Family Time + Screen Time: Finding the Right Mix

They say we are gonna miss this.

They say the days are long but the years are short.

But what do they say about a regular ‘ol Saturday when Mom just wants a break ‘cause there aren’t any sports scheduled and after awhile, the kids say they’re bored….and then they beg for the darn iPad…?

I have a love/hate relationship with devices but am learning to be okay with them… in moderation.

So today, we made a deal: walk with Mom on the beach and then we’ll pull out the devices for a bit.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents set sensible boundaries on how much screen time is appropriate for their child. The Child Mind Institute says that just as important, is designating media-free spaces (like bedrooms + the dinner table). They say don’t make screens the reward or the consequence.

Which brings me back to that beach walk. I guess I used their device as a reward, but does it count if I was going to let them use their devices anyway…. I just happened to work in a family walk too? I’m learning, day by day. As parents, aren’t we all?

Remember when we would plop our kiddos in the stroller or wagon and if they fussed, we would toss them a snack and they would go wherever we rolled them? Well, we still travel with snacks, but now some adventures require more negotiations than others.

Day by day.

Day by day…

And I know, I will miss this.