summer challenge :: mindful media

Many of you know that there is a vibrant community group on Facebook called the Mama Scout Laboratory for Creative Living. It is filled with women who are called to explore the world and their creative lives. Each month, we have a challenge. This month's challenge is going to extend all summer! From June until September 1st,  we are going to define and experiment with the notion of mindful media. 

For some, that will mean putting down the phone, deleting FB and other social media apps from handhelds for the summer. For others, it might mean choosing the books and films consumed this summer with intention and focus. It might mean organizing gaming parties for all the Minecraft fans in your circle. There are no rules! You decide what your family needs and try some new approaches. 

It does not mean denying yourself or your family anything for the sake of being "good." That feels punitive and restrictive and often comes back with stronger desires and habits than ever.

Some questions to start with:

What does our media consumption look like now? Where does it seem to be a problem? When is it working the best?

What do I want to add in or expose my kids to this summer (i.e. we have a classic family movie night every week)?

What do my kids want to have more time exploring (if they are into video games and these are limited in the school year, maybe ease up in the summer - there are some really cool classes and online groups that would be fun to work with. We can talk about those in the FB group)?

Is there one issue that you struggle with in terms of media usage?

How do your habits influence the rest of the family?

Do you divide media into "good for you" and "bad for you" categories? How and why?

Make a list of non-media interests you want to explore too. 

If this challenge speaks to you, make sure to join the FB group  -  I'll see you there! (But not too often, I am limiting my check ins to 2 times a day).