Jumped off the Facebook train.

So, I did it. I should have done it weeks ago, but I didn't. I deactivated my Facebook account. Gasp! I know. It was quite difficult. The truth is that I spent way way too much time reading & learning about people that I don't know that well and don't really want to. I read a lot about people I used to know and if I don't care to actually keep in touch with them then it's just gossip that I know random things about their lives that don't actually matter to me. I will be sad to miss the pics and updates of my family and close friends, but here's hoping that I actually keep in contact with them enough that I'll still know what's going on in their lives (& hopefully they'll still send me their photo album links).

I needed to do this partly because I waste way way too much time (at work & at home) checking my facebook. I'm trying to re-evaluate my priorities and I always complain that I don't have enough time to do the things I'm supposed to do. If that's true then I'm going to have to get really picky about what I do spend my time on. And, Facebook just didn't rank up there. Truth is that I'm not really spending any time in real relationship with people in my life and I just can't justify wasting time on Facebook. You see I've realized that now that I'm a mom & Hannah is getting older & #2 is on the way I simply don't have time for much anymore. It doesn't seem fair to explain that to friends when I'm wasting so much time on Facebook.

At any rate, part of this is the realization that being a mom has been sort of a gradual change. For a while I could take Hannah about anywhere because she was pretty quiet, very easily transportable, and slept a lot. Slowly that has been changing. I need to be home by 7 or 7:30P to get her to bed. I don't have the energy to be going lots of places in the evenings with her so I can't hang out as much. Also, I like to spend my evenings with Chad, Hannah, & the puppies at home. So after spending time with Hannah and then putting her to bed around 8 or 8:15P and then I try to be in bed by 9 or 9:30 and trying to do laundry and clean up in that 8 o'clock hour it just doesn't leave much time for phone talking or hanging out. (Especially if I want to talk to Chad at all!) Anyways, I guess it's all a learning game and I need a pretty steep learning curve. I am having a hard time balancing my household, extended family, close friends, and extended friends (oh right, and the 40 hours + I spend in the work world).

And so Facebook had to go. There will probably be other things to go too. As soon as I figure out what my real priorities are and how to balance the people and things close to me. And now so that I can actually function tomorrow...it's bedtime! Thanks to you all for your patience with me as I figure out how to juggle everything.

To ease your minds....

So, a lady at work has been talking about her niece's child harness. I guess it's a backpack & the little girl loves it...as do her parental & grandparental units. It sparked a discussion in my head. I don't know anyone personally that had used on one their child & thought it was only fair to get some thoughts on both sides...hence the facebook poll.

Since none of them are writing this blog I guess they'll have to put their thoughts somewhere else because I'm putting mine here! We do not plan on using a harness with Hannah. It's way too much like a dog leash for me to use on my child. I also have conflicting views with people on how much freedom an 18 month old should be granted. She is not yet capable of making wise, calculated, well thought-out decisions & that's why she has parents & not a harness! It is my job, as her mother, to teach her how to handle her independence and how to obey me. I do not think she should be allowed to just wander places several feet away from me. If there is a street, parking lot, crowded location, etc., then she has to learn to stay by my side and for the time being that means, in the stroller, in my arms, or holding my hand. She does not get the option to go on her own as she would see it via the harness.

I do see the benefit to the harness in case she slips free and runs off anyways. However, I do not want her learning that it is ok to run away from me & that she's safe to do so because she has a backpack restraint. My mom didn't use one on us and somehow we all managed to stay alive and safe anyways. Although, I do have a scar on my cheek from mom grabbing me as I almost ran into the road. Oops. So, I did try to run away, my mom still caught me, and I've lived to tell about it. I think this is a case of parents having to raise children in the real world where it takes real work and where we can't have backup safety systems in place all the time. (And if you know me at all, you know that if it were possible I would probably live in a bubble if I could...and bring Hannah with me. )

Care to weigh in on the subject?