Things I did instead of Facebook

A few weeks ago, the whole family was SICK. I'm talking trashcans at the feet, "Not again, oh, god, no! I don't want to!" kids hurling, sad baby crying the whole time because all he wanted was to nurse, yet every time he did, it came right back up. S.I.C.K.

Of course, I'm on Facebook quite a bit, anyway. Bored housewife syndrome. Nursing? (Facebook) Take a break from housework? (Facebook) Kids won't interact with me, and are actually enjoying one anothers company? (Facebook) In the summer, with the weather being nice, the Facebooking slows down, because we aren't home as much, but as a one car family, our winter is spent inside during the week.

 So during the sick week, I was on Facebook quite a bit more though, documenting the horrors of norovirus, and checking in to see what allllll my friends were doing. I mean, what else is there to do when you're laying on the couch under a baby who won't stop spewing? After the 30th check into Facebook the last day everyone was sick, I was SICK of Facebook. SO BORING. Everyone spewing the same rhetorical, copy, paste, share share share, vaguebook, whinebook, blah blah blah. There were maybe two things that actually caught my eye, but for the most part, it was all the same blather. Of course, quirkymomma shared a ton of craft stuff that I would love to do, but don't have the supplies to do, and don't have the room to put the supplies after we are done (tiny apartment living, y'all).

But still, my extreme Facebook habit continued past the sick week. Why? WHAT IS SO INTERESTING ON THERE??? So I made a decision to limit my Facebook, which I did, a little, Mostly instead of Facebook, I read on my kindle app. But with the app on my phone, I still was drawn to open it, again and again.

Thursday, I deleted Facebook off my phone.

Sadly, my habit of opening it up every time I sit down, whether to take a break, or to nurse, has led me to completely ignore anyone who talks to me, or tries to get my attention, and it couldn't have been clearer two nights ago, when the baby Bear was trying to play with me, and Mr. Daddy had to TELL ME he was trying to get my attention and play, while I was too engrossed in someone else's life.

So, without further ado, here is a list of all the things I accomplished without Facebook in the past two weeks, but mostly in the past three days:

I wrote this blog post. I haven't written in so long, I don't remember what the last post was about (Was it about writing more often?)

I dumped ALL toys on the floor, and sorted them. They did not get organized (yet), but that will happen soon.

I exercised. First thing in the morning all week, I started legitimately working out.

I cleaned the kitchen. It was becoming a hoarders nightmare, with stacks of random paperwork, beer boxes clustered in the corner, and dishes piled high. In fact, I even scrubbed the baseboards.

CLEAN SHEET DAY!!! I consciously stripped our beds without someone peeing on them in order to make it happen, cleaned them, and slept on clean sheets last night.

I took the kids to the beach, without checking in and posting pictures while they played.

I read several books. In two weeks, instead of Facebook, I made myself open Kindle or a paper book instead. I was able to read 3 books, and I'm halfway through two more.

I watched 3 movies with my kids. And actually paid attention to the whole movie, all the way through, without looking at my phone halfway through.

I biked with the kids down to the OV Fishing Pier, and introduced them to calamari.

Most importantly, I PAID ATTENTION to all the things my kids were trying to say and show me.



This is going to be a permanent thing. I won't be putting Facebook back on my phone. It doesn't add to our quality of life. In fact, it most certainly detracts from our life experiences. I won't be deleting my account, but I will definitely be limiting the time I spend scrolling down the feed, and I sure won't do it absentmindedly while sitting with my kids. They're pretty important. Facebook is not