How to give up the Internet for Lent

maryslittlegarden · February 11, 2013, 11:20:53 AM

Lots of good suggestions. One thing I would add is to have specific plans for the time that you are not on the internet. Plan to read a specic book, say a rosary, something. Even if you end up doing something different, you will be less likely to spend the time staring at the computer.

Hormisdas · February 11, 2013, 12:53:14 PM

Quote from: totiusque on February 10, 2013, 08:18:36 PM
Might I suggest a desktop screensaver that says something like --

STAY OFF THE INTERNET! READ A BOOK! GET SOME WORK DONE AROUND THE HOUSE!

Besides his screensaver (great idea!), make the following URL your "Homepage" ...should you happen to open your browser.

http://www.1112.net/lastpage.html

Bernadette · February 11, 2013, 03:10:27 PM

Quote from: Spooky on February 10, 2013, 07:35:34 PM
It's become painfully obvious that, if I wish to make any spiritual progress this Lent, (or you make up what I've lost) I'm going to have to drastically cut down on my browsing time. Have any of you given up the internet for Lent and if so, how did you do it? And, what were your browsing habits before. I spent practically all my free time on the internet; actually, I spend most of my time on the internet and duties get done in snippets in between. I know if I try to cut it out completely I will fail, so I'm thinking of limiting my Lenten usage to say, 2 hours a day. ( I know that probably seems like a lot, but it's a drastic cut for me).
Any practical solutions? Thank you in advance.

This is such a good idea! I definitely don't think that I could go without checking my email (I'm on paperbackswap, and get at least one book request a week), but ebay browsing, Amazon, fora, could all be cut down, resulting in a huge benefit to me. I would suggest using a timer, and sort of "regressing," if you will, to childhood, when your parents would set a time limit for video games or television, or whatever they set limits for (if they did). If you ignore the timer, no internet for the next day.

kayla_veronica · February 11, 2013, 03:12:53 PM

Quote from: totiusque on February 10, 2013, 08:18:36 PM
Might I suggest a desktop screensaver that says something like --

STAY OFF THE INTERNET! READ A BOOK! GET SOME WORK DONE AROUND THE HOUSE!

This is a great idea. Guilting myself into doing what I should always works for me. The problems come when I stop guilt-tripping myself!

maryslittlegarden · February 11, 2013, 03:46:14 PM

Quote from: Hormisdas on February 11, 2013, 12:53:14 PM

Besides his screensaver (great idea!), make the following URL your "Homepage" ...should you happen to open your browser.

http://www.1112.net/lastpage.html

Spooky · February 11, 2013, 04:10:22 PM

Quote from: maryslittlegarden on February 11, 2013, 03:46:14 PM
Quote from: Hormisdas on February 11, 2013, 12:53:14 PM

Besides his screensaver (great idea!), make the following URL your "Homepage" ...should you happen to open your browser.

http://www.1112.net/lastpage.html

I think I know what trick to play on my kids this April 1st.

Penelope · February 11, 2013, 10:30:23 PM

If your relationship with your older son is such that this would be feasbile, what if you asked him to help you stay off the internet? Allow him to set some kind of silly punishment for you going over your allotted internet time. It might be a fun way for you to be accountable and for him to see that there are some better ways to spend time that using the internet so much.

Then again, this could be a totally stupid idea. I don't have children yet, so I know absolutely nothing.

Spooky · February 11, 2013, 10:52:42 PM

Quote from: Penelope on February 11, 2013, 10:30:23 PM
If your relationship with your older son is such that this would be feasbile, what if you asked him to help you stay off the internet? Allow him to set some kind of silly punishment for you going over your allotted internet time. It might be a fun way for you to be accountable and for him to see that there are some better ways to spend time that using the internet so much.

Then again, this could be a totally stupid idea. I don't have children yet, so I know absolutely nothing.

This is actually an excellent idea, as I can see him saying "Mama, if you go over, you have to clean out the litter box today" (which is one of his chores). And knowing that, there's a lot less likely chance for me to go over.

Bernadette · February 12, 2013, 06:25:23 AM

I've been thinking about this, and I think that deleting the internet desktop icon (and possibly start menu icon) would be a good idea (for me, at least, if it's not convenient for you.

). That way, it's harder to actually access the internet. And actually turning the computer off, instead of just letting it go to sleep when you're not using it.