LIMIT SCREEN USAGE
How much time do your children spend on screens each day ? On average , children spend seven hours per day on screens , according to the CDC . For teenagers , it ’ s nine hours per day . That equates to 106-136 days of media usage per year ( 24 hours per day )! Let those numbers sink in for a moment . That ’ s a lot of time . If we ’ re honest , media occupies more of our children ’ s time than most of us realize .
Radically reducing media has been a blessing in our family . Our conversation has increased , and time previously wasted on screens is now being used in more productive ways . We aren ’ t living vicariously through others on a screen . We ’ ve limited screen usage by having screen-free times at home , including mealtime . We take technology breaks as a family . We even got rid of video games and removed the television . A few years ago , we sold our PlayStation . Our children cried and begged us not to . We thought we might win the award for worst parents of the year , but in the end , it was a great decision . We don ’ t miss it . So , we also removed our television from the living room and placed it in a closet . We didn ’ t miss television , especially as we began to find other enjoyable ways of using our time , such as playing a game as a family , reading aloud , or working in the garden . Now we have a framed TV on our wall , which looks like a painting when it ’ s not on . We rarely watch anything during the spring and summer . We selectively and intentionally watch things during the colder seasons in Minnesota . We have the television password protected , and our children must get permission to turn it on . We ’ ve learned not to be afraid to say no to media .
MEDIA SHOULD SERVE US , NOT ENSLAVE US . IT SHOULD HELP BUILD RELATIONSHIPS , NOT HARM THEM . IT SHOULD HELP US BECOME MORE LIKE JESUS , NOT SIN AGAINST HIM .
outside . They play in the woods , build a fort , make a bonfire , shoot a pellet gun , pick flowers , swing on swings , tend to animals , explore a creek , go sledding , dig in the dirt , climb trees , cut firewood , or throw a ball . If our children don ’ t need a bath every night , they aren ’ t playing hard enough . A good day for our children is when they come inside sweaty , dirty , and tired . Children need to play , move , and be outdoors .
A must-read book is The Last Child in the Woods , which coins the term “ Nature Deficit Disorder ” and explains how an obsession with being indoors and electronic media , combined with parental fears of the outdoors and relinquishment of being in nature , are connected with depression , obesity , and disorders in children .
Great books are a wonderful replacement for screens . Roald Dahl ’ s advice has been good for our family : “ So please , oh please , we beg , we pray / Go throw your TV set away / And in its place , you can install / A lovely bookshelf on the wall / Then fill the shelves with lots of books .”
Reading great books out loud has become a favorite family activity in our home . What a joy it is to experience the greatest books together ! Books read aloud together shape your family culture , become the topic of conversation , and provide fantastic entertainment and endless discipleship opportunities . Snuggle up on the couch and read books that will enrich their imagination and shape their character . Purchase books your children will love to read , and be intentional in choosing books that will shape the biblical worldview of your children . Our children ’ s favorite books are The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson , the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder , and books by Roald Dahl , J . R . R . Tolkien , and C . S . Lewis .
REPLACE SCREENS WITH BETTER OPTIONS
Screen time makes children moody , bored , and lazy . Their minds become over-entertained so that real life seems dull . Boredom dies away as media usage goes down . Screens make children depressed and unmotivated , and they reduce physical activity levels . Screens are as addictive as any drug , go right to the brain ’ s pleasure center , and impact brain function . 2 Instead of screens , we prioritize time outdoors and surround our children with good books .
What do our children do with all the extra time they gain from not playing video games or watching much TV ? They go
SET BOUNDARIES FOR MEDIA USE
You are the gatekeeper . You have to set boundaries with media usage so that it can be utilized in a productive , positive manner in your home . Boundaries are fences , and fences are good things . Fences protect from danger , prevent children from wandering , and provide freedom in a designated space . If your child displays negative behavior due to media usage , take action , remove or reduce that media source , and explain why . Do not give a child unmonitored , unrestricted access to the internet . If pornography enters the picture , take
30 THE RENEWANATION REVIEW