This is the 10th and final day in my Screen-Free Family Activities series. On this final day, let's discuss Screen-Free Week. What is it? How do we do it?
What Is Screen-Free Week
Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood is the home for Screen-Free Week, an annual event when people, businesses and schools turn off their screens.-No television.
-No video or mobile games.
-No screens for entertainment purposes.
Does this mean no screens at all?
No. We all use screens for work and school. It's a part of life in our modern society. Most of us cannot go totally screen-free. Unless our school or workplace is participating in this event, most of us will still be using screens to an extent.
How Difficult Is Screen-Free Week?
If you use screens as your primary source of entertainment, it can be tough. But if you plan well, have a list of ideas for alternative forms of entertainment, and are truly committed, you can do it!How My Family Will Do It
Last year, we went screen-free. It wasn't difficult actually. Although I was permitted to use my screens for work, I didn't. Nor did I use them for homeschool (because I never had). We really did go completely screen-free except for the following which I don't believe count as screens for entertainment:
- Using the cell phone for calls.
- Using the cell phone for listening to music (How would this be different than an MP3 or CD player?) while doing other things.
- Reading books on the Kindle (No different than a "real" book, in my opinion.)
This year, I see us doing things a bit differently.
I do need screens for work. Whether my cleaning business, work I do here at The Holistic Homeschooler with homeschool businesses, or projects with the iHomeschool Network, there is work to be done. I have writing deadlines, so I'll be meeting those.
But I will not be online for entertainment. Honestly, I'm never online for entertainment unless you count posting a status to my personal Facebook page, which I won't be doing.
Medical Exceptions?
Also, there's Lorelai and Alexis.
I'm going to try alternatives for their issues but they actually do use certain online activities as a means for dealing with some of their symptoms of Bipolar Disorder. Alexis uses it to calm or ignore "racing thoughts" and Lorelai uses one game as a means of calming down when teetering on the edges of mania.
I would call this "therapeutic" and say it's allowed. Again, if anyone finds a different thought on this, feel free to share. But I think if a game calms a child and prevents her from losing mental control, it's a good thing.
I've enjoyed writing this 10-day series. It's been fun. It's been challenging. I hope you've learned some things and gathered a few ideas for spending less time on screens. I know I did!
This series is a part of the 2013 Spring Hopscotch
brought to you by these lovely ladies...
- Becoming Healthy & Fit | Alisha at Flourish
- Teaching With LEGO | Amy at Milk and Cookies
- New Experiences | Angie at Many Little Blessings
- Homeschooling Tots & Preschoolers | Carisa at 1+1+1=1
- Project-Based Learning | Cindy at Our Journey Westward
- Electricity and Magnetism Experiments | Colleen at Raising Lifelong Learners
- ABC's of Journaling | Dollie at Teachers of Good Things
- Boosting Brainpower | Heather at Cultivating Lives
- Hopscotching Across the USA | Heidi at Home Schoolroom
- Homeschooling for Free and Frugal | Jamerrill at Free Homeschool Deals
- How to Work from Home and Homeschool | Jamerrill at Holy Spirit-Led Homeschooling
- Sights to See in Washington, D.C. | Jenn at Daze of Adventure
- Autism is... | Jennifer at Jennifer A. Janes
- Raising Boys (By a Mom of Five Sons) | Kendra at Preschoolers and Peace
- US Presidents | Lauren at Mama's Learning Corner
- Things You Can Do With A Can of Tomato Sauce | Laurie at Our Abundant Blessings
- Learning to Exercise With Your Kids | Lisa at Chaos Appreciation
- Understanding Your Anxious Child | Lisa at Our Homeschool Adventure
- Homeschooling the Large Family | Marianne at Abundant Life
- Screen-Free Family Activities | Michelle at The Holistic Homeschooler
- Healthy Eating | Sarah at Sidetracked Sarah
- Planning a Summer Garden | Stephanie at Nature Notebook
- Tips for Selling Your House While Homeschooling | Susann at Mama Hopper
- Gluten Free Recipes | Tabitha at Meet Penny
- Cool Group Projects & Parties | Tabitha at Teaching With Cents
- How to Use Coupons | Tabitha at Online Coupon Workshop
- Using Games in School | Ticia at Adventures in Mommydom
- You CAN be an Artist | Tricia at Hodge Podge
Happy Homeschooling!
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