“There is no Wi-Fi in the forest but I promise you will find a better connection”
– Author Uknown
Summer is here!
And with it, the age-old parenting conundrum of how to keep the kids entertained during the school holidays.
But the answer doesn’t have to be screen time!
In fact, with a little know-how, the summer holidays are a fantastic opportunity for a family digital detox. Here’s why and how you can actually enjoy it!
The danger of digital daycare
For many kids, the summer holidays is an open door to more screen time.
“Children need to sit in their own boredom for the world to become quiet enough that they can hear themselves. It is only when we are surrounded by nothing that something comes alive on the inside”. – Dr. Vanessa Lapointe
And, it’s up to us to set a good example (even when Facebook calls to us from our phones).
While worrying about their kids’ excessive screen time, parents sometimes forget their own.
These can be activities at home (like board games or science experiments). Days out with the family (like going swimming or a trip to the beach) or even everyday household chores.
And they shouldn’t cost the earth.
Often, the very best can be done from the comfort of home! (Indoor camping anyone?)
For an extra dose of fun, have your kids brainstorm screen-free activity ideas, write them on a small piece of paper, fold them over and place them in a glass jar.
Then, whenever they’re bored, have them pull out activities from the jar!
The goal here is to promote an environment which naturally favours face-to-face interactions, shared activities and productivity over solo screen time.
So screen time isn’t the default go-to activity for your kids.
So, pay attention to your screen time. After all, if your kids see you swiping away on your screen when they’re not allowed theirs – you’re just begging for tantrums.
#5 Quality time
So, you’ll want to make best use of your new-found “free time” away from screens.
Take a pledge and write down specific goals to spend more time with the kids this summer!
And remember, a digital detox doesn’t mean you have to ditch screens completely.
Family movie nights are allowed, providing all other screens are left in a tech drop zone.
And if you’re off on vacation, use this as the perfect opportunity to leave those non-essential screens behind. Switch off your smartphone when out in the wilderness. And only use the hotel WI-FI to look up other fun family activities you can do during your stay.
#6 Be consistent
Let’s be honest…reducing our reliance on technology can be hard, even for a few days.
And teaching kids good screen time habits can be time-consuming and emotionally draining.
Whether it’s managing the quantity or quality of screen time, setting sensible limits or enforcing screen time rules…a lack of consistency can kill the good intentions.
All kids require some level of structure, routine and consistency to build good habits. (And parents need better tools to help kids build those habits in the modern world).
Whether it’s responsible screen usage or other life skills…that’s just how habits work!
So be consistent with your screen time limits and rules this summer.
And if you really want to tame screen time, consider a screen time solution!