sense of calm by focusing on one task
or person at a time. And occasionally
play hooky from extracurricular activi-
ties, which teaches kids that it’s okay to
honor their individual needs for rest and
disengagement.
UNPLUG:
More play time. Free, unplugged
play gives kids a chance to put their
imaginations to work and try new ideas.
Instead of telling them something won’t
work or supplying answers to their ques-
tions, let them investigate, research
ideas and experiment with materials on
their own.
How Device-Free Time Fosters
Better Connection
F
— by Christa Melnyk Hines
Multiple studies show that kids,
who receive regular, unstructured time
to play, develop creativity, self-confi-
dence, problem-solving skills, and inde-
pendence. With these skills, they’ll be-
lieve that they’re good enough without
having to seek external approval, which
is rampant in a “like me” culture.
ree time spent unplugged can
make a big difference in how
our families feel emotionally
and physically and when it comes to nur-
turing our most important relationships.
Here’s why: the quality of your interaction. Stash
your phone away during face-to-face
conversation. And consider choosing
one day a week where the whole family
takes a “Digital Sabbath” or a 24-hour
break from technology.
Increased self-awareness. Time
alone or unplugged helps us pursue per-
sonal interests and develop more clar-
ity about who and what we want in our
lives. That sense of self-reliance, confi-
dence, and independence comes through
in how we interact with others. We’re
better able to advocate for our needs
and for others because we’ve taken time
to contemplate and clearly understand
those needs. “The Sabbath increases your ability
to concentrate on cool intricate tasks, to
experience and appreciate the unique-
ness of particular mo-
ments, to focus more
on the people around
you,” writes Alex
Soojung-Kim Pang in
his book The Distrac-
tion Addiction. “Pay-
ing attention is critical
for relationships.”
Did You Know?
Improved men-
• More than 70% of
tal health. Attempting
young smartphone owners
to address text mes-
check their device a few
sages, online interac-
times an hour or more
tions, phone calls and
often, including 22% who
emails in the midst of
admit to checking it every
family demands can
few minutes.
cause stress and anxi-
• Most Americans
ety.
believe they check their
Better sleep. We can’t focus on oth-
ers when we’re sleep deprived. Accord-
ing to the National Sleep Foundation, 72
percent of children ages 6 to 17 sleep
with electronics in their bedroom. The
lights and sounds these devices emit dis-
rupt quality sleep and can result in up to
an hour of sleep lost per night. Remove
electronics from your bedroom and your
children’s bedrooms.
More attentive connection. A 2013
study in the journal of Environment and
Behavior suggests that by simply having
your phone sitting on the table or in your
hand during a conversation, you reduce
58 WNY Family March 2019
“Chronic distrac-
tions erode your sense
of having control of
your life,” Pang says.
Increase
your
Enhanced curiosity. Researchers
from Brown University recently found
that the more time kids spend watching
TV, using their smartphones or playing
video games, the less likely they are to
show initiative and complete tasks like
homework. Even more worrisome, they
exhibit less curiosity and interest in
learning overall.
phones less than they
actually do.
— Source: Gallup.com
Screen-free time
gives us all a chance
to consider questions
like: What am I curi-
ous about? How can
I solve a problem I’m
dealing with? What
brings me joy? Who
could I talk to about
this? How can I learn
more?
Richer conver-
sations. For many
young adults, sponta-
neous conversation,
where they can’t con-
trol the message in
a text or email, feels
too intense or risky.
According to Sherry
Turkle in her book
Reclaiming Conver-