Babies and Devices: Observations from the Grocery Store

This may come across as a "back in MY day... " rant, and I hope it doesn't. But I can't help but write about something I've noticed going on around me in cafes, stores and markets lately. Nearly EVERY young child, with the exception of a very small handful, are sitting in shopping carts or at tables with a device in their hands, be it iPads, mom's phone, whatever. Almost every single one! What is up with that?! The other day I saw a little girl who looked to be barely a year old, playing with her mom's phone. I find this so, so disturbing.

I've written about my feelings on technology here in the past (see "Technology, Media and Simplicity") but boy-oh-boy in the two years since I wrote that post, it seems to me that tech is now even more pervasive than ever, and that is NOT a good thing.

In addition to the damage being done to young brains from these devices (see this article) I'm also really concerned about what these kids are missing out on by being hooked up to a screen while out in public. Back in the "before device" days, when my kids were toddlers and preschoolers, going out and about to stores, cafes and restaurants was a regular part of our life, and going to these places gave my kids the chance to interact with other humans in meaningful ways. Every Friday I would take my kids out grocery shopping. While we made our way through the store, we talked about what kind of cereal we'd buy, counted oranges, and discussed what colors the apples were. They behaved in the store (usually) without a device because they were involved and engaged, and not "tuning out" with a smartphone. Also on shopping day, we'd stop to get a smoothie at the juice bar. Bette, The Juice Bar Lady, would make small talk with the kids while she fixed their smoothie... telling them she liked their new hats, or asking if they're excited about their new little brother, or what's your favorite fruit? Would Bette have bothered to try to engage my kids if they'd had their noses buried in a screen? I'm thinking maybe not. When we waiting for our food at restaurants, my kids were occupied reading picture books, drawing, playing tic-tac-toe or I Spy. They were actively engaged with the other humans at the table, instead of a smartphone. And these interactions, me, with Bette, and various cashiers, waitstaff, fellow shoppers and restaurant patrons, were such valuable experiences for my kids. They learned so much about the world on all those outings. All these babies I see with device in their hands? They are totally missing out on these experiences... and what will be the long-term effect of this?

I'm not sure I want to know.

Introducing... SimpleLife Home Solutions

So, I have some big things to share! After taking a year and a half off to give my family my full attention, I'm back to work. I have REALLY enjoyed the time I have been off and I'm going to miss being "just a mom" more than anything... but bills have got to be paid, so, back to work it is.

Because I'm still full time homeschooling four kids, my employment options are somewhat limited. I thought long and hard about what I could do that would allow me to still care for my home and family and homeschool, but would also bring in a paycheck. Now that my kids are getting older, I also wanted to find a job that I could build on in the future, when I'm no longer a full-time mom. And finally, I wanted to find work that I could feel passionate about... work that would be creatively stimulating, and would maybe make a difference in people's lives. Sounds like a pretty tall order, no?

So I started a my own business! I'm working as a Professional Organizer, and I'm really, really excited about it. I've always LOVED organizing and, as those who've read this blog before know, I love teaching others about simplifying and finding the peace that comes with that. I'm discovering that it's really satisfying to help people find solutions to the areas of their homes and lives that are causing them stress, so their lives can run more smoothly. I officially launched SimpleLife Home Solutions last month, and have been very busy getting set up and rolling. If you'd like, you can see the Facebook page here:

 https://www.facebook.com/simplelifehomesolutions/

Getting back to work has not been without it's challenges. I'm still very much finding my "sea legs" as far as juggling the new business while already working a full-time "job" managing my home, family and homeschooling. I'm also currently enrolled in an online class! The days have been very long, and I'm still figuring out how to get everything done that needs doing. Some days are better than others, and I do confess that sometimes by the end of a 16 hour day, I'm GRUMPY. I do plan to work on ways to get the family to pitch in more, so I don't end up burning out. This "balancing" thing is all very much a work-in-progress, though having done this before (as in, worked a full-time job while being a homeschooling mom) I have learned a lot about what NOT to do, so I do feel somewhat better equipped this time around.

So that's what's up! I'm really looking forward to really getting into a groove with this new career.