This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Your kids won’t remember their best day of television.
What will they remember? How they felt when they spent time with you.
Last week we celebrated our second son’s birthday. We had a great day with our sweet Beau and as he blew out his candles… it reminded me of how fast time slips by. Ten years already.
I want to make sure that we look back on these years with smiles on our faces. I want to know that we didn’t waste our time with them. It’s true that your kids won’t remember their best day of television, but it’s also true that WE won’t remember it, either. What will we remember? Time spent together.
Did you know that on average American children spend 5-8 hours in front of a screen per day and less than 1 hour outdoors? Too much screen time can cause sleep problems, higher risk for attention disorders, higher risk for obesity and change the chemistry of your child’s brain. I don’t know about you, but those risks scare me.
Honestly, screen time is an area that I struggle with because when the TV is on, I can get stuff done, but our kids deserve better than to spend their childhood in front of a screen. They should be outdoors getting dirty and exploring, not watching someone else having fun on TV.
Here are some ideas that will create real memories that they will talk about with their kids someday…
1- Take a Vacation. Did you know that science proves that we should spend money on family vacations over toys? Read the reasons here.
2- Have the kids do a no-electronic week. (You won’t believe how well they get along by the end of the week!) Read more here.
3- Try some of these 60 Screen-Free Summer Activities for Kids.
4. If your child is having trouble transitioning from electronic time to family time, try this trick. My friend Samantha told me something years ago, and it has stuck with me ever since. I now tell parents this tip to help them have their kids turn off electronics without an argument. It works in so many other areas, too. Here’s How to turn off their electronics without an argument.
5. Of course, our favorite thing to do is our “special night”. Here’s the reason that it will make each child feel important and create lasting memories.
Have a wonderful day,
Becky
ps- If you are rewarding your child (great report card, good behavior, etc…) try doing these non-toy reward ideas instead.
