By: DIANTÉ MARIGNY
Last summer, I wrote about something that weighed heavily on me as a mom: how close I came to letting iPads and screens steal a piece of my daughters’ childhood.
Like many parents, it happened gradually. A few minutes here and there turned into longer stretches of time. Before I knew it, screens were becoming the default answer to boredom. The girls weren’t in trouble. They weren’t doing anything wrong. In fact, they were doing exactly what screens are designed to make us do—keep watching.
Thankfully, I recognized what was happening and decided to make a change.
A year later, I can honestly say it was one of the best parenting decisions I’ve made.
Now, before anyone panics, this is not a “screens are evil” column. My kids still watch movies. They still enjoy a favorite show. They still get screen time. But it is limited, and it is no longer the center of their day.
Experts generally recommend limiting recreational screen time for school-aged children to around one to two hours a day, depending on age and circumstances. That guideline works well for our family. Some days it’s less. Some days, especially during a movie night, it’s a little more. The goal isn’t perfection. The goal is balance.
What surprised me most wasn’t how much screen time we removed. It was how much life we gained.
Living on South Padre Island gives us opportunities many families dream about. We have miles of beaches right in our backyard. Some of our favorite summer days are the simplest ones—building sandcastles, collecting seashells, flying kites, watching dolphins from the bay or simply splashing in the waves.
For older children and teens, activities like jet skiing, paddleboarding, kayaking and fishing can provide adventure while creating memories that no video game can replicate.
One of our newer family hobbies is canvas painting. The supplies are inexpensive, and every painting becomes a keepsake, some even filled with the Island’s seashells. Our daughters proudly display their artwork on their bedroom walls, creating a gallery that tells the story of their creativity. Some masterpieces are better than others, but every single one is special.
I also recently taught my daughters how to crochet. There is something refreshing about teaching a skill that doesn’t require batteries, Wi-Fi or a charging cable. We sit together, talk, laugh and occasionally untangle yarn disasters. Those moments have become some of my favorites.
We take family walks. We play board games. We put together puzzles. We read books. Sometimes we bake cookies. Sometimes we do absolutely nothing but sit outside and talk while watching the sunset.
And honestly? Those have become the moments my children remember most.
If you’re looking for ideas this summer, here are a few inexpensive activities to try:
- Visit the beach and build a sandcastle competition.
- Create a family scavenger hunt.
- Paint canvases or rocks.
- Start a small garden.
- Learn a new craft like crocheting or knitting.
- Visit the South Padre Island Entertainment District and ride the Ferris wheel.
- Have a family game night.
- Take evening walks around your neighborhood.
- Collect seashells and create artwork with them.
- Host a backyard picnic.
- Visit local parks.
- Keep a summer journal.
- Have a weekly movie night complete with homemade popcorn.
- Volunteer together for a community event.
The truth is, children don’t need constant entertainment. They need opportunities to be creative, curious and occasionally even bored. Boredom is often where imagination begins.
One day, our children won’t remember what level they reached on a game or how many videos they watched. But they may remember the sandcastle they built with Mom, the painting hanging on their wall, the evening walk where everyone laughed until their stomach hurt, or the summer they learned how to crochet.
There is so much more to life than a screen.
This summer, I encourage you to put the tablets down for a little while, step outside and make a memory. The emails can wait. The notifications can wait. Childhood can’t.
And trust me, it’s worth it.
Comments