Now Is The Time To Dial Back Social Media Not Increase Usage

April 21, 2020

Right now, we are living in a world where our physical interaction with people is limited, so being on social media is the answer to connection, right?

FALSE

At the moment, I’m inundated with messages from my kids’ teachers all day long, emails from the school district and texts from friends and family. My kids are getting on google hangouts with their classmates and our family has even done zoom meetings. I am doing my best to stay afoot of what is going on without reading too many articles from our local news station.

If at this moment, I were to launch myself back into the world of social media, it would be counterproductive. The notion alone makes my blood pressure rise and my anxiety begin to flare. I could predict what I would see in the first few scrolls and it’s not worth it.

My kids are happy texting with their friends, participating in group emails and chats without having the pressure of looking good or taking to social media to complain about schools being closed for the rest of this year.

My goal as a parent during this pandemic is to lean towards positivity as much as possible. When we emerge from this era, it will be but a moment in time. Sure, things will be different but they were after 9/11 and after the recession of 2008 to name some recent occurrences.

As we are in the midst of COVID-19, it’s hard to see past what is happening presently, but this won’t go on forever. I want to be able to feed my children information that is pertinent to what they need to know. They are in the loop as to when events occur that directly affect them, but otherwise, I don’t know want them on information overload.

Same goes for myself, adding in the social media aspect could only bring worry and induce fear. I’m okay with living in my little bubble with a tiny leak of info coming in. Guess what I have tape inside my bubble that could seal up that leak on a moment’s notice. It’s up to ourselves to allow information to come in. We don’t have to know everything.

My current daily mantra is: Stay present, Stay positive and Be Healthy

What influence is social media having on you?