When strangers come to bed with me
The other night I was laying in bed and my friend Lucy came and got in bed with me. Just out of the blue, pulled up the covers and laid down next to me. In no time at all, Jacob was on the other side of me asking me questions and then just staring at me like I wasn’t answering him fast enough. At the end of my bed Jackie plopped down sitting criss-cross-applesauce telling me all about what happened today. I couldn’t resist, I had to have a conversation with her.
Meanwhile, Hot Guy is laying in this bed but I can’t even reach him because of the crowd of people around me.
How to get strangers out of my bed
In a miracle moment when I put my phone over on my window sill and turned around all of the people had magically disappeared!
Mike and I were talking the other night and realized that when we bring our devices to our bedroom with us it’s like we are inviting a bunch of people into our bed. Weird, right? lol
We’ve talked a lot about getting our need to look at our phones under control. We’ve tried many tactics.
Here are a couple of my favorite ideas:
1. Get an alarm clock that is NOT your iphone! This is the biggest reason I bring my iphone to my bedroom. I need an alarm clock. I hate loud, buzzing alarm clocks and haven’t been able to find one that I like. I like to wake up gently not jolted out of sleep with wild banchees wailing (which is what it sounds like to me). Here is an alarm clock that is just what I’d like to wake up to!
2. Feed Ned. I love this awesome idea that Jenny Solar of Happy Family Movement has created. It’s actually not created yet and you can help! They’ve just started a Kickstarter Campaign to put these awesome little Phone Monsters into production. I’m looking forward to having one on my counter to give me the quick reminder to put phone down and live my life and BE with the people I love most. I hate to say how often I look like Jenny in this video:
3. Set boundaries. Decide on some rules for devices. Things like:
- No phones at the table
- All technology must be put away when a family member arrives home
- All technology stays with Ned at bedtime
- Technology can be used from 4pm-6pm in the evening, all other times when we are together as a family we have zero screen time.
Bonus: Limit the amount of devices you have. Everyone in our family does not have their own device. Sharing devices, even though it adds some complications, introduces the opportunity to get along in having to give each other turns and in playing and encouraging each other.
what about my camera on my phone?
Just like with my big camera sometimes I leave it at home or in the car. I occasionally have to remind myself that I don’t have to document every second of my day or every moment of the life I’m living. If I’m constantly documenting it means I’m not actually living and experiencing. I’m sitting on the sidelines, watching.
Today, sign up to Feed Ned here so you can back to living!
I love technology. It’s so helpful and I love being able to find what I need at the click of a button, keep in touch with friends’ lives, and text people at any moment. I also want to be intentional about living my life outside of my devices.
What do you do?
Please share your ideas on how you make the best of your iphone and at the same time spend time living a rich life. I’d love to hear them (and I have a feeling I’m not the only one) !
Davina Fear is a Familyness Adventurer. She gave an interview about criticism and how to she moved past it.
She blogs at davinafear.com. Have you signed up for The Art of Familyness Photography? Get it HERE!
By day, I photograph families. By night, I build forts the size of elephants with my family. I live in a yellow house. I believe real life is the best getaway ever.
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