Someone recently asked my kids what they are excited about doing this summer and Jake quickly and enthusiastically replied, “Video Games!!!!”   Oh boy, here we go again with another lovely saga of parents vs. electronics!  Which reminded me…

After one of my children was grounded almost all of last summer from electronics, I realized that even our carefully thought through electronic time limits were excessive.  Without electronics as a go-to, that child became more creative, initiated playing long-forgotten games from the game closet with the sibling, finished fun “projects” that had been started but abandoned, etc.

Side note:  Why was my child grounded from electronics for months? 
Because losing them for shorter periods of time was a consequence for a certain behavioral issue.  Once they were earned back, the child immediately lost them again.  Round and round we went with longer amounts of time for the consequence so that the total ended up being about 4 months.  I’m happy to say that the persistence in discipline, discussion, and much prayer from this mommy paid off as we have yet to see a repeat of the particular issue.  Whew, that was a doozie!

Just in our little family’s microcosm of America, I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly of electronics.  And, I’ve been fascinated to read scientific research and anecdotal stories of the impact through Dr. Chapman and Arlene Pellicane’s book, Growing Up Social: Raising Relational Kids in a Screen Driven World.

Summer’s comin’ fast y’all, and I like a plan.  This year we are going to try some electronic free days.

Electronic free also means:

• freedom from keeping track of electronic limits
• freedom from arguing or whining for more (or the more polite version, “May I please just finish the level?” (which in our house translates to foreeeeeever!)
• freedom from feeling the parental guilt of letting their brains turn to mush…

I’m looking forward to what these electronic free days bring!  Anyone with me?
Who knows, maybe one of the wonderful byproducts of electronic free will mean more teachable moments!  Don’t forget to use your copy of Parenting with Scripture: A Topical Guide for Teachable Moments as a resource!