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While there are many gifts that technology has given us, there is more and more discussion lately about the potential negative effects that the overuse of technology can have, especially for our children. It can have a detrimental effect on our mental and physical health, social skills, and ability to focus, listen, and pay attention. Social media in particular can make us compare our full, messy lives to the highlight reels of others’ lives, leaving us feeling drained, anxious, and depressed. It can suck time from otherwise meaningful pursuits and often leaves us feeling more isolated, not more connected. It also encourages sedentary behavior, as we sit and stare at screens instead of playing and exploring outside. 

With all this in mind, there are plenty of strategies that we can utilize to help our children navigate this new, crazy world filled with external stimulation, including keeping smartphones out of schools and delaying their use in general. Of course, it is much easier when our own community is in the same headspace as us, but it can be a challenge to get everyone on the same page. Peer pressure from friends is inevitable, and no parent wants her child to feel left out. Even the most die-hard mothers and fathers who deny their kids technology as long as possible are guilty of using it themselves, and smartphone use is so integrated into just about every aspect of our lives. Even when differentiating what adults and children are allowed to do, it can be hard to set the example that we want to set. Still, it feels like we are approaching the peak of frustrations with the excessive use of technology, as more and more parents delay and limit screens, and we are becoming fed up with the negative effects we observe on our quality of life and frame of mind.

Instead of focusing solely on what and how we need to delay, limit, or eliminate, it is helpful to also think about what we could add into our lives and the lives of our children. If we start to add in positive alternatives, we can crowd out unnecessary technology use. Encouraging our children to simply get outside more and play is a perfect start. This is a little bit easier now with the summer months upon us, including longer days and warmer months (or at least less rain for those of us in Marin County). We have so many amazing natural resources here in the Bay Area, including parks, trails, the water, the beach, mountains, and the list goes on. The options are endless, and there is something for everyone. Not only will getting outside more be great for our kids, but also for us adults. It will encourage more movement, which will improve our mental and physical health, lift our mood, help us to focus on the things that matter, and inspire us to be more present, connected, and joyful in our everyday lives.

We could go for a stroller walk through town with our babies or hike the beautiful trails with our teenagers. We could teach our toddlers how to swim at the pool or teach our older kids how to standup paddleboard or kayak on the Bay. We could ride our bikes to the playground to meet up with their friends or make new ones. We could go to the beach and play in the sand. We could go camping with our little ones and their friends’ families. We could water plants and tend to a garden. We could walk around the farmers market and explore all the different food stalls. In addition to outdoor activities that involve movement, there are other ways to get outside that perhaps require less physical energy, such as a family picnic, an outdoor art project, or a live music event. Moreover, let’s not forget that children playing outside independently can be extremely meaningful in their development.

Whatever we gravitate toward, leaving our screens behind and getting outside more, especially in nature, can be a wonderful way to connect with our children, stimulate play and creativity, improve mental health, and encourage physical activity for all of us. Honestly, sometimes all we need is a little fresh air, sunshine, and movement to recharge and fill up our cups. We are all just doing our best and trying to navigate this new territory. It is not easy! Let’s support each other in our quest to raise a generation of kind, calm, connected, creative, and healthy humans.