Being the example

I wanted to share a little update on not being on social media. If you’re a new reader I’ll share a quick background on why I originally got off of social media.

Back at the end of 2023 I found myself bombarded with ads, Christmas wish lists, lists of gift ideas, beautifully decorated homes, holiday travels and so on and so on. I was convicted about my amount of envy I felt towards people I loved. I wanted so badly to just be happy for them and their families but I wasn’t. I was turning green with envy and I was discontent with my life. One day (actually this happened multiple times but I’m stubborn), I felt in my spirit that God was telling me to get off of social media. So I finally did and I haven’t gone back since.

Update

Since getting off of social media I have found creativity (hints the blog), time, motivation, and a new zeal for life.

Being a millennial, I can remember having a childhood without social media. I didn’t have anyone to compare myself to on a continual basis. Sure I found myself envious of the clique that played with their Bratz dolls at recess but I didn’t have to live in the envy all the time. Today, I could open my Facebook, Instagram, or any other platform to see a beautiful, happy mother baking organic, non-GMO, grain free muffins in her magazine worthy kitchen with her perfectly behaved 10 children as her diligent husband works outside on their self-sustaining farm. And I could feel inadequate in an instant.. but I could open the apps any time, any where. I know that that is not reality, as you should as well, but it doesn’t change the fact that what we see does affect us in some way.

Knowing this, I want to be the example for my children. I no longer feel a conviction over not having social media. I no longer feel that it’s God who is telling me get off of it. I know now that it’s no good for me and life can and will go on without being on these types of platforms.

I have five kiddos and with my best efforts I’m trying to raise them to be smart with technology. But what I’m realizing more and more as my children get older is that the saying, more is caught than taught, is so true. So, I hope to teach them healthy technology habits through my own healthy habits as well as telling them why I choose to do things differently.

Being a parent grows you in so many ways but what sticks out the most to me is that these little people are watching me. They’re watching what I eat, what I watch, how I talk to people and about people, they’re listening to my music, they’re watching how I dress, they see how I act at home and out in public.. I could teach them all the ways to live a nice, healthy life but if I’m not doing it they’ll like grow to be a hypocrite just like me.

The Millennial Mom