“Screen Free" Boundaries in an Overly Digital World
Updated: Aug 21
We live in an overly digital society. Everything seems to have an app to download. Reserving rides and dining meticulously at theme parks is necessary. Online shopping, social media and on demand entertainment via youtube and streaming services has made our culture dependent on internet and digital services, more than we might be aware of. It is hard to get away from it.
We are not a screen free family. We provide video games, movies and other devices for our children to use. However, we do limit their usage and we create strict boundaries for the use of devices in our household. As parents, we have a responsibility to manage our children's device usage, but it is important for us as adults to limit screens in our lives as well, where and when we can. We hope this article helps you create "screen free boundaries" in your family's life.
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Limit devices in your home by providing analog options
Provide toys, games and art supplies that are healthy, fun, and safe. Click to see our clutter free toy list.
Encourage reading for fun. Research authors and books with good stories and values. Buy used and new physical books so you can have books to read at home for your family. Reading is an important life skill and can be a great healthy alternative to digital entertainment.
Bring activities with you when traveling on vacation, in car rides, waiting at the dentist office, etc. instead of relying upon devices in these situations.
Let them listen to music using a basic MP3 player or an old school CD player, instead of using a smart phone.
Have physical cookbooks available for your children. "4 ingredient"and "quick and easy recipe" cookbooks are usually better than ones that are written for kids.
Provide children with solid sandals kids can climb trees and ride bikes in safely.
Enforce device times
Create a flexible daily routine which includes designated device times. Click to see our article about tips for creating a daily routine
Have shared, family devices instead of allowing your child to have ownership of devices: by doing so, you will reduce the dependency upon using a device as the sole means of entertainment. Click to see our article about the dangers of giving a child a smart phone.
Turn off screens at meal times. Instead, do a non screen activity together or talk about your day. Our family likes to do trivia cards, coloring sheets, and play "Taboo" or "Bingo". We also read books to the kids at the table. Bring activities for the kids to do while they wait for the food at a restaurant.
Your child needs ot know when to put the device away.
Keep your family safe by enforcing restrictions on media usage.
Limit kids Youtube usage to educational topics, such as science demonstrations, cooking shows, tutorials, math problem assistance, and pet care. Do not use Youtube as a substitute babysitter.
Devices live and are used in the common areas. Do not allow electronics in the kids bedrooms: that's a recipe for disaster and a way to teach kids to be disobedient.
Be selective about video games, movies and TV shows that kids watch: much of kids entertainment provided today is activism and propaganda, or it is meaningless filler.
Buy (older) DVDs at thrift shops to combat the dumbed down, activist, expensive and complicated streaming services. Streaming services are acceptable sometimes, but using them less puts more focus on real life activities.
Consider buying a "burner phone" instead of a smart phone for your child. Click to see the dangers of giving a child a smart phone.
Be friends in real life
Make plans! Go on field trips with your family or some friends, meet-up with friends, go to the gym, do art classes, go to the pool, and visit farms.
Be mindful of your internet footprint and relationships online. As a policy, we do not friend anyone on Facebook. People have replaced meeting up for coffee with friending and following people on social media. "Facebook friends" are not real friendship and people tend to collect friends like Pokemon. They tend to be counterfeit because you never have to meet or interact in real life. Break away from this cycle.
What we say when someone tries to friend us: "Thank you for the friend request, however, we do not friend any one on Facebook. We keep in touch with friends in real life and keep track of our contacts using an address book on Excel. We are always up for a meetup! Click for our tips on networking using social media.
Respect other people's privacy. Do not post photos of others on social media. If you are at someone's house, their artwork, bookshelves and photos of their home does not need to be on the internet either. Photos on the internet are forever. Click to see our article on reasons not to post photos or videos of children on the internet.
Being a mom is a unique situation. Meeting up with other moms for a moms night out, coffee or dinner sometimes is important.
When entertaining company, keep the electronics off and put away. Friends come over to be friends: they can watch TV or play video games in their own time. Click to see our playdate tips.
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