10 Things You Don’t Want To Miss For Pokemon Go!
It’s happened again- a new social phenomenon has everyone obsessed and talking. The current flavor of the week: Pokemon GO!
People are running into poles, burning through their phone batteries, walking more, and there was even a viral report of a dad playing Pokemon Go while his wife was prepped for her cesarean birth.
And no, she apparently wasn’t mad…
There is some benefit to mindless entertainment in our stressful lives. We all need a relief valve, whether it be a Netflix binge, an app, or a good book.
But…
Here are 10 things you don’t want to miss for Pokemon Go-
1. Childbirth-
Let’s just go ahead and start with the obvious; you shouldn’t be playing Pokemon Go during childbirth, no matter what side of the stirrups you happen to be on. Birth is life’s BIG event. Yes, it takes time, and yes it can be stressful. But you don’t want to look back and realize you were checked out when you should have been checked in and that you missed any of this.
Plus, women have a way of remembering how they were treated in labor.
(Need to get prepped for the big day? Check out some of our all-time favorite birth videos. We dare you not to cry.)
2. Your Wedding-
Well, this seems obvious, but didn’t the childbirth one too? Just to be on the safe side, we’ll mention it. Weddings are a big deal and a big commitment. It can be easy to want to distract ourselves in the quiet moments or in times of stress, but is more worthwhile to just enjoy it, reflect, focus, and dig deep. No catching virtual monsters.
3. Anyone’s Wedding-
Rules of politeness don’t just matter for our own special events, they are pretty nice to observe for others too. And while social phenomenons can be fun to participate in and addictive at the time, they don’t have a lot of staying power. Don’t miss your friend’s vows over a game that will be replaced next month with something else.
4. A Date With Someone You Love-
This list might just be in the wrong order…
Anyhow, a date is made special by the connection between two humans. Unless your date involves searching together for Pokemon creatures…just focus on each other, OK?
5. Alone Time-
Laying on the beach. Enjoying some sun. Swinging lazily on a creaky porch swing or even just reading an actual newspaper. Sometimes to truly recharge and relax we need to be alone with our thoughts and impressions. Distraction is awesome- until it isn’t and we just end up feeling so worn out ironically…alone.
6. Spending Time in Nature-
Hiking in the mountains, listening to the birds, camping in the woods- these are all times and places where we can unplug and focus on silence, ourselves, and those around us. You might end up noticing how truly beautiful the world really is- the real one.
7. Watching Your Child-
Anyone with kids knows that you do need a break from them on occasion and that you don’t need more guilt for taking those breaks or indulging in a needed distraction. That being said, it is nice to just watch children. Our lives with babies and children are made up of millions of tiny, average moments that add up to love and connection.
8. Dinner-
We eat several times a day so why leave the Pokemon Go at the door when we have a meal? (Besides the obvious reason that you are sitting.) Just like breastfeeding is about more than nutrition, meals for adults are about more than just food. Food helps us gather, connect, celebrate, and commune. Eating together even helps us produce oxytocin, the love hormone.
9. Conversation-
“A conversation is so much more than words: a conversation is eyes, smiles, the silences between the words.†Annika Thor
We have many conversations while we check our phones or follow after a Pokemon whatsit- but should we? Even though we can talk while distracted with our apps and notifications, we don’t really hold deep conversations, and we don’t really LISTEN. Check it at the door.
10. Diaper Changing-
True, diapers are kind of gross and there are countless dozens of them- our point is not to pay attention to every one.(Though playing Pokemon Go as you change a diaper could end very badly for you.) The point is that sometimes even the dreaded or just mundane experiences of everyday life are still things that we should open ourselves to embracing and not avoiding.
Even the yucky moments pass.
In truth, you just might be able to find some beauty and some sweet memories in those everyday things.
It’s probably a good thing to see people joined together as one, excited and happy about something that isn’t as divisive as politics. While we need to embrace these fun alternatives to “real life,” let’s not miss out on our actual precious moments in our pursuit of virtual ones.
