Monday, July 24, 2017

I Am Not In Disney's Circle

Nope, I’m not in Disney’s Circle.  Most of you are not either.  Most of you who do not have children at home, you empty nester types, may not even know that Disney has a circle.  The circle is actually a cube you plug into your computer, so it’s already a misnomer, but I will not be picky here.  The circle actually refers to those in your home (so I guess those in my circle of loved ones) who you wish to protect and use parental controls on.
My dear, sweet vanillee friend informed me about Disney Circle, thinking it would be so helpful for our kids.  Well, us parents really.  It helps you protect your little ones from locating things on the internet that they are too young to understand or do not need to be exposed to.  I got that part, the logistical and set up parts so went over my head, but being the good momma that I am I figured Hoss may able to handle that part of the equation.  So I forwarded him the link that my friend had sent me and voila!  The man goes out and purchases this thing.  Then the man hooks it up.  No worries, we have talked about establishing parental controls before on our children’s tablets and the laptops, so I was not concerned.  Oh, boy, I should have been!
You know what circle does?  It keeps the kids from reading, watching, etc. bad things on the internet. I am happy to prevent our children from “bad” things on the internet. Limiting their time on the computer or tablets to a decent amount each day.   Circle cuts them off when their time limit is up. Want to go to a website that seems innocent, but is not.  Does not allow access.  It really is a great and useful tool.  Until…..
You all know where this is going right?

Me, well, I had no idea the man was getting so much control.  He can shut the kids’ tablets down with one click of the phone for not completing chores or schoolwork.  He can limit the time they have access to the internet.  It truly is an amazing way to keep the time limit for the kids and to keep them from wandering into areas that their young minds are unable to process.  Except, I did not realize what also could happen.  Until…...

Guess who’s phone can also be shut down?

Guess who’s laptop can also be turned off?

No blogging.  No reading blogs.  No commenting.  No Facebook.  No messenger!  No internet!  No surfing for recipes or news articles.  Nothing.  Nada.  I was trying hard to remain calm.  Had he intentionally done this?  Surely not, I’m an adult after all.  Yes, well, there are days I do not wish to adult, but that is not typically the case.  I can monitor my own internet time and which websites I choose to visit.

Guess who was a sputtering wet hen when it happened?
Yup, me, you guess it!  Me!  It was not a pretty, sweet conversation, but a very upset, trying to bite her tongue wife and not explode when I called to say, “Sweet man, in your head of household role you cut me off of the internet!”  He was not as shocked as I was, but reassured me it was unintentional.  He was labeling each device and had not realized my phone was not one of the kiddos devices.  But the groundwork was set when he realized the potential.  He could limit my time on the internet.  He could limit where I visited.  He could do the same thing we were doing for the kids.  Plus, he had the control.  No fancy little control button permitted for this wife.
(This is not the Disney circle rating, but you get the idea)

Additionally, there are ratings as to what is allowed.  Think PG-13 or R, well, most of your blogs fall in those categories.  My dismay was heartfelt when I could not visit for a few days until the situation was remedied because he was working late and could not come home and figure out which device my phone actually was on the circle.  I plead my case that I need not have my phone within the circle.  That went unheeded, but I did get my ratings removed.  I had to go with no rating at all simply because some of the blogs literally would not come up under the adult rating.

(okay, maybe not, but that's a cute idea!)

Now, I can go anywhere online when I want as long as I am not in trouble.  I’m good with that, mostly.  He said that would change when summer ended.  See Hoss figured it out from my reaction over the loss of the internet and blogland for a few days that sometimes spanking is not the only thing to get my attention.  I always lived under the belief that he could not take my phone away due to me needing it for emergencies.  Well, he can now “shut” my phone down to anything except the use of my cell phone and texts.  So, wish me luck folks.  I have a feeling my submission will find an all new level if he takes my phone away, but hey, maybe it will help, as I am quite addicted to my phone.

I’m curious, who, if any of you have experienced a “grounding” from the phone as a form of discipline or removal of phone privileges for misbehavior.  Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

By the way, if this is a bit sloppy, my apologies.  I'm trying to get this finished and posted before a soccer game tonight and I'm not sure when I will have a chance to get back to it.

--Baker


12 comments:

  1. Wow that sounds a bit over the top to add you to the Disney circle Baker. Hope Hoss doesn't limit you too often. Guess it is another way of making you pay attention though.
    I've been grounded (banned) from face book by Bear a few times. Mostly when its starts to stress me too much. It was for a week at a time and I found I was doing other things in that week I normally wouldn't. So it was a good result.
    Hugs Lindy

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    1. Hi, Lindy,
      Bear and Hoss are on the same wave length with keeping the stress keel down. I do not see it as a big deal, just a way he can use dd to help keep me focused on what I need to be doing rather than what I want to be doing. It's all good.
      --Baker

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  2. Dang, girl! The Disney Circle? Ouch. I recently graduated but when I was in school, and overwhelmed with work, kids, school and life, I got grounded off blogging until the semester came to an end. I HATED it but also found it worked really well for keeping me on track and building our ttwd relationship, which was fairly new. Hope you're not banned too much. I'm just getting to know you!
    Amy

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    1. Hi, Amy,
      I do not see it as a regular occurrence, so much as a tool when I get overwhelmed or I'm truly not staying focused on things that need to be done. He's a very fair man and gives me plenty of leeway. I'm glad to get to know you as well!
      --Baker

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  3. Hi Baker, wow, I hadn't heard of this. Oh gosh, you better be careful so that Hoss doesn't pull the plug on you (so to speak).

    I have been banned from blogging and internet on occasion, mainly due to it becoming a bit much of an obsession. As Lindy said, it's amazing the other things I managed to achieve instead. In some ways it was freeing for a while lol

    Hugs
    Roz

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    1. Hi, Roz,
      It is rather freeing I'm sure. So far, he's only warned me, but I'm okay if and when it happens. Well, in the moment I may not be, but it will make a point. As I said above, Hoss is a fair man, so I'm not worried. Glad others have had a loss of Internet too.
      --Baker

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  4. Empty nester, so I had no idea about Disney circle. Maybe I'd write more if we had that, but there is no way I'd go along with the program for me. lol

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    1. Hi, Leigh,
      You're right, might get more writing done if you couldn't surf the web. I would get more done as well. The few days of being accidently banned were enough to help me realize it would not be fun.
      --Baker

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  5. Nope, I'd never heard of it either. There are times I know I need to limit the time I'm spending here, but I don't think I'd let Nick have that power. So far the worst he's ever done was to hide my laptop under a pile of laundry I'd been meaning to fold and put away. Stinker!

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    1. Hi, PK,
      That would make me madder if Hoss hid my phone than if he shut it down. Lol. I hate when I misplace things. I love Nick's thinking though, may have to try that with one of the kids.
      --Baker

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  6. Hi Baker, :) I've never heard of this before. I can see some benefit of setting things up so that our kids are safe, out in the big wide web/spend time on more important things first. I would definitely find being on that as an adult, a bit demeaning, no matter the dynamic. It it is something that you both agree with, and it helps you, then that sounds A-OK.

    As far as I can recall, Rob has not put a time limit on my computer time. He has taken my phone briefly- when we need to be somewhere, and I need to get ready, he will take it away so I don't get distracted... that kind of thing. He gives it right back usually. Many hugs,

    <3 Katie

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  7. Hi, Miss Katie,
    I love your perspective and I do appreciate your stance. This works for us and right now as there are days we have so much packed into the day that I do have some times when I just need to shut down my computer/phone time in order to get things done. If I'm being stubborn though or want an escape and we really cannot afford me to be distracted right then. I think it is no different than Rob taking your phone for a bit to keep you focused. Trust me if I did not want this in our dynamic it would not be there.

    Again, thanks for your input. I appreciate you folks looking out for me!
    --Baker

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