Deciding What Role Social Media Will Play in my Life as a Mom

I recently came across this video and thought it was very powerful. If you haven't seen it already, I'd encourage you to watch it first.

It took me a while to get a smart phone. I didn't want to be one of "those people." You know...the people who are attached to their phones. Well, I finally got a smart phone and I hate to say I've become what I didn't want to be. Sitting at a red light? Check my phone. Waiting to pick up my order at a restaurant? Check my phone. Laying in bed at night? Check my phone. Commercial on TV? Check my phone. The list could go on and on. It's just second nature now to reach for my phone when I have a second of down time. What happened to just sitting a minute? Why do I now feel the need to be constantly entertained? Over a year ago, I wrote a guest post about this growing habit I observed in others. Now, this person is me.

On a good note, I do try really hard to not get out my phone if I'm visiting with someone-even if it's just my husband. I still try to respect that time.

Smart phones aren't the "bad guys" here. Even before I had a smart phone, I spent more than enough time on social media.

Now, don't get me wrong. There are things about social media that I love. I live far away from my family and many friends. It's a great way to keep in touch, know what they're up to, and share what I'm up to. Through blogging I've been able to meet people and have opportunities that I never would have met or had otherwise.

It's just interesting to me to think how in a few short years social media has really integrated itself to be a part of our every day life. 

Now that we're expecting our first child, I've really been thinking about what role I want social media to play in my life as a mom. I also have been thinking about what role I want technology to play in my child's life.

My thoughts on my social media use:

-I don't want to miss out on time with my child because I can't get off my computer or phone.


-I don't want to be so wrapped up in capturing a moment in a picture or video and sharing it on social media that I miss enjoying and actually living in the moment.

-I don't want my child to view me as the person who always has her laptop open or her nose stuck to her ipad or iphone screen. I don't want that to be the norm.

-I don't want to feel like I need to share every little thing my child does and says with the internet world.

-I don't want to feel like I have to be super mom and do all the cool things that I see posted on my various social media newsfeeds and Pinterest feed.

-I don't want to share every little detail of our personal lives with "friends" who I don't even know that well.

 My thoughts on technology for my child: 

-Obviously the abundance of technology brings up a lot of issues like children accessing things they shouldn't be looking at or talking to people they shouldn't be talking to. At this point, that isn't even my main concern. I'm concerned that there are babies who can use an iphone better than my mom. (Sorry mom...it's true.)

-I don't want to use technology to pacify my child.

-I want my child to grow up playing and using her imagination, not stuck in front of a screen of some type.

-Technology has it's place and it will be an even bigger part of my child's life than it was mine, but I don't want it consuming her life from the very beginning.

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Again, I will say that I don't think social media or even technology are bad things. There are things about them that I love and that make my life so much easier. I just think it's about finding a good balance and sometimes that can be really difficult.

How do you balance your time on social media as a mom? What are your thoughts on your child and technology? 

*Linking up at Mommy Moments and Made to Mother*