To Be a Better Caregiver: The Art of Technological Restraint

To Be a Better Caregiver: The Art of Technological Restraint

by | Mar 15, 2017 | Different Dream, How-Tos, Special Needs Parenting

To Be a Better Caregiver: The Art of Technological Restraint

A recent moment of clarity showed guest blogger Kimberly Drew how to be a better caregiver. Her revelation may not be quite what you expect, but it could make you a better caregiver, too.

Once in a great while, I have moments of mental clarity. The haze of information overload and technical jargon dissipates, and I feel like my soul can breathe. This happened recently when my husband and I took an afternoon hike. Except for a photo at the top of the hill, we didn’t look at our cell phones.

It was wonderful.

However, when we were done, my smart phone had notifications of trivial things that “needed” my immediate attention. The phone puts me at the constant disposal of anyone and everyone.

What can be a tool to enhance life can also be an iron shackle.

This last year, my social media account exploded with hatred from all sides. A Huffington Post article written by an opposing worldview left me shaking and teary and sleepless. Events are added on Facebook and if you don’t RSVP, you’re considered rude. Then there is the problem of looking fake or shallow if you put up too many smiling photos or cheerful status updates.

This is insanity.

Social media is like an online scrapbook of your life. There is nothing wrong with sharing the highlight reel. But, we are not the sum of our photos and status updates. We live in an age where transparency and vulnerability trump discretion at every turn. I can’t wrap my head around some of the unattractive ranting, raving, and complaining that happens on social media. We have lost the art of a proper word given at a proper moment for a proper purpose.

Social media sharing sites are a free-for-all.

There is also the problem of current news, politics, world news, and the internet. There are a lot of stressors we cannot avoid because we are caregivers. I once did an online survey from a reputable health site about my “actual age.” I was surprised to see that the results added an entire decade to my age because I am the caregiver of someone with special needs.

Stress is not good for the body.

It’s necessary to abstain completely from technology and media. They can be powerful tools that improve our lives. I get several blogs and devotionals sent to my e-mail. I love having a phone, knowing I can make an emergency call when I’m driving and find directions to a new specialist. The question at hand is this: Do we want to add the extra and unnecessary negative voices and time constraints that come from unbridled technology and media use?

At the end of the day, no one will quiz us on current world politics or our online presence.

However, if we don’t get a grip on technology use, we will lay in bed at night trying to drown out the negativity so that our minds can rest. The full time care of our children with special needs takes a lot of time, energy, and effort. We want our precious children to get our absolute best. To give our best, we have to be our best. To be our best, we might have to go against the cultural grain and pull away from some of the standards of use for technology and media.

To be a better caregiver, we must practice technological restraint.

Do you like what you see at DifferentDream.com? You can receive more great content by subscribing to the quarterly Different Dream newsletter and signing up for the daily RSS feed delivered to your email inbox. You can sign up for the first in the pop up box and the second at the bottom of this page.

By

Kimberly grew up and went to college in the small town of Upland, IN. She graduated from Taylor University with a degree in Elementary Education in 2002. While at TU, she married her college sweetheart and so began their adventure! Ryan and Kimberly have four amazing kids on earth (Abigail, Jayden, Ellie, and Cooper), and a baby boy waiting for them in heaven. Their daughter Abigail (Abbey) has multiple disabilities including cerebral palsy, a seizure disorder, hearing loss, microcephaly, and oral dysphagia. She is the inspiration behind Kimberly’s  desire to write. In addition to being a stay at home mom, Kimberly has been serving alongside her husband in full time youth ministry for almost fourteen years. She enjoys working with the senior high girls, scrapbooking, reading, and music. You can visit Kimberly at her website, Promises and Perspective.

Author Jolene Philo

Archives

Categories

Subscribe for Updates from Jolene

Related Posts

Top 10 Nuggets of iPhone Wisdom

Top 10 Nuggets of iPhone Wisdom

by | Dec 23, 2014 | Top Ten Tuesday

iPhone wisdom10. iPhones are smarter than people over the age of 50.

9.   Using iCloud to keep a fleet of Apple devices in sync isn’t nearly as satisfying as eating apple crisp.

8.   Scrolling through the list of iPhone ringtone options is similar to strolling through the cereal aisle at the grocery store. Both involve way too many choices.

7.   Do not assume that apps available on your old iPad are also available for a new iPhone.

6.   The pedometer feature can become addicting.

5.   The earbuds that come with a new iPhone are excellent.

4.   If you buy an iPhone around Thanksgiving, it’s wise to buy an iPhone case immediately instead of adding it to your Christmas list.

3.   If you don’t buy a case immediately and if no one gives you one for Christmas, your iPhone might break when you drop it on the floor and cost much more to replace than a case does.

2.   On the other hand, the retro rotary dial phone case you buy using the Etsy gift certificate you mom gave you for Christmas is really, really cool.

1.   If you drop your iPhone on the floor and your very thoughtful spouse takes pity on you and calls the phone company to find the cheapest way to get a new phone and then goes to the store to buy it and tells you to quit being so hard on yourself because everybody does stupid things now and then and it’s okay, you can make that very thoughtful spouse’s day by giving him the excellent set of earbuds that come with the new phone.

Top Ten Conveniences to Not Take for Granted

Top Ten Conveniences to Not Take for Granted

by | Aug 12, 2014 | Top Ten Tuesday

Modern Conveniences

Modern conveniences make our lives so much easier. Here are ten I’m determined to not take for granted.

10.  Door knobs. Laura Ingalls Wilder did her darndest to make latch strings sound cozy in the Little House series. But have you ever tried to work one? Door knobs are a vast improvement.

9.   Comfy shoes. If your job doesn’t require much standing, this one sounds pretty lame. But teachers, sales clerks, nurses, and other people who stand most of the day never take comfy shoes for granted.

8.   Bedsteads. The older a person gets, the more a bed on legs is appreciated. For people who live where creepy, crawlies consider your castle their castle, this appreciation comes much sooner.

7.   Gardening gloves. A welcome replacement for fingernail brushes that scrub the skin raw and still leave dirt under fingernails.

6.   Heating and cooling units. They beat chopping wood all winter and sweating all summer to pieces.

5.   Running water. Need I say more?

4.   The garden hose. As contrary and twisty these snaky green wonders can be, they are much better than packing pails of water hither and yon across the lawn.

3.   Drain strainers. If you’ve ever poked a plumber’s snake down a bathtub drain, you know why this one’s on the list.

2.   Gas and electric stoves. How did cooks in the olden days regulate the temperature to bake cookies and pies with a wood stove? That’s a skill I’m grateful not to have learned.

1.   Window screens. Can you imagine the days before before air conditioning and window screens when people had two options in the heat of the summer? Open the windows to cool off the house and share your bedroom with hoards of skeeters, flies and other flying pests. Or shut the windows and cook all night in solitude. The thought makes me grateful every time I open the windows to let the breeze in our house.

What modern convenience do you not take for granted? Leave a comment.

Photo Credit: Gualberto107 at www.freedigitalphotos.net

Technology: Good for Kids with Special Needs and Parents

Technology: Good for Kids with Special Needs and Parents

by | May 19, 2014 | Books and Resources, Different Dream, Special Needs Parenting

Technology: Good for Kids with Special Needs and Parents

Photo Credit: Photo Credit: http://flic.kr

Technology is changing faster than we can keep up with it. New gadgets come on the market almost daily. Guest blogger Sarah Gray is here with an overview of tech products that can enhance the lives of kids with special needs and their families.

Technology: Good for Kids with Special Needs and Parents

Today’s parents live in an age of technological wonder and can use this to their advantage. It has become a little easier to monitor children’s health and wellness, ensuring that they sleep properly and stay on schedule. Technology has also changed the possibilities to entertain and stay active with children.

Video Infant Monitors

Whether you put your special needs child down for a nap or it’s time for bed, you can end up spending a majority of your evening physically checking in on your infant. Video monitors allow parents to watch over their children from the comfort of their own bed or couch. Technology has also progressed to monitoring your child’s breathing and heart rate. If you’re worried about your child getting out of their crib or you just want to see them play, video monitors are ideal for checking out their antics.

Pillows

Nursing pillows, such as the Mombo Comfort & Harmony nursing pillow, are ideal to better position and support your child during feedings. These nursing pillows have come a long way from the typical pillow that you might remember. For example, the Mombo nursing pillow comes with a vibrating option that also allows for you to soothe and comfort your baby.

Tablets

Educational toys have expanded for today’s children. Tablets, smartphones, and notebooks are educational toys that can introduce your child to the world of technology. You’ll also find instructional games that help with cognitive development. Many of the tablets also have access to movies and streaming live shows.

Books

Whether you select a book from the library or favorite bookstore, you can introduce reading as an integral part of a child’s life. However, technology has also changed how parents read, with the introduction of eReaders and eBooks. Downloading and searching for various stories can be simple and done with a click of the button. You can also view these various tales with bright and colorful illustrations.

Smartphone Apps

When it comes to scheduling and staying on task, it’s easy to miss important appointments and events. However, smartphone apps like Remember the Milk are optimal for the parent who needs to schedule every minute of their busy day. The phones also have various alarms and ring tones, so you don’t miss an engagement. The smartphone apps are also excellent for consulting and assessing whether a childhood ailment or injury is serious. While it’s not a substitute for someone in the medical field, you’ll find the apps to help alleviate fears and concerns.

Tracking Devices

GPS trackers can be synced to a cell phone via the internet and placed in a backpack. This grants a parent the opportunity to safely keep an eye on their child at all times. This is especially helpful when children become more independent and possibly engage in outside activities. High-tech gear has become an important part of parenting today.

Whether your special needs children are infants or teens, you’ll find many of the above tools to make parenting easier. Many of the technological gadgets today can also be used to educate, entertain, and aid in your child’s growth and development.

Your Favorite Tech Products?

Have you discovered apps, gadgets, and websites to make life better for your kids with special needs? Share them in the comment box. Thanks!

Do you like what you see at DifferentDream.com? You can receive more great content by subscribing to the quarterly Different Dream newsletter and signing up for the daily RSS feed delivered to your email inbox. You can sign up for the first in the pop up box and the second at the bottom of this page.

By

Author Jolene Philo

Archives

Categories

Subscribe for Updates from Jolene

Related Posts

iFeel Like an Apple iDiot

iFeel Like an Apple iDiot

by | Mar 26, 2012 | Daily Life

 

The first four items on my weekend to-do list

  • Clean the bathrooms.
  • Vacuum bugs in the guest bedroom.
  • Put finishing touches on speech for next week.
  • Make apple pies for church camp scholarship auction.

were a snap to finish. In fact iWas so pleased with my skill and efficiency, my mom would have warned me not to break my arm while patting myself on the back had she been here to do so.

Then, iTackled the last two items on the list

  • Research iCloud.
  • Research iPad 3.

Two paragraphs into the first online article, iWondered if it was written in a foreign language. The article was peppered with phrases like like

iOS device,
wireless pushing,
4 GB,
retina display,
oleophobic scratch-proof glass,
slick interface,
blazing LTE hotspot.

iDidn’t understand any of them. My iCloud and iPad research made one thing perfectly clear. When it comes to technology, iFeel

iNcompetent,
iNsecure,
and
iN need of an iNterpreter.

So tomorrow, off to the Apple Store iGo where, hopefully, a perky iGenius in a bright, blue T shirt will refrain from laughter while answering my iCloud questions, respond with kindness when a blank look is my response to his answers, and exhibit great patience while conducting my iPad tutorial. iN short, iNeed an Apple Store iGenius who can do the iMpossible. iNeed an Apple Store iGenius who can make me feel

iNspired
iNstead of
iDiotic when navigating the
iUniverse.

Otherwise, iAm coming home to unwire my iUniverse and launch an apple pie baking business iNstead. Like my mother always said after she warned me about breaking my leg by patting myself on the back –

iF you can’t conquer ’em, cook ’em.