How is Screen Time Affecting Your Relationships?

"Mum! Turn around." Mr X holds my face with two hands and faces it towards him to get my attention.
"Phone off Mum."
The fact that this had to happen at all breaks my heart.

Reality is, I am just addicted to my devices as the next person. I try really hard to use my phone and tablet when the kids aren't around, but I have as much self control with technology as I do with sugar (See '5 Lies I Tell Myself Everyday').

So often I find myself only half paying attention to my family. I'm scrolling through my newsfeed while outside with my kids, searching Pinterest while chatting with the kids over lunch or sitting next to Josh on the lounge - both glued to our phones.
I feel like I use it as an 'escape' so that I feel connected to other adults during the day, maybe it's a coping mechanism so that I don't feel so isolated and alone.

However, it's a terrible addiction that steals away time from your life. Time with your kids and partner, and time achieving daily tasks.

As I have been thinking about my project for next month - Making Memories in August, I have been pondering how I can change my daily interactions with my kids and husband to make our lives better. The conclusion I have come to is that I need to put my devices down.

I have decided that hand in hand with my Making Memories project, I'm going to drastically cut down my screen time and I challenge you to do the same for the next month. I know that being a stay at home parent in particular is isolating and lonely, which is why I'm not ready to swear off it entirely, but I want to make an effort to be present with my kids more often.

I challenge you to think about how much time you spend multitasking with a device or taking 'time out' to be on them.
 I would love to hear how you feel it affects your relationships.

Let's be totally in the moment more often.