desymbol: ‘We Did Not Stage This Photo’: Mom Shares What Happened After Forbidding Screen Time

One of the coziest and comfiest things that you can do is spend all of Saturday morning cuddled up in bed, reading books with your family. The only way things could be better if reading time is followed by a full English breakfast (make the bacon extra crispy), a pot of Earl Grey tea, and a walk in the local park to feed the ducks.

Mother, writer, and blogger Molly DeFrank found out firsthand that limiting the time her kids spend glued to phone, TV, and computer screens has plenty of upsides. She posted an honest, wholesome, and unstaged photo of her family reading books in bed one Saturday morning. It’s so heartwarming that we couldn’t help but smile.

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Molly DeFrank captured a wholesome photo of her kids reading in bed

Image credits: Molly DeFrank

She explained that ‘pulling the plug’ on sitting in front of phone, TV, and computer screens had amazing effects for her munchkins

Some of the benefits of reducing screen time include improved creativity, more vivid imaginations, revived curiosity about the world, soaring academic performances, better sleep, more happiness, and better attitudes. And the best part? Limiting screen time and doing a tech-detox is far easier than it sounds. We adults could also benefit from taking a longer break from screens, wouldn’t you agree?

DeFrank’s kids found it hard to deal with the tech detox at first, but quickly adjusted

Image credits: Molly DeFrank

“My kids love all of the screens. But the screens do not love my kids back. It turns out that screens were doing to my children exactly what the studies claimed they were doing: cultivating distracted, grumpy and argumentative little people. Not what I want for my babies who I love more than life,” DeFrank wrote in her blog.

“I knew screens were having a negative impact on my kids, even though we only allowed an hour a day. One day when I got home after running errands, my kindergartener greeted me at the door with, “Can I play on your phone?” Nope. That was the last straw. My husband and I decided that we needed a course correction, ASAP.”

The mother and writer suggests that we all try limiting screen time

Image credits: Molly DeFrank

She continued: “So we told the kids at dinner that screens were no longer an option in our home. After the weeping and gnashing of teeth subsided, guess what? Everyone moved on. What started as a thirty day screen detox has become a lifestyle overhaul in our home of five children under the age of ten. Quitting was shockingly easy, surprisingly sustainable, and my nine year old daughter has told me on several occasions that she’s glad we’ve cut them out.”

Dear Pandas, have you taken a break from using technology? Have you ever done a complete tech-detox for a long period of time? Do you limit the time you spend in front of phone, TV, and computer screens in your everyday life? Do you have any advice on how to rest from using technology for those of us who work with computers all day long? We’d love to hear your thoughts and advice, so drop us a line in the comments!