Screenless Sundays

The idea for Screenless Sundays came to me whilst I was, rather ironically, plonked in front of a boxset (or three) of Outnumbered.  The TV is often on in our house, as is the PC, and both can be huge distractions.  It is so easy to while away the hours on Facebook rather than doing something more constructive or social.  The children also enjoy watching films and CBeebies, playing with their electronic toys and have even started taking an interest in computer games.  With this in mind, I was merely curious, at first, if we could do it.  24 hours without staring at a screen.  No mobiles, no TV, no beloved Leapster Explorer for Jas, no laptops (regular or child-friendly), no iPods, no PC, no DS.

Frankly, it is quite a daunting prospect.  I am completely in the habit of checking emails/Facebook several times a day, of blogging as and when something occurs to me, and of using the television to fill the empty spaces between day and night.  However, I fully intend to raise children who can function without being plugged into something, therefore I must show them that I can be independent of technology myself.

The benefits of Screenless Sundays are, of course, numerous.  However scary I find the thought of being without the internet, etc, for one whole day out of every seven, I am well aware that we are more than capable of filling the hours with wholesome, bonding activities.  And the more I consider it, the more excited I become.

How much more can we see if we are out and about rather than inside and preoccupied?  How much more can we accomplish?  How many board games can we play, how many books can we read?  How far can we travel, together?  The possibilities are endless.

I have warmed to the idea to the extent that I plan to make 17/02/2013 our first Screenless Sunday. 

Wish me luck!

P.S. - Incidentally, I'm unsure whether to also include windscreens and camera screens as, although technically they are screens, I'm keen to argue that they could enhance the time we spend together.  Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.