By Mackenzie Nelson
Last summer I gave birth to our third child. It took years for us to get her here and I was euphoric. That is, until debilitating postpartum anxiety and depression hit. During that time, I relied on screens more than I would have liked to entertain my older kids. Now that I’m feeling better and summer is just around the corner again, I’m determined to limit screen time and make this summer count. During the summer months we get to enjoy our kids all day. However, sometimes those summer days begin to feel a little long, making it easy to just let our kids hop on the computer or tablet, play their favorite video games, or stream movies on Netflix.
Unfortunately, the convenience is adding to a growing problem. Statistics show that kids between the ages of 8-18 spend an average of 7.5 hours on screens every day. “Over a year, that adds up to 114 full days watching a screen for fun,” (CDC, 2018). This number is just the time spent on entertainment and does not include screen time for schoolwork.
When we interact and have fun with our children, so many good things come from it. Over time, children will feel more important and loved. That sounds pretty great, especially when our children and youth are dealing with difficult things in life such as peer pressure, anxiety, depression, and the like. Just think of the powerful impact we can have on our kids’ lives if we cut back on screen time and choose to use our time with our kids more intentionally this summer.
Here are 25 suggestions to help get you started:
Getting outdoors:
- Go on a hike
- Play “catch” in the yard
- Go on a walk
- Take a bike ride
- Try your hand at fishing
- Fly kites or blow bubbles
- Gaze at the stars
- Visit a zoo or aquarium
- Go mini golfing
- Have a barbeque in the backyard
- Find opportunities to serve
- Go to the park
- Discover fossils, rocks and gems while rockhounding
- Go camping
- Visit a state or national park
- Plant a garden
Beat the heat:
- Go swimming at your local pool
- Play water balloon baseball
- Play at a river, a lake, or a beach
Indoor activities:
- Have a “reading picnic” (Lay a blanket on the living room floor and read books together)
- Get crafty at home: draw, paint, or create something with air-dry clay
- Tour a local museum
- Go to an indoor trampoline park
- Take an art class or go to a ceramics studio
- Try a new restaurant or dessert spot
Rather than springing limits on them when they least expect it, I’d suggest sitting down as a family and discussing the nature of technology and what too much screen time can do to our brains. This can be a great teaching moment to help your children understand the “why” behind screen time limits. Limiting screen time should go a little smoother if everyone goes into summer knowing what those expectations are as well as the “why” behind them. After setting some ground rules, discuss screen-free activities that everyone would enjoy doing together. Going into summer with the intention of cutting back technology use can be a little daunting at first, and will likely be met with resistance. But remember, you are the parent and you get to enforce the rules in your home. Once you formulate a list with your family, get to work making memories!
I’m beginning to understand that my kids will only be under our roof for so long, and as the years go by, time seems to go quicker. Right now, my husband and I are our kids’ greatest influence, and there is a lot of power in that. I want each moment to count!
For awesome ideas to connect with your child and build deep, meaningful relationships with simple conversation and activities, check out 30 Days to a Stronger Child. This will be a great resource to have going into summer!
Mackenzie is a student at BYU-Idaho and is currently preparing to graduate this summer with a Bachelor’s degree in Marriage and Family Studies. She and her husband of 13 years have three children. She is a homeschool mom, a painter, and she loves to grow plants, exercise, and organize.
Citations:
“Screen Time vs. Lean Time.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 29 Jan. 2018, https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/multimedia/infographics/getmoving.html#:~:text=About%20Screen%20Time,watching%20a%20screen%20for%20fun.
