It may not just be your children that need to spend a little less time on the screen. With such busy lifestyles and the convenience of technology, everyone spends far more time connected to their phones, computers, and televisions than they really need to. When was the last time you spent some quality time in the great outdoors?
Here are some ways in which you can cut down how much screen and digital time both you and your entire family are getting every day. You never know, you may find you enjoy spending more time outdoors, and you might even find you get a better night’s sleep when you spend less time staring at screens.
Schedule Time
Schedule time for each of you to be digitally connected. If you, as an adult, spend a lot of time on the phone or on the computer for work, spend a lot less on them when you aren’t at work. It can help you avoid burnout. Make children earn their screen time by getting their homework done first.
Make weekends about family time, instead of screen time. Put away the phones and leave the TVs and computers shut off and spend time together at the beach or at the park, or doing anything else that is entertaining and lets you bond and get more time in the fresh air.
Plan Family Time
Don’t make weekdays all about school and work, and digital time. Schedule in your family time too. Make it a rule that there are no screens allowed in bedrooms when it’s time for bed, and none allowed at the dinner table. Family meals are sacred and should be spent together, not online and connected.
Obviously children have busy lives, like sports and friends, so make sure that you are scheduling in their other plans as well. These things are keeping them off the screen too! Family and friend time are both excellent ways for children to learn that there is something to life outside computers and TV screens.
No TVs In Bed
There is a big reason to avoid having screen time before bedtime. Studies have shown that the lights from your digital screens are tricking your brain into thinking it’s still daytime. That means you may not be getting quality sleep at night, or enough of it, and your tech is to blame.
Don’t have TVs in bedrooms, make sure kids are putting their phones away when bedtime rolls around, and that you are too.Tech is for the living room, tech is for the office, and tech is for the daytime.
Be a good example for your kids, and put your phone away. Don’t spend all night watching TV either. Come up with a creative hobby that helps your brain!