In a world that is more connected than ever a complete disconnect is occurring. The influence of social media is now predominant in most households and causing gardeners of all ages to to be more anti-social than ever before.
“Human beings are an ultra-social species — and our nervous systems expect to have others around us,” Emiliana Simon-Thomas, PhD
Being social-emotional learning advocates we recognize how important it is to consistently encourage deep connections and screen free socializing. According to unicef.org, "Too much passive use of social media – just browsing posts – can be unhealthy and has been linked to feelings of envy, inadequacy and less satisfaction with life. Studies have even suggested that it can lead to ADHD symptoms, depression, anxiety and sleep deprivation."
Today we are sharing some screen free tips to help gardeners of all ages look up and reconnect.
Write letters to your family & friends! (Make your own note cards like we did here with our mini origami foxes).
2. Write a list of screen free activities you and your family & enjoy. Use this as a reference when you need to unplug. Click Here for some ideas.
3. Set timers for screen use. This helps young kids be responsible for shutting off devices themselves without being asked.
4. Lead by example and monitor your own screen time. Kids are always paying attention to what we do.
5. Schedule screen time to discourage kids from voluntarily getting on a device.
