Screen free summer

[urbanlife]

I am four weeks into a screen free detox in my house, and now the holidays are here. I did not thInk it would be possible to ditch the screens, but alas it was easier than I thought it would be!!
Once I had prised the damn thing away from her that is, and the initial wails and squeaks, and I buried it in the depths of the house with a tiny shiver of joy. Childhood sucking monster that it is.

Dd11 has made three purses, a teddy bear and several ornaments with oven clay. Rediscovered her toys and she has started reading books !! Actual books. This has never willingly happened before I can testify.

Despite my huge reservations mainly for my own sanity, she really hasn’t missed her screen at all.

I haven’t seen a huge difference in her in any other way, but I am really pleased nonetheless. So we have decided to continue this summer.

I also have dd15 to consider, and I am in dire need of ideas for the next six weeks, how to entertain pre teen and teen with as little or no screen time.

We live in a rural village with sheep for neighbours, so we have to drive to friends etc or anywhere for that matter.

If you have some new or old ideas please share them 🙏🏻

How are you managing to get on Mumsnet?

Erm, not totally screen free are you ?

Hypocritical much?

I think it’s just the 11 year old that has a screen ban

Well, my children are earning screen time by doing housework, and I'm being pretty stingy....so far they're doing dishwasher and washing machine and tidying their rooms for the princely sum of 15 minutes screen time a day. Win. Win. Win.

I think it’s unfair to expect them to be zero screen all summer. Your DD15’s social life may be wrapped up in using technology. If her friends want to meet up with her, how will she know? Spending the whole summer that way could cause friendship issues when she goes back to schook

"how to entertain pre teen and teen with as little or no screen time."

They should be entertaining themselves.

Do you write for Mills and Boon.

Some pretty nasty comments! Presumably OP has reduced her time in general. What about making topic books op? Is there a topic they really like? You could go to library get reference books, stationary, new notebooks and create a scrapbook on a topic. I used to do them at that age on animals, WW2, Egyptians etc.

Probably more difficult to entertain the eldest but maybe they could create a fashion scrap book or something if they're into that? Or newspaper cuttings etc? Write short stories, create vases. Candle making, bath bomb making might go down well with 15 yr old? Pamper sessions with homemade face masks, cooking, baking, walks, shopping. Give them a limit and see how much they can get with it in the local shop? Bird watching, scavenger hunt. So many possibilities 😁

Yep got to add to the other voices that you are being very hypocritical. No screens should mean no screens for the whole family. Really I have to question why you are doing this. You could just limit their time, no need for an outright ban. It smacks of controlling for the sake of it.

FFS people! OP obviously wrote the post on parchment with a quill, then affixed the note to a carrier pigeon, who transported it to the Internet.

All summer? Wow.

I agree though- should be all of you. So see you in September OP. You probably won't miss much tbf.

I'm interested in reading helpful suggestions as well rather than people just having a go...

Definitely will let them have screens but would like to reduce the overall whinging for screen time!

Lovely bit of virtue signalling tho.

I would like my DD to spend less time watching TV.
Instead of limiting screens I am going for 'things that need to be done each day'.

Lead by example OP.

If you live in the middle of nowhere I think it very unkind to force your children to have no screen time for 6 weeks. Especially since you're not leading by example. The eldest won't be able to arrange to see friends, or keep in touch with them during the summer.

I also live in a rural village, and I would never dictate screen-free time in that way OP. How will your DDs contact their friends - do they not text, email or WhatsApp?

My DD is working her way through iPlayer documentaries such as Blue Planet and researching what she sees using her laptop - it’s brilliant! And then also chatting with her friends...

What's your budget and what do you have near you?

My mum got rid of our tv when we were teenagers (before other screens were in general use). It wasn’t good. I didn’t know what my friends were talking about. I’m just thinking particularly of your 15 year old- perhaps limit it but don’t completely remove it unless of course she’s up for the challenge herself.

blimey - maybe follow your own rules - I do not get the hysteria over 'screens' or the need to feel smug because you control your kids spare time

I can't believe you aren't going screen free yourself, what are you teaching them exactly? It's not even like mumsnet is important, or necessary, like perhaps ordering shopping.

So the youngest (11) is on a ban due to breaking the most sacred rule of no phones after bedtime. So it was a month’s ban/detox, but then she decided she didn’t really miss it, and thought it would be fun to continue (for how long I don’t know)

My dd15 is continuing as normal, as am I, obviously as I have posted on here. I did have had a week’s detox and found it was a real struggle,
Dd15 has cut down, she has got involved with some of younger dd’s projects.

My post is to ask what you do with your dc, thank you for the posts that have good suggestions. I am making a note!