A listener sent us a snail mail with this dilemma:
About a year and a half ago my husband and I and our two kids decided to unplug. We were all stressed out, the kids were young and not yet hooked on the internet and social media and so it was a good time for us as a family to make major changes in how we lived our lives. We got rid of the tv’s and smartphones and game consoles and decided to focus more on our marriage and family. New hobbies were encouraged and funded and we have a regular structured home life with a games night, hobby nights, and the weekends are spent either on organized sports activities or outdoor hikes.
At first I was a little overwhelmed by the changes but I can honestly say that after 18 months we are better at communicating and way less stressed than we were.
However, the amount of snark and nasty comments from friends and family has totally taken us by surprise. My sister in law actually accused us of mentally abusing the kids because they don’t watch tv or play on tablets. I don’t know if they feel judged or threatened or what their anger is all about. We’ve never had one positive comment from either of our families or any of our friends.
I’m happier, my husband’s a lot happier and my kids seem content with their daily activities. Did we make a mistake with these changes? My suspicion is that our extended families find it more work to stay in touch with a visit or a phone call instead of just glancing at facebook or sending a text.
If you have advice for this family you can comment on our Facebook page and listen Monday morning at 7:40
Got a dilemma for our listeners? Email Mike by clicking on his name above.
