I could not take it anymore, and so we kicked the screens to the curb.
There was arguing, pleading, and begging for more screen time and new games, and the behavior that followed after the screens became part of our lives was driving us nuts.
That was in April. It is now November, and we don’t miss them at all.
So do the boys still ask about their Kindles or to play videogames?
Occasionally, our TV consumption has decreased drastically, too. If they argue over what to watch, it goes off.
I am not a hater of screens (I actually secretly love them, shhh), but for my boys where they are in life, this is the best solution for our family, for NOW.
I wasn’t quite sure how this was going to go down over spring break when we went on a short trip just a few hours short hours away. The boys inquired as to what they would do, so we packed coloring supplies, small toys, and books, and our back seat looked like a dollar store exploded. We survived, and maybe actually thrived. A few weeks later, we went on an 8.5-hour adventure and after discussing that those screens were still on the curb, we set out with more goodies for the road trip and it was a success.
We don’t have an end date for the screen detox.
We’ve noticed better behavior and better interactions between our boys without them and that suits us right now.
We ended our summer with a 10.5-hour trip to the beach and did it screen-free. It is amazing what you notice out the windows when you are not staring at a screen, and the conversations that follow are pretty amazing.
Maybe your kiddos can handle the screens and it is not a bone of contention in your family. Maybe you need to kick something else to the curb. Whatever the case may be, do what’s best for your family.
