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Hello again friends. We are halfway through April already; can you believe it? This weekend we have to get our unplanted garden beds cleaned out and start planting our summer crops, one of my favorite times of the year. It’s a time when the unknown is a thrill. How many watermelons will we get? Will we actually get some tomatoes this year? Who will win the battle for the zucchini this year, me or those pesky vine borers? So many questions, and only time will tell!
I just finished the book I had been telling you guys about, Old Fashioned on Purpose by Jill Winger. I nearly cried when it was over, because I loved it so much, I didn’t want it to end! If there’s any teeny tiny bit of you that is interested in any sort of self-sufficiency or just being more aware of the way you live, this book is for you. It gives so many practical ways to live a more old-fashioned life in a way that will benefit you mentally, physically and financially no matter where you live or where you are in the journey. I’ve already implemented several ideas I learned in the book, and it has heightened my awareness of the role I play in the consumer/producer paradigm.
This month, our family has undergone a lifestyle shift, sort of as an experiment. Many of the principles I read about in the book in regard to parenting and homeschooling have been on display in my house as a result, so it’s really cool to watch things unfold in real time. Returning to an old-fashioned childhood has been an incredible experience for my children. I can’t wait to tell you all about it!
Time to Detox
I don’t know about your household, but in my household, screens seem to have taken over everything. All the kids want to do is watch TV, play Xbox or ask for their tablets. While we have always very strictly limited tablet time to basically zero, the TV and even Xbox have gone somewhat unchecked. It’s honestly just an easy thing to let them have TV, and it’s not something I pay too much attention to because its “normal” for kids to watch TV. A few months ago, the Xbox became a problem. The kids were always arguing over what game to play and bickering with each other, so we took it away and TV was the only screen left. Late sometime in March, I realized just how screen dependent my children had become, and mama had had enough. The kids didn’t want to go outside to play on a beautiful day, wouldn’t take care of basic household requirements, kept disappearing back indoors when we were working on family projects outside, and had developed quite a poor attitude. School time was an absolute nightmare with constant whining, grumbling, and just a general poor attitude. At that point in time, I declared that April 1st would be the start of a month of screen detox. No more TV, no Xbox and absolutely no tablets. The only exception would be if we decided to do a family movie night or go see a movie in theaters.
Immediate Results
The first two days were filled with kids constantly asking if they could watch a show, followed by them immediately realizing what my answer would be and rescinding their question. On the very first day, my kids spent at least six hours outside, only coming in to eat and then returning to their outside explorations. On the third day, my nine-year-old son said, “I never thought I would be saying this, but I actually really like not having screens.” Can you believe it? In three short days, my Minecraft obsessed child declared his enjoyment of screen free time. That was one of the most shocking outcomes of this experience. School time immediately became easier, with my kids not only doing their regular work without complaining but actually wanting to continue on with extra work on top of what was assigned. The difference was night and day immediately.
Halfway Through
We are now halfway through the month of April. Fortunately, the weather has been sunny and warm nearly every day. My kids have spent multiple hours outside every single day. One of the big changes I noticed was an increase in their initiative. Things they have never done before, they are attempting to do in order to improve the household. My daughter has decided that she wants to wash dishes and help cook dinner. My son decided he wanted to mow the yard and bake his own bread. Upon waking up, my son is heading into the gym to complete the daily workout he created, something he has never succeeded in doing more than one day in a row, but now he has managed to do it daily since the day he implemented it. Both of them are much more involved in daily homestead activities like watering the garden, helping plant and harvest, weeding and caring for the chickens. My son finished a 400-page book in less than a week. They have cleaned their rooms without complaint when asked to. The change has been drastic. Screens and passive entertainment have been replaced with board games, creating art, physical activity, outdoor time, reading, family time, and learning.
Another change we have seen is an improvement in their mindset. My husband and I take a daily cold plunge. Our kids have witnessed this for over a year now, and almost every day my husband asks if anyone wants to take a cold plunge with us. Every day the answer is “No Way!” That changed this month. They both decided (completely voluntarily) that they wanted to give it a go. Now, they have joined us for a daily cold plunge for about the last two weeks, gradually pushing themselves to control their breathing quicker, or sit in the cold just a little bit longer. Some days, they are asking us if it’s time to take our cold plunge yet! Cold plunging has effectively improved their resilience. We have seen an increase in my sons focus and intensity in his jiu jitsu training, and have seen my daughter face her fear of jumping into the pool because she was able to manage and control her fear in order to overcome in. I honestly don’t think that they would have decided to join us if there was still TV available.
Watching my kids grow so much in only two short weeks has been nothing short of incredible.
When Will it End?
My husband overheard my kids the other day saying that they just had to make it to May 1st and then they could have the TV back. I don’t think that will be the case, and that is something that we had to discuss with them. Honestly, there’s very little good that comes from TV, Xbox and Tablets, and the negative definitely outweighs positives for us. While I can understand that these things can serve some families in a balanced way, screen addiction was becoming a problem for ours. Removing all screens from my children’s lives (and greatly reducing mom and dads as well!) has done nothing but improve the quality of our family’s life. We are spending more time together as a family, getting things done more quickly and efficiently, improving our health, and learning together as a family. I don’t see us going back anytime soon.
Does this have you thinking?
Maybe some of the things I said about my kid’s behavior is resonating with you. Perhaps you have noticed your kids’ attitudes becoming less than desirable lately, as I had. If you are getting tired of constant household battles, and feeling like you are chronically nagging your children, I would encourage you to give a screen detox a try. You don’t have to commit to a month, but I would recommend at least a solid week of zero screens (phones included!). It’s likely that the first few days will be tough, and you’ll hear “I’m bored” more than once. Don’t let that discourage you. Find a few creative things you could leave out to “set the scene” for your kids. Maybe grab a few outside toys and put them near the back door to encourage them to grab some and go play or put some paper and markers on the table and see what happens. Another great idea is to spend some time together as a family. Have a family game night, go for a walk around the neighborhood, work on a jigsaw puzzle, or go pass a football around the backyard. If you can commit to a full seven days, I bet you will see an improvement in behaviors and attitudes by the end of the week.
What’s Next?
I have so many fun things to fill you guys in on! Our homeschool year is wrapping up this week, so be on the lookout for an end of the year recap. Also, we are expanding our homestead with something fun and new this weekend and I can’t wait to tell you guys all the buzz about it! Until then, have an amazing weekend!