Goodness me….what tech do kids have access to these days, and what are they? Recent statistics suggest that the average child has access to the following tech equipment at home…phone, cameras, iPads, laptops, game consoles, voice controlled Alexis and speakers, drones, apple watches and fit bits, automated lighting, and more. But how do we get them away from these things long enough to appreciate…there is so much more to do that doesn’t involve technology!
As a parent, I find this both amazing and terrifying. On one hand, I’m glad that my kids are growing up in a world where technology is so advanced and accessible. They can learn new skills, communicate with friends and family, and have fun with their gadgets. On the other hand, I’m worried that they are becoming too dependent on technology and losing touch with reality. They spend hours staring at screens, ignoring their homework and chores, and talking to strangers online. They also seem to have no idea how any of these devices work or what they cost.
That’s why I decided to do a little experiment with my kids. I told them that for 3 days, they would have to live without any of their tech equipment at home. No phones, no cameras, no iPads, no laptops, no game consoles, no voice controlled Alexis and speakers, no drones, no apple watches and fit bits, no automated lighting. Nothing. Just books, board games, puzzles, and their own imagination.
You can probably guess how they reacted. They were shocked, angry, and confused. They begged me to change my mind. They tried to negotiate with me. They accused me of being unfair and cruel. They said they would die of boredom. They said they would miss their friends and their favourite shows. They said they would fail their classes and lose their social status.
I was firm but gentle. I explained to them that this was an opportunity for them to appreciate what they have and to explore other ways of having fun and learning. I told them that this was not a punishment but a challenge. I told them that I would do it with them and that we would have some quality family time together.
They were not convinced but they had no choice. So we packed up all their tech equipment in a box and locked it in the closet. We also unplugged the TV and the internet router. We were officially off the grid.
The first day was the hardest. They were restless and irritable. They kept asking me when the week would be over. They complained that there was nothing to do. They fought with each other over trivial things. They tried to sneak into the closet to get their gadgets back.
I tried to distract them with some activities. We played some board games like Monopoly and Scrabble. We read some books from the library. We did some puzzles and crossword puzzles. We baked some cookies and made some lemonade.
They were not very enthusiastic but they went along with it.
The second day was slightly better. They started to get used to the new routine. They still missed their tech equipment but they also started to enjoy some of the activities we did together. They laughed at some of the jokes in the books we read. They got competitive in some of the games we played. They showed some creativity in some of the puzzles we solved.
I was pleased to see some progress but I also wanted to challenge them more……..
The third day was a surprise. I woke them up early and told them that we were going on a field trip. I packed some sandwiches and water bottles and drove them to a nearby park.
They were curious but also skeptical.
We arrived at the park and I told them that we were going to do a scavenger hunt. I gave them each a list of items that they had to find in nature: a pine cone, a feather, a flower, a rock, a leaf, etc.
They looked at me like I was crazy.
I told them that this was a fun way to explore nature and learn about different plants and animals.
They rolled their eyes but they agreed to do it.
We split up into two teams: me and my daughter versus my son and my husband.
We set off in different directions.
The scavenger hunt turned out to be more fun than we expected.
- We ran around the park looking for the items on our list.
- We discovered new things that we never noticed before.
- We learned some facts about nature from the signs along the trails.
- We took pictures of our findings with an old disposable camera that I brought along.
- We also had some funny moments along the way.
- We saw a squirrel stealing a nut from a bird feeder.
- We found a mushroom that looked like a smiley face.
- We had a blast!
- We met up at the end of the hunt and compared our results.
We had found all the items on our list! When we got home that evening, I was reluctant, but decide to reward them by unlocking access to one technology device at a time. By the time I did that, they fast asleep….just marvellous…
How many devices to your children have access to and what do you do thats device free……comment, comment, comment, you know you want to!