Load shedding is a reality in South Africa. It is what it is! When your suburb goes dark, what do you do? Do you complain or do you use the opportunity of being disconnected from technology to reconnect with your family?
Long ago
Once upon a time, there was a large majority of people in this country who lived permanently without electricity. They cooked over an open fire and children did their homework by candlelight!
Apparently we are now more advanced as most homes have electricity.
It must be so frustrating for parents who once lived like this. They did their schoolwork by candlelight, they cooked food either on an open fire or paraffin stove.
These parents now have to listen to their children complain about not having Wifi or TV/satellite and having to go to bed early because it is too dark to do their homework.
I know I get irritated when this happens in our home and I am one of those people privileged to have grown up in a home with electricity.
One of the things about being an observant Jew is that I disconnect weekly, on purpose. http://kasheringyourlife.co.za/mealplanning/home-kashering-life/
Load shedding on purpose
Sabbath for those of the Jewish faith begins on a Friday at sunset and ends on a Saturday after sunset, so usually around 25 hours.
During this time, as hard as it is for people to believe, we physically use no electronics, this means no cellphones, no TV, no radio. We refrain from using the stove or switching on lights. We don’t drive and we don’t go to the store.
In fact, we disconnect from the modern world and reconnect with a spiritual world and our friends and families.
We do make use of technology. Most families will have their main lights or individual lamps on time switches and an urn going for hot water for tea. The food is cooked before the Sabbath and then kept warm in a warmer/hostess trolley.
If you want a warm meal on Saturday, the slow cooker is turned on for the whole 25 hours.
Yes, it is frustrating when the electricity goes out just before Sabbath and we have to eat a cold supper in the dark.
Just braai
In reality, though, it isn’t that difficult. I have, and I am sure many others too, made Sabbath dinner on the braai and kept it warm by wrapping it in newspaper and blankets, the food may not be piping hot but it is warm.
We live in South Africa, braaing is what we know.
Now I have a gas stove so my biggest complaint is that there is no hot water for morning tea on Saturday.
We’re load shedding on purpose. I know there are families out there, not Jewish families, who are doing similar things.
They are disconnecting from technology for a few hours each week as a family in order to reconnect.
We joke about meeting the people living in our homes and how nice they seem to be. I see it with my family all the time. Everyone is so busy with work and school that we don’t slow down to talk to each other.
Getting to know your family and friends
I love having visitors over on a Saturday for lunch and we actually talk, no one is watching their phones for messages.
Everyone is engaged in conversation. My teenagers often have friends over to play board games.
Start simple, ban technology during dinner. Eventually, you can introduce longer periods of no technology into your home.https://www.news24.com/Tags/Topics/load_shedding_survival_guide
I would love to know if you have limits for your family or if you have technology-free times at home. Has it made a difference in your family life?
