Everything is not fine…from the outside it is all puppy dogs and white picket fences but when you start to dig a bit deeper….cutting through the surface…there is a problem…a big problem.

This show really got to me. It got to me in a way that we all need to be gotten to. We need to get disturbed…there is a dark problem cloaking our continent.

It is “The Disconnection of the Family”.

It is hard to say how or when it all began but people we have a problem…and Peter Walsh, life organizational expert, and OPRAH brought it front and center for everyone to see, and I am grateful to both of them for addressing the elephant in the room.

We are drowning in stuff, our schedules are so filled up that we don’t have time to think about the fact that we are so disconnected and most importantly we are AFRAID.

When we stop communicating (IN PERSON) we don’t have to address the real issues.

•    The real reason the house is a mess.
•    The real reason that we are so busy that we don’t have meals together.
•    The real reason our children are out of control.
•    The real reason our relationships are completely disconnected.
•    The real reason resentment and anger has clouded our relationships.

So what are we afraid of…as Peter said “if you open that door it may get horrible”?

It is horrible. We are afraid of admitting that all the stuff and the busy schedules are making us miserable and we don’t know how to get HAPPY back…

Well Peter Walsh has an answer and if you are willing to do the work you can get your “FAMILY” back.

Here is a summary of the “Stripped Down” Challenge. To strip down means to lose anything preventing you from living your best life.

1.       No cell phones or texting
2.       No electronics (e-mail, computers, iPod, TV, microwave, etc)
3.       Prepare and eat healthy meals together
4.       Clean and organize the house
5.       Family must hug and say “I love you” to each other at least one a day

The family that Peter worked with took the one week challenge and in that short span of time the youngest boy had a dramatic change in behavior…to the good.  The oldest boy realized that he did not need to text 7000-10000 times per month. The couple had an aha moment when they realized that she was feeling guilt over not contributing financially to the family and he was afraid that he was not doing enough for the family. All of this happened when the lines of communication were opened…not through a cell phone or a text…but through one to one communication….yes people…they talked.

Take this challenge and make it your own. Place boundaries on the times that you do not use electronics such as at meals times and before school in the am. Pick a game night and enjoy each other. Have 3-4 healthy meal nights per week where the kitchen is the hub of activity and everyone shares the fruits of their labors together. Please…take the time and get your home organized and clean. To quote Peter, “If your home does not bring you peace and harmony where are you getting it from”.  The last one is so critical…tell your family you love them and connect with a hug….who doesn’t love a good hug.

Wake up…we need to help each other. The African proverb made famous by Hillary Clinton “It takes a village to raise a child” is so appropriate for our times. I would also like to add this to it “and in order to get plugged in to our family in a way that connects our souls we need to UnPLUG”.