1. First and foremost, I have found myself being preoccupied with Facebook and not present in the everyday, little things...like watching Knox play. While it may seem like the perfect time to catch up on the goings-on in the community of Facebook as Knox is entertaining himself, I realize these moments are precious. He will never be as little as he is right this minute. I don't want to look back someday and regret not watching him play. Plus, I could always be doing something more productive...say, cleaning perhaps??
2. The comparisons. Should we have bought a new tv too? Do I need to be taking Knox on play dates too? Why can't I afford to go on that vacation? Why wont Cody ever buy me flowers? Should Knox be talking more? How many times have you asked yourself similar questions after seeing posts on Facebook? I don't know about you but I'm tired of feeling crappy about my life (which is perfectly awesome by the way) because I compare it to the highlighted, sugar-coated version of others' lives. How often have you seen a post that says, 'Today I went to work, came home, ate dinner, and went to bed'? Never? It's because that wouldn't get any 'likes'. And obviously to make an impact in this world and feel like a good and productive citizen, you must have the most likes on Facebook. Let's face it: the posts you see are simply the best snippets out of someone else's day. Compare them to your best snippets and I bet you will feel a heck of a lot better about yourself.
3. The ads and the ridiculous amounts of recipes, news articles, jokes, forwards, and how-many-likes-can-this-girl-get posts. Period. No further explanation needed.
4. The judgments. There are too many people out there who have been given permission to post whatever crap comes to their mind. Although I have typed and re-typed this post many times, not everyone has the common sense to type their thoughts, let it sit for a while, and then come back to edit and revise. They post hurtful comments, say negative thoughts, or speak their one-sided opinion without thinking about how it may affect someone else. Right up there with overtaking my time, lately I have felt judged and ridiculed. Not blatantly, but in a more passive aggressive way. Do I vaccinate? No. Am I open about it? Yes. Would you like to know my reasoning? Ask me. But don't post a thousand articles about why I'm killing everyone around me because of my choices. Don't assume I have not researched every possible article, book, and website (both sides of the argument, by the way). I know the statistics. I know them both ways. I have weighed the risk/benefit and I made the choice I felt most comfortable with for MY child. (Yes, MY child. Not yours. You have no say in it. If you don't like it, you have the right to keep your child away from mine. I won't judge you. Not like you've judged me.) And I don't need anyone on Facebook to try to convince me that I am a bad mother for the choices I've made. I am a good mom. And while you are laboring over the computer trying to figure out how to point out all the flaws in choices I make, I'm busy spending quality time with my HEALTHY, happy, funny, sweet, cuddly, ornery, active, smart, loving little boy...who just so happens to be unvaccinated.
There you have it. The 4 reasons I am limiting my Facebook. If you are a close friend, family member, or community member, you are still on my friends list. I will periodically check it, mainly for upcoming events, professional reasons, and in case I need to get ahold of someone. If you would like to stay updated on our family, this blog will be where you can find us. I'll eventually put up pictures or a photo share site. So keep coming back!
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