Technology Time-Out!

Technology Burn Out!

It’s spring break. The kids have been out of school for the week and have been enjoying as much free time as they can. I planned to do the same (with the addition of housework, laundry, cooking, and so on of course). However, three boys, smartphones, smart TVs, laptops, and gaming consoles makes for a frustrating afternoon. Every. Day.

          After about an hour, and with multiples of each thing to take turns on or use solo, these three boys in my house still find something to fight over.

First child: “But it was MY turn on that one! You’ve been on it for more than 30 minutes!”

Second child: “Mom! He won’t let me play with him, and he says I can play later by myself. I don’t want to play by myself! Make him play with me! Or, can you play with me?”

“Honey, I can’t play that game to save my life.” Turns to first child. “Why don’t you want to play with your brother? Isn’t it a two-player game?”

Third child: “Hey, Mom. I got a great idea. Let’s turn it all off and play outside!”

Other two children combined groaning in protest.

“You know what Bubby? That’s a GREAT idea! Ok Technology time out! Turn it off and let’s do something else with our brains and bodies!”

*About 5 minutes into the playtime outside*

The boys are building tents, creating some type of battlefield for their Nerf wars, stacking piles of sticks in hopes of a bonfire, and running and screaming like warriors through the yard. They’re playing together, happy and free.

And me? Oh, I’m just sitting on the porch with a book in hand, sipping my coffee and enjoying the happy noises, however loud they may get, and smiling to myself thinking, “Ah. Success for the moment.”

Technology time-out is a very important thing in the lives of children in this generation. I didn’t grow up with a smartphone in my hands. I didn’t have internet access at my fingertips for games, socializing, or even basic searching. We waited for the dial-up, and when Mom needed to use the phone, we had to disconnect from the internet. Every time.

We’ve seen so many changes in the last 20 years alone. Don’t get me wrong. I have enjoyed the advancement in technology, personally. The minds behind current technology advancements have taken the world by storm, and while it has been the greatest blessing, it has also, recently become like a dark curse. The ease of access to all things in the world wide web has made it easy for our children to learn and be educated, and that’s great! But, it has also enabled them to be less productive and maintain a stationary lifestyle. Adults, too.

I’ll be the first to admit I was so happy to allow my kids to be distracted by the “Free babysitter” of technology. Tablets, phones, computers, TVs that connect to the internet. It was a relief to get a break! That break, however, became a pathway to habits that now must be broken. I don’t want my children to become dependent on the screen for entertainment, social connection, education, and life! We have a yard full of trees and flowers! Wildlife abounds all around our house. We live near creeks, fields, and rivers, in an area of the country that is less than 3 hours drive from several major cities, where both education and entertainment would be readily available, and at low to NO cost!

          So, during Technology Time-Out this week, my sons and I put together a plan. Of course, they were on board with it the whole time we discussed it, because it sounded exciting and adventurous. Most plans with kids get the enhancement of imagination, and that alone makes it more fun to talk about. The true test of their dedication will come this following week, once school starts back up and they want to play with their gaming devices all afternoon…

          If things work out according to our plans, we have a lot of fun adventures lined up for the remainder of the year! Everything from backyard adventures, campouts, bonfires, and hiking; to short trips to local parks, libraries, museums, and malls. On the larger scale, we might attempt some trips to nearby metropolitan areas like St Louis, Nashville, and Memphis. Provided we have the resources and ability.

          Am I taking the electronics away entirely? Heck, no! Being technologically adept is vital to this upcoming generation’s success in life. We will continue to enjoy the entertainment and education that our electronic devices give us, with some minor changes here and there. But it was so easy to forget what life is like away from the screen and keypads, and that’s one thing I don’t want to happen again. Technology time-out was a good thing for me and my boys. It brought me back out of my shell, and I truly needed that.

          Now, I am going to get back to my break from technology, and go play in the flowers…

          I will be posting about those next!! And I will have pictures from my darling gardens! I can’t wait!