during my wasted time, but I now have perfection to which I can compare myself.

The result? I feel like a failure.

In Women Living Well, Courtney Joseph offers a beautiful alternative,

“Don’t worry about what others are doing or their style of homemaking; pursue the Proverbs 31 woman. The Proverbs 31 woman “looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness” (v. 27). Let’s pursue making our homes havens for our families by being organized, consistent and self-disciplined. Let’s aim to not be distracted and distant, but always there for our loved ones with a hug, a smile, a warm meal, clean sheets, and some lines in the rugs from our vacuum. It is one way we can show, without words, our love to our families.”

Reality Check

To be honest, I won’t be able to unplug entirely. That’s just not realistic for most of us.

But I want to remember that more is not better. Busier — whether online or in real life — is not more fulfilling.

I want to limit my subscribing, my scrolling, my filling every crack of the day with others’ pictures and notifications.

I need those cracks of time. My husband, my kids, and my house need them.

I need to be able to sit in the nest God has given me and have some media-free time to really see, to think, feel, discern, and pray… the things that will enable me to truly make a house a home.

Will you join me?

Let’s let the cyberworld go by for a bit without us — choosing to be fully present in the now so that our example, our influence, and our haven-creating skills will impact our families today and for years down the road.

{Have any thoughts to share? How are you balancing media and homemaking, friend?}

Blessings,

Jennifer Ebenhack

 

Jennifer EbenhackJennifer is the author of Take Courage: Choosing faith on my journey of fear, and blogs at jenniferebenhack.com. She and her husband Jarod served as missionaries in the country of Haiti, where they became parents to all five of their children, three of whom are adopted. Those eventful years produced a gift of brokenness in Jennifer through which she has discovered the depths of God’s healing grace.

In between loads of laundry, homeschooling, enjoying the South Florida shoreline, and keeping her local Aldi in business, she is writing a memoir of their nine-year adoption process and eight years in Haiti. You can find her on FacebookTwitter, Pinterest, and her blog.

 

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