Technology Time Out

    As you all probably know by now, I have a 1 year old. She just started walking so playing outside isn't fully a concept in our lives yet. But we've been talking a lot in my small group lately about taking a step back from technology. For me that would be my cell phone. For some reason when I had Baby P. my cell phone started to become something that was a fixture. I blame it on breastfeeding and needing to remember which side she fed from last, or the fact that she had 30 minute (or more) breastfeeding sessions every two hours, up until she was 6 months old... so I needed something to look at to pass the time. I couldn't read a book, I could watch TV but often my phone was right there and I could surf the internet. Unfortunately because of that time, I have since realized that I am constantly on it! I'm checking facebook or pinterest, checking the blog, looking things up, reading articles, looking for recipes... and the list goes on. 
    But after the topic of technology came up in our small group, I have been trying to look at my phone less and do even more activities. We've always been big on the outdoors and Baby P. loves to go outside. But now that shes walking it takes more work and thought to go outside. I want our children to be  in love with the outdoors like my husband and I are. I don't want them obsessed with gaming, television or the computer. I want them to build forts, use their imaginations and just play. We put up a swing set in our backyard for that reason. So we'll go for a swing, we'll watch our dog play while we sit at the picnic table, we'll go for a drive, we'll go to the park... 
   Yes, I have to be careful because of the sun, so I try not to be in too much direct sunlight. But I have to say making an effort, daily, to do something outside has made a world of difference in our little house. 
   So I'm trying to daily take a technology time out. I put down my phone, I turn off the TV and we go outside. I challenge you to try to make an effort to do the same :).