Electronically connected

Today we announced a day of family. It sounds weird to announce that because we are always a family, but it had to be done. The phones have to go away, and the games, television, distractions of life needed to be stopped. Today we announced that we would be the six of us, together as one, chillaxin. It has been interesting and awesome all at the same time.

It's amazing how quickly we can forget to spend time together. We become wrapped up in this illusion that if we're all in the same room then we're being together. It's a crazy lie that I will be honest, I succumbed to.

The truth is, there are many moments where I have to force myself to actively engage my children. Sit with them and talk. Ask them silly questions. Dance in the living room. Sing, as loud as we can, together. Look them in the eye and really pay attention to what they're communicating. 

Today has been a day dedicated to that. It's been great. It's also been challenging when my phone is sitting right there looking so lonely... It's pathetic that electronics have the ability to so completely corrupt my brain and my notions of human connectivity. But it's also really cool that today I was reminded that I need to be more available to the people in front of me and less "connected" to those far away.