As part of our journey to simplify life, my husband and I have been trying very hard to be intentional about the time we spend with our family. In this post, I share how we have been implementing screen free family day as part of our transition to a more peaceful household.

At the beginning of the year, we had the idea to dedicate one day each month as intentional family time. In order to be fully present, we also decided that we would be turning off all screens for that day. This includes watching television, visiting social media channels, or checking our phones.

Now that we have successfully completed screen free family day three months in a row, I want to share with you the insights that we have noticed.

 

OUR FAMILY DYNAMIC

First, if you are new here, a little background on our family. We would be considered a large family by today’s standard, with five children. Our oldest son is 12, and our youngest, a daughter, is 5. All of our children are exposed to technology on a regular basis, and have been taught to use it safely.

We have been careful to teach them that technology should be used as a tool and not a crutch. They also have been told that though it can be enjoyable, it is also an easy thing to abuse and consume too much of. As such, we are careful to monitor their activity and limit their time in front of screens. By doing so, we hope to help them become responsible technology users.

 

 

WHY SCREEN FREE?

Craig and I had begun to notice that we were being more and more lenient with screen time, and found some negative side effects. Our youngest son, for example, was beginning to exhibit poor behavior and attitude. Our girls would argue about which tv show to watch together. We felt these changes were directly related to the amount of time spent in front of the screen.

Knowing that it was our job, as their parents, to do some redirecting – we had an idea. We would start a screen free family day. Our first goal for this is to have a screen free day once per month. Ultimately, it would be wonderful to have one day per week as a reset day.

 

INCORPORATING A SCREEN FREE FAMILY DAY

When we first brought up the idea to the kids, they were skeptical. They saw it as a punishment instead of something that could be beneficial. But once we insisted that the entire family would be involved, including us as parents, they were excited.

As a family, we sat down and wrote out ideas of things to do together. We decided that family day, though different each time, would include the following categories:

CHORE

Knowing the value of hard work, we wanted to incorporate a chore that we could all do together. We try to find a chore that will benefit us as a family. On the list are ideas such as raking leaves, chopping firewood, deep cleaning a room inside, and planting a garden.

 

MEAL PREPARATION

Our kids all enjoy spending time in the kitchen. I will admit though, that at times when they ask to help I turn them down. Mainly, I justify that cooking the meals will be faster and less of a hassle if I do it on my own. However, as part of screen free family day, we are opening up the kitchen and getting everyone involved. We have been rotating through the kids, asking them for meal suggestions each month.

We have seen some interesting suggestions already, such as a chili hamburger meal.

 

DEVOTION

As a Christian family, we find that it is very important to stay in God’s word. We try to tailor our devotion to topics we are dealing with as a family. This is a great time for us to all discuss, and maybe resolve some pressing issues. We find that even our youngest children are capable expressing their feelings and emotions in a group setting.

 

QUIET TIME

On screen free family day, we make it a point to reserve a bit of time for the house to be still. This is a great opportunity to take a nap, write a letter to a friend, or read a book. I have really come to look forward to quiet time and the peace it brings. It feels wonderful to allow our brains to rest from any chaos or commotion we may be facing.

 

FUN ACTIVITY

Of all the categories, this has been the most fun for the kids to sink their teeth into. We have quite the list of activities they want us to do together. Hiking, water fights, bowling, playing at a park, and going out for ice cream are a few examples.

 

 

WHAT DOES A SCREEN FREE FAMILY DAY LOOK LIKE?

During a recent family day, we made a screen exception so that I could film with my camera. Take a glimpse at a ‘day in the life’ of our family on a screen free family day.

 

THINGS WE HAVE LEARNED SO FAR

Through our first three months of implementing screen free family day, we have learned so much. We are quickly finding out what works best for us, and what we need to avoid.

 

KIDS ARE HAPPIER IN OUR PRESENCE

We have definitely noticed that our kids enjoy the company of their parents. Of course, we have always known that, but the fact that they have our full attention, without distractions, has been really special.

 

EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE INVOLVED

We think it is very important to make sure everyone is involved in all aspects of family day. Though some of the kids may moan a bit about having to take out the garbage or help with a meal, we make sure that they participate. By making sure everyone is involved, we are instilling in our children that as a family we can work through the good times, as well as the bad. The easy, as well as the difficult. We are in this together.

 

IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE FANCY

Knowing that we can just lounge around in our PJ’s all day is just exciting for the kids as telling them we are going out for dinner. Sometimes the most simple moments are the cherished ones.

 

LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF SCHEDULING

Though it is good to have a general idea of how the day will play out, we are acknowledging that we also need to leave room for spontaneity. The element of ‘anything can happen’ is very exciting for kids. One of the best memories we have made so far during screen free family day was an impromptu sledding trip. The kids asked if we could go, and we had no reason to say no – so we did! It was a blast!

 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR A SCREEN FREE FAMILY DAY

Check out these additional blog posts for tips on how to effectively go screen free.

10 Screen Free Alternatives For Night Time Winding Down | the pragmatic parent

Getting Through The Day Screen Free | peaceful parents, confident kids

100+ Screen Free Activities For Teens | thinking kids

How To Unplug A Plugged In Kid | andrea’s notebook

 

PIN THESE IDEAS

I hope that this information has been helpful for you, especially if you are considering a screen free family day of your own. Pin these ideas for future reference!