Taking time away from digital media, television and the internet might seem impossible, but the benefits gained in increased quality time with your family are worth it.
Picture your typical family evening, just for a second. What does it look like? Kids on the couch in front of the TV, Mom surfing on the laptop and Dad writing emails on his Blackberry? Maybe you're all sitting on the couch watching a DVD together, or everyone is in their own rooms, surfing or watching TV by themselves?
If you're trying to increase the quality of your family time together, try unplugging from digital devices for one night a week. This trend towards unplugging has been noted in the media recently, as tech geeks such as Ariel Meadow Stallings unplug for one night a week and record their responses, which range from extreme anxiety to falling asleep on the couch at 7pm. Hailed as the "Secular Sabbath", spending one day or night a week completely unplugged can give families a chance to reconnect with each other, to eat a meal around the table together instead of balancing plates on laps in front of the TV, and to get a bit of perspective on life away from the contstant distractions and demands of the digital age.
At my house we don't actually have a TV (gasp! could it be true?) but we do have the ever-present laptop and internet connection. I find that for me personally, disconnecting from the internet is far more difficult than turning off the TV ever was. When I do turn the laptop off I find I do more housework, spend more one-on-one time with my daughter and have more patience in general.
So, are you curious? What would happen if you unplugged and spent a night as a family without the distraction of digital screens and media players? Share your experiences with us in the discussions!
