The Treasure of Memories

Smartphones have absorbed our entire world. Our society runs through them in a lot of ways. They have single-handedly both destroyed the world we live in while also bringing the world closer than it has ever been before.

But I like to think of my phone as a tool.

Yes, I get on social media and play games and spend way too much time being unproductive on it… but today I’m thankful for my phone’s little tool called the camera.

There is a constant battle in motherhood. Loving your life, just as it is, right where you are at. But also hoping it gets easier, looking forward to tomorrow, and looking for the days when your life is no longer a constant sprint everywhere you go.

But the camera allows us a glimpse back into the moments we treasure. Memories no longer have to live in our minds. They come to life when you watch the video of your daughter’s first steps, or when you watch yourself become a wife. Photos let us step back into a moment and relive the happiness that we felt. All captured from this amazingly smart tool right at the tip of our fingers.

I’m thankful that these moments will be passed down and shared and relived for many years to come.

Life is too short to not enjoy. Turn off the noise, and focus on your happy. Groom your mind for positivity and live in the moment.

EOD Thoughts: 09.14.2021

New phone finally!

You don’t realize how hard your life is without a smart phone until you gotta try to get by without one.

How scary it is to even get on the road knowing you don’t have a way to make an emergency call if needed.

Couldn’t access all of my work websites because I wasn’t able to two-factor authenticate my apps via text messaging codes.

I’m hopelessly phone-reliant

Even though I don’t wanna be

EOD Thoughts: 10.29.2020

I’m currently sitting on the couch next to my daughter as she watches YouTube Kids on my phone. I have mixed feelings about letting my daughter consume a lot of technology, but when it comes down to it… Sometimes I just need a break. And I did a bit of research on the topic of technology and our children last night because I want to publish something regarding it. I don’t really want to get too deep into the topic until I finish my other article, but it just seems fitting tonight because here we are… Both on the couch enjoying ourselves through the Internet.

YouTube Kids is actually a really great app if you have kids and are weary about letting them on your phone. When you first open the app, you’re able to create a profile for your child that includes their age, so all of the videos that show up are age appropriate. Unlike the regular YouTube app, YouTube Kids has no advertisements or pop-ups that are often frustrating to the average user. This ensures that they are unable to click on bait or advertisements that redirect your child to a potentially inappropriate website.

I don’t let my daughter on too often, but sometimes you’ve just got to pick your battles. The other night we had to run into the grocery store for a few things. I got her out of the car and as I tried to sit her in the cart, she stiffened her legs and refused to get in. I mean, I literally couldn’t even get her into the store, so I figured if I wanted to be able to shop in peace, I may as well let her win this round. I turned on YouTube kids and didn’t hear a peep out of her the whole time I shopped. I know it is a difficult battle – making sure your child doesn’t get too reliant on tech while also staying sane. My child gets maybe 20 minutes a night and that’s after she has played all day long with no screen time.

We are living in a technologically advanced world. There are certain battles that we no longer have to fight. If you are against screen time for your children, I urge you to consider this before you judge or shame mothers for not feeling the same. If 20 minutes of quiet is all I get in a day because my child is watching videos of nursery rhymes on a phone, I don’t feel bad for giving it to her in exchange for my own peace of mind.

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Tonight’s Reflection Quote: