On why I’m taking a break from social media-
Trigger warning: assault of a pregnant woman by her partner in front of their child.
Recently in Camden Australia a man assaulted his partner in front of their terrified child, all the while streaming it to his online Fortnite playing mates. Thankfully some of them reported it. I have included a link to an article about it at the bottom of this blog entry, I don’t recommend watching the video in this article. I include it to give context as to why I am taking a break from social media, not as recommended viewing. Hearing that poor little girl screaming daddy, daddy, after he had beaten her mother, and for all I know her also, is sickening. This guy is clearly a fucking arsehole. No doubt. Perpetrators of domestic violence are selfish arseholes. Not saying they can never change and do better, but until then they are aresholes. But what is truly terrifying about this, is how common it is.
This guy had been playing Fortnite for over an hour. Missing dinner with his young child and pregnant partner. His partner was trying to get him to stop playing and eat. The little girl also wanted her daddy, but he wanted to keep playing Fortnite. He wanted it so badly that he beat his pregnant partner in front of their child because he felt that them trying to spend time with him, the people he is supposed to love, was an unwelcome intrusion into his life. Seems shocking, but is it?
How many times have you snapped at your kids that you just wanted to quickly check your email, when you’ve already been down the social media rabbit hole for half an hour without realising? How many times have you gotten frustrated that you need a minute to yourself, when you’ve just sunk an hour online? I know I have. Sure, I haven’t called my husband or kids dogs or beaten them like that guy did. I’m not a complete and utter arsehole like that guy. But I am someone who has felt angry because my kids have wanted me to themselves when I’ve wanted to faff about online.
Here’s the thing, my kids deserve my time. Sure I can’t be at their beck and call every moment, sometimes I need to pee, make food, sleep, go to work etc, but I can do better. I can be more present. Because 60 minutes looking at nothing on social media really gets me no more than 5 minutes looking at nothing on social media. I’m not coming back any more refreshed either.
My kids and myself deserve better than me pouring my self into dead time. I need to break this hideous habit of spending 30 minutes when I think it’s 2, on social media. I know I’m not alone in my struggle, and I know a lot of you will understand.
This video has been the catalyst for me to take a break. So, you won’t be hearing from me until the New Year. I’m off social media to give myself and my kids back my time and energy, because they and I deserve it.
Take care. Have a great holiday period, and I’ll be back chatting with you once I’ve had some distance and will no longer risk falling down that time sucking rabbit hole that is social media. I’m addicted, I need some cold turkey distance. If friends desperately need me, text or email me.
Write or Wrong 
Well done! The world needs to see this blog. Not only social media, but also texting has changed the world for the worse. People fight via email. Things get misunderstood. No one picks up the phone anymore. Then you have extreme cases as you mentioned above. It’s always a great idea to take a break from the madness … My idea of taking a break was getting rid of my Smartphone and going back to a flip phone with texting turned off.