No-Screens Summer

Like last year, we're gearing up for a no-screens summer. Have you ever tried one? One of my friends did it with her kids during March, which I think is so brave considering the cold weather outside during that month! I'm not sure if I could do without my kid's daily 20 minute show in the winter months, but July and August feel like the perfect time to turn the TV off!

In the summer it's so much easier to fill our days outside - we usually only come in for the bathroom and to re-fill my backpack with more food, and back out we go. Especially since none of our kids nap anymore (they didn't last year either), we do have long days to fill, but when the air is warm and the sun is shining, it just seems wrong to be inside in front of a show.

We've always limited our kid's TV time to 20 minutes per day, 40 minutes on special occasions (if it's raining, someone's sick, or on a Saturday), but even with one little commercial-free show (thanks Netflix!), we all begin to really rely on TV. But the reality is, no matter how educational a show is, or how lovely the morals they emphasize, TV is a poor substitute for real-life activity, conversations, and experiences. I'm not saying this as someone who has banned TV from her home - I love having a show to curl up to a few times a week, and my kids know more about dinosaurs than I've ever taught them thanks to Dinosaur Train - but like all good things, it can be too much.



The exception will be if it's raining or someone is sick - then one show is fair game. I'm going to try to limit my TV as well this summer. I usually watch one 40 minute show at least twice a week, sometimes more (plus hockey games, because it's the play offs, and all!), but I'd like to read more than usual this summer, so I might join my kids, too!