Last week, I spoke to 500 kids from Kindergarten to Grade 4 about learning from failure, the value of multi sport participation, and I challenged them to get unplugg’d, going the entire weekend without a screen!
I got an email from the PE teacher telling me that she’s been hearing some really wonderful stories about her students taking the challenge and in particular, she sent me this story of a girl in Grade 3 that her parents shared.
Fola has asked me to write to you about her screen-free weekend. It was quite an interesting experience for everyone at home as it affected us because we needed to support her as much as we could. When she was home, she read and read and drew and drew and made slime and played spy games to while away the time. It wasn’t easy as her baby sister, Temi, needed to watch her nursery rhymes show and Fola smartly backed the TV screen everytime she had to get a toy item to her. Her big sister had to narrate whatever she did on the laptop.
In Fola’s words, the experience was “exhausting”.
It was a learning experience for us all as well. So much of our lives revolve around watching either the TV or having our phones, laptops, tablets, etc, opened in front of us. It was a challenge trying to come up with activities to help Fola achieve her objectives.
We are proud of Fola’s resolve. Truly admirable for her age.
Thanks for giving her the opportunity to know life can go on without screens.
I love this story and I hope that her parents also tried getting unplugg’d. Although it’s more important for kids to reduce their screen time because of the impact that screens have on their brain development, it’s also important for parents to set a good example, and reduce their screen time, especially when they are spending time with their kids. Being more present and aware is a good thing.
Find out more about my Unplugg’d Challenge: http://www.unpluggd.ca.