Those are generally the words I use to turf the the Boy Wonder off his DS. We’ve arrived at half an hour through a series of (almost) scientific experiments which focus on the ratio between time sat stationary staring at a screen and outpouring of potential energy upon shutting down. The shutting down process is always preceded by blood-curdling screams of “I’M SAVING IT!!!” and anything more than half an hour spent playing and he goes nuts….simples.
The same is true of the TV, although we can generally get away with the best part of an hour there before any one of the three kidlings turn into Chucky personified. Naturally I’d prefer it if they didn’t bother with the digital babysitters at all, maybe, actually I’m not sure I would as lots of the alternatives would involve noise and movement at times of the day that I’m not altogether equipped to cope.
Between 4.30 and 7pm is meltdown time around here, for me at any rate. Everyone is grouchy, hungry and anarchic and really all any us want to do is curl up on the sofa and smoozle. Sadly, in lieu of a housekeeper, I generally have to cook, they occasionally have to do homework, and we all have to muddle along towards the bedtime watershed. If I time it right, I can often grab half an hour to myself in front of the mac. It’s my rejuvenation time, those stolen moments are so much more precious than in the evening when I can rightfully lay claim to them. The fact that the children all now recognise Tweetdeck is nothing to be proud of, but in some small way it helps them recognise that their mother is more than an extension of their now shrivelled umbilical cord, to be reeled in when the mood suits.
Now there are those in this household who occasionally grumble about my social media addiction leanings. But generally we manage to agree that if it makes me happy then it makes him happy too. (Ok, that’s something of a fabrication, but my utility room is jam packed with dirty washing – it doesn’t need airing here too) However, it came as a surprise to me today to be told by a higher authority that I could ‘limit my consumption’….
That’s right, my mother called and suggested that I should maybe apply the half an hour rule to my blogging too. “BUT”, I cried, desperately trying to find a justification…. “I’m a MADS finalist”; “Yes”, she replied, “and you occasionally need to sleep too”. Harumph and grrrr, and she’s bloody right, I know she’s right, and I know she’ll read this and smile and then phone and tell me that she didn’t mean it in the way I wrote it, that she just thinks I need to be a little more ‘balanced’, and that I do seem to spend an awful lot of time blogging when I could be *ahem* working…
So, I will try. I will limit my writing to 30 minutes in the evening, and spend another 30 minutes reading and commenting, probably in a random fashion. I will try and achieve that balance. Until everyone forgets to keep watching me, and then like the Boy Wonder, they’ll find me crouched at my keyboard 10 hours later and, as they prise my fingers away, I’ll scream “I’m just saving it!………”.
I’ve recently come to the conclusion that I need to find some balance too. I started my blog in December as soon as I got my internet connection, so not only blogging, but the whole internet was a novelty. I have since allowed it to swallow up hours of my time every day.
I love it, but sometimes the kitchen floor needs mopping you know?
Still, I think it’s important that mothers make time for themselves to do something that they enjoy. Blogging happens to float our boats and it’s far more constructive than some hobbies I could think of.
Lol @ I’m saving it, my son has that exact blood curdling cry. You have been peeping in my window?
Also, re children recognising tweetdeck we have that here too and I try and look on it in a positive way (!!). My (for all intents and purposes non-verbal toddler) attempts and recognises Facebook and google. He doesn’t like Twitter because of the notification sound. Are we not helping them become accustomed to a digital life??? 😀
If you can manage to write and read/comment in one hour a day I want to know your secret:)
Jen
Ah, the addiction post. You know I’ve been doing a bit of cold turkey in order to sort out the elephants who where hiding in the corners of my life but due to my blogging addiction had got rather large and cumbersome. Since then, I have spent far less time tweeting and blogging and that is good for all the jobs that need doing but bad for me. I feel like I’m missing something. That would be time to myself perhaps? Problem with blogs and twitter is that the more you read, the more you follow, the more you have to read to keep up. Tough one. I am planning a grand cull over the coming weeks to just read the ones I really really enjoy. Every time that Google Reader says “3,453,349,343,303 posts to read” I want to scream. That isn’t good. Hope you have success in finding balance.
MD xx
I agree with both Gappy & Jen. It is a much safer ‘hobby’ than others & if you find the secret – bottle it & put me on the supply list!
I was so glad to have it this morning though! Great way to release anger!
I don’t know what chimes the most with me – the blood curdling scream of ‘I’m saving it’ (occasionally replaced with ‘OK!!!!’ said with about as much conviction as my husband when he says he doesn’t mind coming shopping with me) or the need to limit the amount of time I spend on my Mac. I love blogs but I have to say I am definitely going to have to limit the amount of time I spend on them. All too often I wake up feeling way too tired given I haven’t been out on the tiles but am merely too undisciplined to switch off my Mac until I’ve checked just one more blog. However having met you today in the shop and having read your blog I’ll definitely be spending more time here. It’s great. Lovely to meet you today. Speak soon.
I haven’t rung, I may never pass comment again…………………!!
Perhaps blogging comes under the heading of “me time””………….
– and I promise never to make a similar suggestion when BW is in earshot!
Wonder if watching sport could be limited…………….?? xx
Funny you should say that. I’m typing this as my daughter has her half hour on the DS, then we will argue about whether it is switched off or she has some urgent need to SAVE IT!
I agree completely and I’ve blogged about the question of whether it’s a selfish pursuit before so won’t go into that again… Balance is the key, we need that me-time so it’s a case of scheduling it in…..but the irony of my own mother telling me it was time to get off was too big a temptation not to blog about! x
I’m struggling already Jen! Life for them is going to be so different isn’t it? The fact that HRH is already a master of the mouse and keyboard is testament to how different their development will be to ours – I remember 3 of us crowding around a BBC Micro for computer lessons, aged 15!
You can turn that notification sound off y’know 😉
xx
It’s a brave new blogging world, and the rest of our life is just going to have to make room! I find that i watch hardly any TV now, so that’s obviously where I’m making most of my savings, and then there’s sleep – who needs that? Culling is necessary but feels so horrible when you go to do it….my g-reader is perpetually stuck at eleventy billion and I now tend to pick up interesting posts from twitter and visit those I love when I get a quiet moment. LOL @ quiet moment 😉
xx
Ah yes, the venting – even if you never hit publish! I love the feel of my fingers flying across the keys, dumping it all down… and breathe…..
xx
Thanks for visiting Catherine 🙂 It was lovely to meet you too and I have a long email prepping itself ready to send to you in the morning…
Wait till you have your own – you’ll wonder what you ever did with all that ‘spare’ time 😉
Feel free to pop back anytime x
I sincerely doubt it, sport watching falls under “essential activities” I believe 😉
Feel free to comment anytime – I can always do with a bit more inspiration! But yes, please do check that BW isn’t listening – he needs no additional ammunition!
xxx
I guess they’re all the same! I caught BW playing it sneakily the other day – pretending to read, he had it tucked under the quilt… the stealth tactics have begun and I need to up my game! xx
Mums are always right. Apply that rule as you see fit 😉