The Disconnected Dad: Digital Dieting

Hey, guys! I’m Seth Dahl. I am a husband, father of three young children, and pastor at a large church. If you didn’t already know, I’m on a journey to becoming “The Disconnected Dad.” I set apart 30 days where I lived without the internet in my home, logged the effects it had on my connection with my family, and now I’m sharing it with you in a podcast. The Disconnected Dad podcast is available to download on iTunes.

Last time we talked, I shared that not having social media at home and with my family has helped me become more efficient. I can pull from my own knowledge more readily, and I'm relying on information from technology less. Since I’m not hiding behind the screen in uncomfortable situations, I’m able to respond to my emotions a lot faster!

I am officially on day 21! I went out of town for a few days since we last talked, but when I came back, I hopped right back in. I have been brainstorming ways that I can use social media to effectively bring my family closer. It’s my goal to sustain connection instead of destroying it. The other night we used our phones to watch videos together as a family. They weren’t YouTube videos; they were our family home videos! As we watched my son playing drums and making hilarious faces on the screen, we laughed and laughed. I enjoyed being able to use my device to have that moment of bonding and to bring our family closer.

As we know, there is absolutely no replacement for a present father. I would rather be known for being a husband and father over anything else. Sacrificing relationship for business success is not success.

Looking back to the beginning of this challenge, I don’t think I was doing a bad job of managing my life and social media, but I’m just noticing now how much better I’m doing without it. I’m savoring my connection at home!

To see how my last nine days unfold, and to hear more of my ideas about how to use the internet to strengthen relationship, make sure you keep up with the Disconnected Dad podcast! It’s available for free download on iTunes! Make sure to Subscribe, Rate, and Review!