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You go to a party and witness kids sitting together, each playing on their own device.
What do you do to curb this ?
One simple rule – When you are at a party, no matter how bored you are, no devices. When you are with your friends on a play date , no TV or gadget use..if you want to watch TV, no need to go on play dates or have friends over….Might as well stay at home and do the same by yourself.
PLAY together. inter Act!
(The only time I Do allow my kids is if it’s late in the night at a party and I know they are tired and it will be another 15 mins before we can leave … )
It is just sad to see kids sitting together and busy on devices in stead of interacting and building off each other’s creativity.
Options you can give them, instead of devices are –
- Create Art
- Make videos
- Put up a play
- Play a board game
- Charades
- Pictionary
- Dance Party
- Read books together
- Ice breaking games
Encourage other adults who come to your home to help you in enforcing this rule. Yes, it’s awkward but trust me they will thank you when they see the beauty that comes from the kids play … Last month the kids go bored together and ended up making a play … Other times they play chess … Still others they just sit around and talk while doing their own thing. And learn to talk !
Also, your kids will pester you. Oh! Yes they will!
Stand strong on this. Specially if they see other kids whose parents let them play on devices at a party. Tell your kids that if you want to play on phone, let’s just go home, else find a way to keep Yourself busy. OR sit with us adults and listen to conversation (for kids 7 and older ) OR take a book to draw in or read in a small bag as a boredom buster.
In my book I have talked in depth about balancing technology and gadget use for kids and teaching kids moderation …
Please let’s raise a generation of kids who interact and are not just using phone for substituting human interaction.
9 Responses
I love the suggestions you give to navigate without technology. Sometimes when I tell my kids they look at me like now what? Such a great simple list. Thanks for sharing!
Amen sister! I’m trying to spread the word to stop handing devices to babies and toddlers. There’s no need! Regardless if the research shows it’s harmful or helpful, children need to INTERACT and be free to play and be creative! Love this message that you’re sharing with the world. It makes me kind of sad though that we have to give ideas for what kids can do at a party instead of be on a phone.
Putting down that device–I find this so hard, but I hope to instill in my son that they aren’t necessary to interact!
my son is only 4 but he doesnt even use a tablet. he just has no interest in it yet
Thank you for sharing! My daughter is only allowed to use a tablet or my phone on weekends. She’s banned weekdays. It seems to work
This is great. I’m also not against using a tablet, either. There are pros and cons for using one, and not using one. Using a tablet has helped my daughter tremendously with her academic learning. She seems to learn better from the device, which I limit her screen time to one hour per day.
But also watching kids interact without tablets is absolutely amazing to watch them learn, play, and socially develop is important too.
Love this! It is sad that this has to be a topic nowadays – but putting the screens away is SO important, especially for social interaction!
-Jennifer
It frustrates me to see kids on their devices all the time. It’s so good to find ideas to keep kids doing some other stuff!
I totally agree that kids should be less on technology and more about interacting with each other. When we have dinner no one is allowed to have phones on the table.