Screen-Free Travel with Children
Jul 01, 2024 | by Robin Barneby
Summer is upon us. With this very special time of year where we come together in so many ways, we sometimes leave our cocoon of close friends, teachers, community where we are raising our children in like-minded ways. We depart to visit our parents, our grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, etc.
And so we find ourselves out of our “bubble” and in a familiar, yet different realm. A world where screens are used morning, noon and night. A world where the cousins each have a phone, the t.v. is on round the clock and conversation can involve the latest movie, “show”, or social media posting.
We, of course, love our families, our childhood friends, but they may not parent or teach in the same way. How do we navigate both the differences in parenting and the bombardment of screen use both on the road to reach our loved ones and once we arrive?
At the New Village School, we take pride in respecting and protecting childhood. We must be true to ourselves, to our children, to our community and to our commitment to raising children in a way that takes courage.
As I reflect upon long plane rides, car rides, and let’s face it, an afternoon with my favorite uncle, who just couldn’t leave the t.v. off - ever. How do we honor what we believe in, be polite and respectful to our relatives/hosts and meet our children where they need to be met?
If you truly want to protect childhood, do you do it fleetingly? Do you do it 50 weeks of the year, but not two? Do you waiver in your values to fit the needs of others?
Just maybe you might plant the seed that actually sparks a new way of being for your relatives…or maybe not. The truth is, you can’t control what others will do, what they will say, or what they may think of you and how you choose to raise your child/children. You can, however, hold on to your values, be true to yourself, honor your commitment to other families and enjoy your time while simultaneously upholding your beliefs with your children. Be brave!
Traveling with young children at this time in our world is very different. Screens are EVERYWHERE. They take food orders, pay the check, check your luggage, your hotel and your dinner reservations. I almost can’t imagine what it would be like as an adult to live without a phone. How would we find our accommodations? Our maps, our directions? How would we find our restaurant, our hotel?
Today many parents reach for the phone, the iPad, to do anything but allow their child to experience boredom. We even do it ourselves. Next time you are in line for a coffee, see if you can just observe the surroundings, say good morning to another human, read the menu a few times or do you instantly pull out your phone? Look around at all the heads down, looking at theirs. We are losing human connection. Yet at our school, we fight for it. We go out of our way to create connections and bonds with one another. Our children see us at pick-up having lively conversations, parents and parents, parents and teachers, children across the grades. That is a gift we are giving - not just to our children - but to each other.
Be inspired by this community, by preserving childhood and think about how you will pass the time with your children on flights, on the road, and with family. Let’s take a moment now to discuss with our partners, our friends, our teachers as we embark on the holiday travel.
Let’s allow our children the opportunity to look out the window and watch the trees go by.
Specific suggestions? Here you go:
Speak to your relatives ahead of time, share articles regarding the benefits of screen-free childhood. Be prepared to have this conversation, so that the day you arrive/they arrive, phones are stored away and the t.v. is off. Plan time together such as taking walks, baking, crafting, etc.
Ideas for flights:
*Nothing beats a new, fresh package of modeling clay and some tools (spoons) to use on a long flight
*Finger knitting: all you need is yarn. I like using yarn that changes color as you knit
*Beeswax: help your child by warming it up in your hands and then they can mold into various shapes
- Lacing cards or blocks
- Mini dolls/animals that have clothing to change
- New books they have never seen
- For older children (8+) Mad Libs, word searches, crosswords puzzles
Tip: wrap each item in cloth with many ribbons to untie. Pull one out of your bag, as needed