Could too much social media or series binge-watching be affecting your family time? We asked two moms if changing their screen routines could bring new benefits
As technology has evolved, it’s literally become part of our lives. our habits now include logging onto social media for hours – in fact, on average, South africans spend nearly three hours on social media every day, with Facebook being the most popular site. But it’s not just the phone screen that has our regular attention. Could tv be to blame for the decline in family dinners around the table, too?
While there’s nothing wrong with liking the odd Instagram photo or enjoying a favourite series on Netflix, screen time can become problematic when it replaces quality time with your loved ones. We challenged two moms to give up their screen time habits for a week to see if it would have an impact on their family time. Here’s what happened…
The social media ban
Mia nixon, 42, is an english teacher. She lives with her husband Ken, 43, son andrew, 10, and daughter Layla, eight, in edenvale. We asked her not to use social media for a week.
When asked if I was prepared to embark on a social media ban, I felt confident – maybe a bit too confident. Apart from Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, I’d also have to give up, to my horror, Pinterest. Similar to an athlete carbo-loading the night before a race, I spent the evening before the start of the challenge scrolling through my newsfeeds and timelines.
This story is from the June 2018 edition of Essentials.
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This story is from the June 2018 edition of Essentials.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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