Why I Hate my Cellphone

I’m sure you have noticed by now that we live in a world that loves technology. It advances almost daily, which in a way is incredible, but in another way its sad.

What is this technology really causing us to gain? A social life? New friends?

I know that everyone will say that their iPhone has given them a new life, a lonely mom now has online mom friends, you can find a date for Friday, or order you some food at a discount for using the online app. We can even take it one step further and talk to our gadgets without ever picking up our phone and still get exactly what we wanted.

Its no secret that I love technology! I think that it can be a great tool, but I wonder if I were to ask Alexa how to spend more time with my children what she would say? Or If I asked her how to make them happy? I wonder if Alexa could tell me approximately how much time an average iPhone user gives their full attention to their children?

When did our families become less important? When did God’s blessings become second to our phones? When I had my youngest two girls iPhones didn’t exist. I was fully present with them. I might have gotten a text on my phone every now and then, but nothing like I get now. I believe that the iPhone upped the texting drastically from those crazy buttons on the old phones. It took forever to text and I would just rather call you anyway.

I went back to work when my second daughter was a year and it broke my heart. She cried for me everyday for the next 18 months. I would cry all the way too work hating the fact I had to leave her. My oldest would take it in spurts one month she was fine and one month it was the end of the world for her. As a mom you never want to see your children in distress, but I knew that I couldn’t not work yet. When I came home full time I was so thrilled to be home with the girls. It had been so hard to leave them and not be able to take care of them like I wanted to.

My prayer was that God would allow me to come home so that I could take care of the girls. That last year I worked I homeschooled Megan in the afternoons after I left work, cooked supper, ran the home, laundry, and so on. However, when I think about how I accomplished my tasks I wonder if I had had an iPhone would I have been able to accomplish it all. I will admit that I am ashamed to say I spend way too much time on my phone now. To be honest I don’t think I would have been able to do everything  I needed to do and be present with the girls.

I think having our phones can be great to post pictures, seek out an old friend, or just to chat, but when it takes precious time away from family we should draw the line. Your little one is only little for so long and they deserve our attention. I am not saying that we should entertain our children 24/7, but to be present and really be there for them.

It is such a shame that we would rather hit the home button on the screen instead of being present in our own home with people that you love. God gave me those special little blessings and it is my job to take care of them. I want to be present in my girl’s lives. When they get bigger I don’t want them to look back and say mom was always on her phone. I don’t want them to ever say to me, “why didn’t you spend more time with me?” I saw a post the other day that said “you will never look back and regret spending time with your child”. How true is that statement? I will never regret teaching them to read, ride a bike, how to cook, or just cuddle.

God has really been laying it on my heart lately that I spend to much time on my phone for no reason. I am guilty of scrolling through facebook for no reason. I am guilty of browsing Pinterest more than I should. I am guilty of answering emails when I could have waited until they were in the bed. I don’t want my iPhone to become an addiction or more of an addiction. I miss the days where you laid your phone on the microwave and didn’t think nothing else about it until you left the house.

I don’t want to be guilty of not being there for my children in a world so full of distraction. Next time you pick up that phone be aware of what your children are doing. Are they begging you to play a game, but your too “busy”? Are they aggravating you a little because they want your full attention?

With God’s help I want to cuddle my girls more, put together more puzzles, and just enjoy them without the distraction of a cellphone.

If this is something you have been struggling with, then please let me know about it in the comments below.