Moms at Risk for Internet Addiction
Posted by Danielle Bean in Health on Friday, June 12, 2009 10:00 AM
I thought this recent CNN article about moms and internet addiction was a good and thought-provoking one.
The article cites a study that found that “4 percent of Internet users find it hard to stay away from it for several days at a time; 9 percent try to hide their ‘nonessential Internet use’ from their loved ones; 8 percent admit they use the web as a way to escape problems.”
Of particular interest to me, though, were the ways the author pointed out that moms are particularly vulnerable to the lure of the internet—the need for grown up communication, the desire to escape real life stresses and boredom, and the temptation of a never-ending list of practical, home-related chores moms can do online.
While the author points out that most moms don’t fall into the category of truly addictive behavior when it comes to the internet, many of us do risk of wasting time at the expense of our families:
You’re likely not the kind of addict that Moore has seen—women who don’t bathe and abuse drugs to help them stay “up” for more online time. You may have noticed, though, that going online has become an imposing part of your life, which, at the least, means a load or two of laundry goes unwashed (and who cares about that?). But it may also mean you’re missing out on time with your baby—something you probably do care about.
One way that I keep computer time under control is by setting up some basic rules. You can limit yourself to going online only during certain times of the day or use the computer only when other essential tasks are finished, like laundry, story time, or meal preparation.
If you don’t think just moderating yourself is going to work, you might try fasting completely from the computer for a set amount of time. Experience tells me that completely removing computer time for a while has the potential to open your eyes to the ways in which your home and your family might benefit from a less distracted mother in the house.
I think the article’s suggestions are good ones too—keeping a log of time spent online, recording your reasons for using the internet, and making an effort to reach out to the “real world” instead of seeking all of your support online.
Is online time something you struggle to balance with real-world mothering? If so, what steps do you take to keep it under control?
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