Some of you may of read Part 1 of this article and said, but Heather we have done all that and our children still do not seem to really seek out learning. The next half of this article may seem controversial, so take it for what it's worth. You can try it and see if it will help, but of course I am not telling you what you must do with your family. I am only offering what has helped and worked in my own family.
I find my children are much more creative, and eager to learn, when we cut out almost all electronics. We still allow tablets at meetings, and we watch the shows on JW Broadcast. We only have 1 TV. And it is only used to watch JW Broadcast. The rest of the time we listen to the radio. I use a small MP3 playing radio, and have put all our JW broadcasting songs on a flash drive and we listen to them on the radio. They also do sometimes listen to secular radio stations as well on a radio. But, we do not have screens except for meetings, and watching JW Broadcast (limited-not daily), and once in a great while at other peoples homes. I do not dictate that others not allow my children to watch TV. We also don't play video games much, again mainly only when they are at some one's home that wants to, and that's not often. Again I do not dictate that they can not at other peoples homes, that is just too hard to regulate, and makes being a guest harder on the host. I say this because my parents are not Jehovah's Witnesses, and live in rural Kansas, among many Amish and Mennonites. One of my brothers even dates a Mennonite woman. So they have many Amish and Mennonite friends, and they would always ask my parents not to allow their children to play video games or watch tv while visiting my parents. It was really hard to constantly make sure these children weren't doing that. And my parents are more screen free than the majority of people now days. They only have 2 TVs! lol They are a NO TVs in the bedroom family and always have been. But, they live in a large home and have 4 living rooms. So there is 2 TVs one in the Great Room on the main floor, and one in the Family room in the Basement. When I was growing up they didn't have the side of the house that has the Great Room and only had the side with the Family Room in the Basement and that was the only TV they had back then. Being in the basement sometimes the Amish kids would sneak off and watch TV down there or play video games. It became quite the chore to keep them from doing that. haha So any way, rambling to say I don't expect that of hosts, for my children.
Being screen free, I would estimate at least 85% percent of the time, has really effected my children greatly. I notice a huge, huge, huge difference when they are allowed to be in front of a screen. Attitudes and attention spans are much different. I will warn it took my oldest a few days to detox each time when she was younger. And would be a little bit of a terror for 2 to 3 days with out screens after being exposed. Then she would be normal, happy, exploring self again, with much more patience, and attention span.
Many ask, what do you do then? We have a lot of things for children to do in our home. They have roller skates/blades, a basketball hoop, a trampoline, a swing set, a animal water trough, I bought just for them to swim in, all kinds of things outdoors. Inside we have books, a mini trampoline, toys, radio, etc. And what may seem odd, and might not work for your family but is huge in my family, is a bathtub! haha The bathtub provides my children with hours of entertainment, when the weather is not conducive to being outside. They put on their swim suits and spend hours playing in the bathtub like it's a swimming pool or something! haha My children never seem to get "bored". Only a few times have they told me they are bored. And I do not play that game. Either they find something to do, or I will find something for them. What I find, most likely is not something they would like to do, hint hint! Like wash the dishes, clean your room, help sort laundry. These are all things I normally have them do, but if they are going to feign boredom, they can step it up and do more. So needless to say this is not something I hear often.
There is also scientific proof that children who use their large motor skills often. Hours each day during the younger years, have a much easier time learning academics. That is another reason we limit screens, and focus on playing and moving more. It develops brain pathways, and problem solving skills that helps to learn the academics we are all wanting our children to learn. And with out screens to distract them and suck up their time, they naturally spend more of their time physically playing and being more physically active over all.
This article has become longer than I had originally planned, so I am breaking it up into a third part. Please keep following my blog for Part 3 of this topic.
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