Are Facebook groups a distraction for you?

Viewing 7 posts - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)
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  • July 24, 2020 at 12:18 pm
    momto3blessings
    Participant

    There are so many FB groups for CM and other homeschool topics. Plus, non-homeschool groups. Anymore I find them to be such a big distraction. I stay in them partly because I am undecided which direction to go for our homeschool. Are there any of you here that mostly stay away from FB altogether? Or at least the groups? If so, do you find it easier to plan school for your kids when you are not reading discussions about, basically everything CM or homeschool? Or, not seeing what everyone else is doing? I often think back to years ago when we first started to homeschool. There weren’t all these groups, so I didn’t compare what we were doing to everyone else. It seemed so much simpler. It was just me and the kids doing our thing. I long for that again. I know nobody forces me to stay in these groups, but I have a hard time letting them go. Is it just me?

    July 24, 2020 at 12:31 pm
    CrystalN
    Participant

    You are not alone. I avoid social media in general. Its like a black hole that sucks time. I spend so much time just checking emails and the few discussion forums I enjoy. I find myself yelling at my kids to get off their electronics as I am staring at mine. Covid quarantine has really worsened this problem in my home. For me and my kids. Just last night dh an I were discussing strict time blocks for devices, actually putting phones and ipads (including grown ups) in the safe after dinner. Just leaving his phone out for emergencies since he never touches it. It is drastic, but necessary for is right now.

    I guess you were being specific about being pulled and swayed by methods and materials. It is easy to get distracted and start thinking another method or curriculum will fix your homeschooling woes. I am a notorious change-arella with curriculum. But to quote someone on this forum “the grass is greener where you water it.” There is always something new and maybe better, but we can make our grass green right where we are.

    July 24, 2020 at 5:10 pm
    sarah2106
    Participant

    I let go of quite a few FB groups a few years ago and it was so good for me. I found them distracting and a time waste, they also caused me to really question what we were using/doing and why. I felt like I had to defend my choices all the time.

    I am still a part of 2 but they are not curriculum specific, they are more about general support and encouragement and actually request members to not get specific about methods because everyone does something different.

    So all that to say if when done participating you feel at less peace, let it go. With so much information available, I had to learn to shut off distractions. I heard a great quote something about comparison being the thief of joy, and I know for me, that is very true.

    I really enjoy the SCM community because I find it encouraging and not “it must be only one way” it is understood that homeschooling is a personal choice and even if we used the same methods it is going to look different in each of our families.

    July 24, 2020 at 7:58 pm
    Tristan
    Participant

    I have found that when I’m in planning time, I need to put my groups to sleep for a month. And right now, with so many new to homeschooling people, I’m mostly putting groups to sleep except the one I am an admin for. And we’re really strict about keeping on topic and people reading the FAQ document, that answers all the beginner type questions. If you ask a question it answers, you are put on post approval and we let you know to go read that document to find your answer.

    I do find a lot of groups just are not a great fit for me because my family is outside the norm. Always homeschooled our kids, graduated one, very large family with 10 kids, not into sports or a lot of extracurriculars, very independent, on a tight budget, not a CM purist, etc. So the groups I stay in for long are few and far between.

    July 25, 2020 at 9:00 am
    ErinD
    Participant

    I am not on FB anymore, but I find that even homeschool forums can contribute to this. The most satisfied I have ever been with my homeschool is when I took long forum breaks. There’s definitely a balance there, because they can also be a wealth of needed information. But I do get what you’re talking about.

    July 27, 2020 at 8:31 pm
    Yolanda
    Participant

    I find social media an addiction problem.  I do feel so much happier when I detox from social media.  I did find an extension for chrome.  Its called news feed eradicator Facebook.  Instead of seeing the feeds, you just see quotes.  That way if I want to look into a local group to check on updates, I get in and out.

    July 29, 2020 at 12:56 pm
    LovinMyFam
    Participant

    I got off of Facebook permanently about 5 years ago. I am not on social media at all, though I do pop on here about once every month or two. I don’t miss it. It is better for me not to be on any of it. We are in a fabulous Bible study up here in the hills where we live that meets every Tuesday evening (yep…even through Covid and quarantine) and we have each other during the week if we need human contact.

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