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JSchaaf
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Joined: Feb 22 2005
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Posts: 753
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| Posted: May 25 2007 at 10:22pm | IP Logged
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I know this is a subject on many hearts and minds. I know I need to get control of the amount of time I spend on the computer. Sometimes it's just easier to be on the computer doing "mommy work" than being engaged with my kids. So here are the questions I have for everyone:
How much time do you spend on the computer?
What are you doing during that time?
What are your kids doing while you're on the computer?
Do you think you spend too much time on the computer?
How do you regulate your computer time?
What's the minimum amount of computer time you think you need for each day?
If you get up in the night, do you have an uncontrollable urge to go online and check your email? 
Jennifer
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Cheryl
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Joined: Feb 20 2005
Location: Massachusetts
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Posts: 978
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| Posted: May 26 2007 at 6:40am | IP Logged
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Jennifer,
I don't know how much time I spend on the computer. I'd probably be really  if I did know. I usually go on it when I nurse my dd 1 to sleep and when I nurse her when she wakes up. I check my emails, check this message board, (last night I made an online purchase), I may shop, and oh yeah... I check bloglines, read other people's blogs and blog.
I used to read blogs in the middle of the night when I'd nurse her. But she started sleeping through the night. In the morning my other dc are in the room with me, usually drawing. I rationalize that we need to stay up here and be quiet because my dh wants to sleep another hour. If we go down and have breakfast, we'll wake him up. This week I read aloud to them for some of the time. Maybe my rationalization isn't working so well.
I also go on the computer often during quiet time. The three older ones are in separate rooms and dd 1 is either nursing, playing in the room I'm in or napping. This is when I've done much of my blogging. I've given it up in the past because I want quiet time to be for prayer and meditation or spiritual reading. But then I go back to going on the computer or talking on the phone during quiet time. This week I even weeded and spread mulch during it. 
I can't really say I NEED computer time. But I WANT it. I think 30 minutes a day is a reasonable amount of time for me. If I blog, it takes much more than that. Since I've been limiting my time this week to morning and night, I haven't been blogging. I also haven't been commenting on blogs as much as I usually do. So to make up for it, I writing this huge comment.
What were your questions?
I am going to limit my blogging to just on the weekends for the next few weeks, while we finish up with school. In the summer, who knows? I just feel like I have to do this. I wonder if it's the time of year. I think I had these feelings during Advent. I just started writing what we're doing right now, but I deleted it. I'll save it for a blog post.
One more thing. This is the only way I've been able to stay off of the computer during the day: I shut it down and close the computer cabinet door and move the chair away. If I don't do this, I may make dumb excuses like: I need to check the weather....
__________________
Cheryl
Wife to Bob ('97)
Mom to Matthew 13, Joseph 11, Sarah 10, Rachel 6, Hannah almost 4 and Mary 1
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Bridget
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Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Michigan
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Posts: 2198
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| Posted: May 26 2007 at 8:43am | IP Logged
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I really don't struggle much with this. No set computer time. If I have time or need a sit down break, I read on the 'net. If something is going on online that needs my attention or is especially interesting to me,I give it more time.
If things are busy here I just don't sit at the computer much. If the children are needy or want to talk to me, it's a no brainer, I am all theirs. I'm not on much when Kevin is home. I am on a lot more if someone is sick and just needs to be held.
__________________
God Bless,
Bridget, happily married to Kevin, mom to 8 on earth and a small army in heaven
Our Magnum Opus
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Lorri
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Joined: Dec 21 2006
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| Posted: May 26 2007 at 9:20am | IP Logged
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I try to limit myself to an hour a day, when the children are awake. If the baby is asleep and the older ones are out playing, then that's Mama Time! But other than that I try r-e-a-l-l-y hard to limit myself. What helps immensely is to set a timer for 15 minutes. When it rings, I finish up and do something else. I make myself wait another hour before getting back to the computer for another 15 minutes. I get 4 computer play times a day. In theory. I'm better some days than others.
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Lorri
mom to   
The Mac and Cheese Chronicles
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PDyer
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Joined: Feb 25 2005
Location: Ohio
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| Posted: May 26 2007 at 9:54am | IP Logged
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JSchaaf wrote:
| How much time do you spend on the computer? |
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I've never timed myself. I do wonder sometimes if it's too much I tend to fit it into my day as time allows rather than having a scheduled computer time. We have a cable modem so I find it easy to set up my browser in the morning to the pages I generally read (see below) and pop on and off as time permits.
I noticed recently 4Real has the names of the people logged in on the opening page and I'm usually on there, but that doesn't mean I'm actually reading all that time.
I realize I tend to get caught up in reading and I probably should be more disciplined about how I spend this time.
JSchaaf wrote:
| What are you doing during that time? |
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I'm assuming you're asking for what I do during ALL the time I'm sitting at the screen, not just when I'm on the internet.
Internet time: I check email. I read this group and one other online group. I have a selection of blogs on bloglines I flip through, both for my own edification and to find great craft projects my daughter loves doing but I would never think up myself. I help my son find answers to questions.
I am considering setting up a nature study blog as we just got a digital camera. It would be fun, typing practice for my son, and we'd document our studies in a more timely fashion, but I have concerns about the time factor. I need to weigh that with my husband.
Noninternet time: I do some bookkeeping and report generation for my husband's company. I do the household bookkeeping. I maintain our learning plans and records on homeschool tracker.
JSchaaf wrote:
| What are your kids doing while you're on the computer? |
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If I'm not on the computer with them, they are independently learning or playing with each other. Remember though I have two kids, so I have fewer people to tend to and the dynamics of our family are much different.
JSchaaf wrote:
| Do you think you spend too much time on the computer? |
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Sometimes yes. It depends on what I'm doing while I'm on it. My son sometimes comments at the time I'm spending on the computer, but that's usually on those days when I've gotten behind with my bookkeeping responsibilities and I need to catch up. He assumes I'm "reading emails", as he puts it.
JSchaaf wrote:
| How do you regulate your computer time? |
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Based on how the people around me are reacting to it.
JSchaaf wrote:
| What's the minimum amount of computer time you think you need for each day? |
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For purely social/my edification time? Maybe 30 minutes. But I do so much on the computer, we are so computer oriented, that teasing out what is purely social/personal edification vs. "work" is very difficult.
__________________
Patty
Mom of ds (7/96) and dd (9/01) and two angels (8/95 and 6/08)
Life at Home
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CAgirl4God
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Joined: May 04 2007
Location: Puerto Rico
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| Posted: May 26 2007 at 12:49pm | IP Logged
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How much time do you spend on the computer? don't know...
What are you doing during that time? usually checking email and corresponding with friends across the country, checking out a couple of boards I belong to, research, checking in at our 'school', downloading things for the kids school stuff (whether for fun or work).
What are your kids doing while you're on the computer?eating sleeping in the am, eating lunch on the back porch, playing outside, sleeping again....
Do you think you spend too much time on the computer? no. I have never timed myself either. but when I am busy I am usually not on as much. when we are on vacation, I am an usually not on at all 
How do you regulate your computer time? if I am getting things done that need to be doen, then I don't feel the need to regulate my time.... or limit it.
What's the minimum amount of computer time you think you need for each day? ??? a quick email check really...
If you get up in the night, do you have an uncontrollable urge to go online and check your email? no never LOL
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Home is where the Coast Guard sends us
Jamie, married to John
JC, Nugget, Christina & Judy
Chowder
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Paula in MN
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Joined: Nov 25 2006
Location: Minnesota
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| Posted: May 26 2007 at 5:11pm | IP Logged
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JSchaaf wrote:
| How much time do you spend on the computer? |
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I have no idea. I'm sure more time than I think I do.
JSchaaf wrote:
| What are you doing during that time? |
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I check my email, read through all the new posts on my favorite blogs, and log onto this forum and read and/or
respond. I also do all my financial work, order books through library, print out interests for the day, look at schedule in Homeschool Tracker.
JSchaaf wrote:
| What are your kids doing while you're on the computer? |
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I get up 2 hours before they do so that I can get on and off the computer while they are sleeping.
JSchaaf wrote:
| Do you think you spend too much time on the computer? |
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I don't think so.
JSchaaf wrote:
| How do you regulate your computer time? |
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I have just developed a habit of turning it off when the kids get up.
JSchaaf wrote:
| What's the minimum amount of computer time you think you need for each day? |
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Truthfully, I don't need any computer time. I used to work in the computer industry, and I was on the computer all day at work so I never used it at home, unless I was on call. It has only been since I joined this forum that I have been spending more time on it!
__________________
 Paula
A Catholic Harvest
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teachingmyown
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| Posted: May 26 2007 at 8:21pm | IP Logged
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How much time do you spend on the computer?
I might spend up to two hours a day.
What are you doing during that time?
I check email and 4Real. Other things that aren't on a regular basis are putting books on hold at the library, researching curriculum, shopping, etc. One day a week, I do the finances, which causes me to be on longer. I rarely read blogs. I get the feed from a few favorites and occasionally click on links from 4Real. But I decided early on in this new blog surge that I just couldn't take the time to jump around and read a bunch every day.
What are your kids doing while you're on the computer?
I get on while they finish breakfast and get dressed. Then when we have quiet time or outside time, I will usually eat lunch and spend some time. When they are busy with seatwork, I will sit at the computer in the same room and read mail while waiting for them to need help. While they get ready for bed, I will hop on again. They have ended up having some pretty long baths while I got preoccupied with emails.
Do you think you spend too much time on the computer?
Yes, I have been trying to be more conscious of the time. I really should set a timer. I came to realize that whenever there was a lull in the day, I would sit down in my comfy computer chair and get absorbed in the computer. I know I am less productive because of it. It is harder now that I am pregnant and tired, but I could be reading to a child, folding laundry or actually napping!
How do you regulate your computer time?
I am just starting to really pay attention to this. Subscribing to Large Family Logistics helps shame me into getting off and getting to work!
What's the minimum amount of computer time you think you need for each day?
I think I could get by with an hour, split up throughout the day. A half an hour in the morning is plenty to catch up with anything important.
If you get up in the night, do you have an uncontrollable urge to go online and check your email?
No, I would have to go downstairs and I am never awake enough to do that!
__________________
In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: Computer time
