FAMILY TIME
Family Time Together?
IT’S A PLAN !
How to get everyone off social media and back together
WRITTEN BY CINDY SCHWEICH HANDLER
12
2019 EDITION (201) HEALTH
funny cat videos and texting them to one
another, even though they were sitting
next to each other. I thought, ‘This is a
real problem!’”
The problem is one that, with the right
tools, can be solved. As an expert in con-
sumer and family digital use, Aftab works
at it both personally and professionally.
Getting buy-in from everyone, designating
a device-free zone and finding ways for
the family to connect are just three tools
that experts recommend families try.
THE FAMILY THAT COOKS TOGETHER
The Levison family, Michal and Zack, stress the
importance of family time with their daughters Bella,
10, and Anya, 7, by cooking dinner together at least
twice a week. Bella, 10, and Michal work on making
meatballs while Zach and Anya, 7, are in charge of the
salad for dinner. Not only does this allow for quality
time together, but the family bonds and make
memories over a shared love of food.
P
arry Aftab likes cat videos as
much as the next person, but
there was a time when they
didn’t make her laugh.
“My sister lives in
Nashville and has five kids,”
the Wyckoff resident says. “My husband
and I went down to see them, and every
single person at the table was on the cell
phone, including the parents. We were at
a great restaurant with great food, and
what they were doing was picking up