In last week’s post, we touched on the negative effects too much time clicking; staring, scrolling and swiping our digital devices can have on our overall health.
So we’ve established we need less screen time. But how do we enforce it?
Here are 5 simple ways to get that dream vacation away from the screen:
1. Get out into the great outdoors
Get the whole family excited about the activities you never have time for during school and work hours, like trips to the beach, mountain hikes and, garden soccer games. As well as being fun, bonding activities, being outside improves attention spans and stimulates the brain peacefully, so it no longer craves the hyperstimulation of electronics.
2. Create a (flexible) plan
We say flexible because hey, life happens. And when you’re on holiday, you don’t want to have to schedule every minute of every day. But creating a rough plan of the day’s activities can help prevent your kids and relatives resorting to cellphones out of boredom.
3. Don’t be scared of boredom
On that note, boredom is not to be feared. It’s what forces us to be creative, and is especially great for children as it makes them come up with something to do all on their own. Try brainstorm a list of activities with your child that you can refer back to in those “I’m borrredddd” moments – anything from creating fridge magnets, making fairy gardens, baking biscuits or a game of ‘teacher-teacher’ will do.
4. Practice what you teach
Challenge yourself to put your phone on airplane mode for a couple of hours every day to spend time with your family, after all your tech habits heavily influence your kids’.
5. Remember, Rome won’t be deleted in a day
Just like a ridiculously restrictive diet ends in a 2am ice cream binge, so can completely banishing all electronics result in an increased desire for them.
Rather just try and lessen screen time and encourage your children to make good choices when they are on their devices.
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