How to Reset a Hard Day With Little Ones (Without Screens)
Kids are not easy. They are cute and can be so sweet, and they can be such a challenge and test our patience all in a days work. No one ever said parenting was easy, but wow, I had no idea how hard this was truly going to be. Not only do we have to keep them safe and fed and hydrated and clean, but also entertained all day long.
I grew up in a generation that was raised by TV. While yes, we certainly played outside and went to activities and extra circulars, we also would plant ourselves in front of the television for hours. Saturday morning cartoons were a real thing. Here’s the difference from watching television then to how it is now: we had commercials. Our shows were interrupted constantly by long commercial segments where we could run off to the bathroom, grab a snack, heck, I used to do crafts while watching a show. We were also limited to what was being shown at what times on a few channels. Nowadays the options are endless and constant and there is no need to stop or get up and just keep them going. That is where we have to step in as parents and try to limit screen time as best as we can. But that also then leads to newer challenges as caregivers to littles, as we are in charge of their entertainment now.
It is up to us as parents to put the boundaries in place for how much screen time we allow our kids to have. And of course, there will be days where we need to complete an important task or the weather is poor, or we need a moment to ourselves, or we aren’t well, where a screen will come in handy. But on an average day, we need to be the ones who show our kids that screens aren’t everything.
My children are still young enough that video games have not become a problem yet and while I know the day will come that my kids will want to play, you can bet on everything in my being that that time will be restricted and limited. Video games are an obsession these days with unlimited options and access to the entire world now that they can be internet based and as cool as that can be, it is also terrifying. It becomes these kids entire identity, and is encouraged by the video gaming industry. We have to be the leaders in showing that this doesn’t have to take over their lives and real life is far more important than their score or levels beat.
Here are a few ideas on how to reset harder days with our little ones without using screens.
Free-Play Activities – Things like Playdoh and Kinetic Sand, slime, water activities or sensory bins, building blocks or Legos and magnatiles.
Crafts – As simple as colouring or painting to as structured as creating specific tasks such as puppets or treasure boxes. Using tools like Pinterest can give you endless ideas.
Educational Play – Puzzles and specified games are available that guide and encourage learning. Check out your local library or thrift stores to find inexpensive or free options.
Outdoor Play – Let them run wild and free. Using their imagination is beautiful to watch.
Free Trips – Going to the park or the library. Take an adventure walk and incorporate a scavenger hunt or play I Spy to make it more interesting.
Kitchen Skills – Learning to cook and bake can be far more fun for kids than we may realize. They want to be involved and are more likely to venture into trying new things if they were directly involved in making it.
By providing the fun ideas for our kids, they become more open to going beyond the screens. In a world of iPads and easy access to entertainment, we have to be the ones to regulate that and encourage conversation. Consistent access to books and puzzles and becoming willing participants in these activities with our children only makes them more appealing. Embracing independent play and promoting imagination and personalities is what creates confident people. Yes, this can be a huge undertaking, but so is parenting. Our jobs don’t stop when they go off to school, or become potty trained or can hold up their own heads. We are in this for life, and by being present and involved regularly, they will remember this. We are not only their protectors, we are their examples.
Melanie xoxox