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Dear Oprah, I have a confession. I can do without my cell phone, and I've gone days without turning on the TV, and in order to save money, I've cut down on eating out before, but if I had to give up my Internet connection, I might need anti-anxiety drugs to make through. Even when I'm not surfing the Net or tweeting or updating my blog or Facebook page, I still use the Net to research topics for my writing.
So, I won't be fully joining your "What Can You Live Without" experiment, Part 2. However, I applaud you for tossing down this gauntlet to America to get back to basics, focus on each other, and not material goods. Sincerely, Nordette Adams, BlogHer CE.
Based on the number of people who raised their hands saying they could not give up what Oprah's recent challenge requires, I'm not alone when I say I could not give the experiment my all, and Oprah seemed to not expect many people to give up everything listed in her rules. Nevertheless, she shared a statistic that may disturb many parents.
"Each year the average American child, 14, spends 2,372 plugged into technology. ... That's on their computer, watching TV, playing video games or texting," said Oprah. "Now, if you add up all those hours, that's 3 and a half months of their lives."
I can't give up my computer because I use my computer for work, but I could do the rest of her challenge. Could you? Here are the rules as listed on her website:
For the next seven days, follow the guidelines ...
The Ground Rules
- Cut out all technology—no televisions, video games, cell phones, computers, MP3 players or anything else you may use on a daily basis.
- No eating out. Everyone must eat dinner at home as a family and brown bag it for lunch.
- Curb your spending! The only items you can buy are groceries, and try to buy what you need for the week for $125.
- Plan an inexpensive, creative family outing. You may spend a small amount of money on this if necessary.
- Choose one family activity that gives back to others.
- Mom and Dad: Plan one date night so you can connect as a couple.
- No working late.
The show put the challenge partly into context of our learning lessons during the recession such as appreciating the simple things and learning to enjoy life with less of what we assume brings happiness. Oprah's big on people not buying too much stuff, such as food, and how buying too much or living with clutter creates waste. Clutter often means we're hoarding items that other people can use. Last year she had a similar challenge, "Live with Less," part of which encouraged going green or doing better by the environment.
In this year's challenge, the Haynie family amused me most. The son almost burst into tears when Oprah's people took away the televisions and the video games. The teen daughter lay on the floor and later said she'd changed her mind, that it wouldn't work, and she would die, while the father came close to a nervous breakdown without his cell phone or TV.
Prior to the challenge, the family ate out regularly and even texted each other while they were all in the house. That changed during challenge week. They had to cook at home and also eat together. When it was over, nobody had died, and it seemed the Haynies were better for participating. Then the Oprah show challenged them to go another week. To the mother's chagrin and surprise, the father said, "Yes." By the end, they learned to be grateful for each other. They also learned how to cook, and they told Oprah that they don't watch TV as much anymore.
The Ladwig family seemed more eager to try the experiment. By the end the mother, Michelle, was all about giving back. She seemed to empathize with people who are struggling financially in the country and wanted to teach her children that it's not about what things you have but about feeling happy on the inside. She's decided to keep her local food pantry for the hungry in mind whenever she does her grocery shopping.
However, in the first challenge week, she cheated when she didn't come home from work at 5:15 as promised, meaning she worked late. Her son wasn't having that at all.
Oprah reminded Michelle
