I spent last week making final plans for our homeschool year, our most “plugged in” year yet. I think that most of us with school-aged children must be facing something similar, and I am very grateful for our online schooling options. My middle school and high school kids will all be taking online classes (I can tell you more about that in my next post if you’d like.) However, it has always been my goal to minimize screen time, and I can’t pretend that screen time in recent months at our house has been minimal. So much has gotten in the way of my ideals this year. This pandemic and the financial consequences of it that are requiring us to work more, extreme weather making outdoor play unpleasant-too brutally hot and dry for weeks followed by weeks of too much rain and nasty humidity, and being just plain stressed, overwhelmed, and discouraged at the state of everything. My goal heading into this fall is to be more intentional when I can, to spend more time planning ahead for unplugged activities for my younger kids (while structuring screen time with my older kids so that they don’t sit looking at one all the time!) but also to give myself grace when things don’t go as planned. Mom’s mental health has to be a priority as well. Please don’t forget to take care of yourself, even if that means letting your little guys watch shows in the afternoon while you read a book or catch up on work.
Over the years, whenever I have fallen into allowing more screen time than I’d like, which in my experience leads to kids not knowing what to do with themselves other than more of the same, I have sat down to make a list of activities. Some of them only require me to set out the materials, and some require me to be a part of them. Maybe two lists would be good? Activities with mom, and activities without. I have collected many books full of ideas over the nearly twenty years I’ve been parenting. I first started making these lists when my oldest son was a baby who didn’t sleep and I didn’t know what to do with him. I was twenty-two when he was born and the days were long.
When my friend, Rachel Wolf, started working on The Unplugged Family Activity Book, she had no idea how timely it would be. So many of us are looking for fresh ideas right now, or even new takes on familiar ones to help us get through these months. Rachel sent me a copy a few weeks ago and it’s a beautiful, inspiring book. The activities are divided seasonally and I always love it when a book is organized that way. When I pull out my stack of activity books to work on my lists in the coming weeks, hers will be at the top. Right now, we have loads of marigolds blooming and Rachel’s summer flower bunting project was a perfect afternoon activity for Mabel. She loved carefully threading the flowers, and I love that I will be able to use the dried marigolds in my dyepots this winter.
Rachel would like to give one of you a copy of her book as well! For your chance to win, leave a comment on this post. I will close comments and randomly select a winner on Friday.
The winner is Bethany, who commented, “I would love a copy of this book! I would also love to know what your own activity list includes if you ever were up for writing a post about that. :)”
I’ve emailed you, Bethany, and will hopefully write that post sometime soon!
Would love to check out this book. I’m right there with you, Ginny, with 8 schooling this year plus a one year old… and the screen time issues…always love to see your beautiful pics of the beautiful things in life.
Would love to win this lovely giveaway. Thank you!
So lovely! What a wonderful idea.
Thank you for the beauty of your photography!
My question is: How do you decide who wins the book, Ginny? Do you kinda close your eyes and poke at the screen? Or will Mabel choose which little icon she prefers? Thanks for a timely post on a reoccurring challenge for modern parents everywhere. (PS I’m in Australia so I guess if my name get’s picked then I’ll have to pay more for postage-I’m fine with that.)
This looks like an interesting book!
Ha! That would be easier, but I use a random number generator and then count through the comments starting at the first one. 🙂
I’d love to see this book. Thanks
Looks like a beautiful book!
Thanks for the opportunity to win this book – it looks great!
Thank you for the opportunity ?
I would love this book. I work with kiddos of varying ages and do “outdoor school” as much as possible. this would be an amazing addition to my resources.
This book looks great! This day and age is shaping up to be very challenging. My kids are grown now, but when they were young we “unplugged” too. They still talk about our family days, nurturing activities and how their friends wanted to know why their families didn’t do the same. We are all very close to this day, and I have to think that choosing to focus on activities and less screen time had something to do with that. ❤️
thanks – I would love this!
What a lovely garland!
Oh my goodness, this sounds wonderful. Thank you for the chance to win!
What a lovely idea for a book and timely too! I would love to read it and share it with my sister and her large blended family with many ages under one roof. The Marigold garland makes me smile!
What a wonderful, timely giveaway. Beautiful!
As the mother of an asd special needs boy, I am particularly sensitive to screen time. It is very tempting to let him watch tv as it is one of the only times he is still. However, the resulting behavior is not worth it. I am always looking for activities he can manage that will provide stimulation but not the over stimulation a screen provides. It is a struggle to achieve a balance that will give him the best life.
When our kids were babies, I promised myself that they would spend all of their time outside, with rocks and sticks. And they’re on too damn much TV today. Reality of parenting in 2020, or does it have to be?
What a wonderful book!
I love the unplugged theme, now more timely than ever. My niece is a mother of 5, including twins! I try and give my nieces and nephews gifts that are fun, wholesome, educational and creativity-inspiring. This book would make a great and unexpected/out of the blue gift — the very best kind!
I have two granddaughters who I would love to show this book to, and let them pick out activities to work on together. Thank you for the chance to win this gift!
I would love to give this book to my daughter to use with her two girls!
Thank you for the opportunity to win this book. I am so interested in this topic!
Would love to give this book to my daughter-in-law and three grandchildren.
Would love to win this and hear more about homeschooling middle/high school! Thanks so much:)
I’d love this book for my sister and her children.
Very well timed give away. Thank you
Would love this book!
Thanks for the chance to win the book! Looks great!
Thank you for the chance at the book. More thanks for being real and not one of these moms who look like they can do it all. I think your kids will learn valuable lessons, I know we do coming here to read your blog. Thank all of you for the beautiful pictures and book suggestions.
That book sounds like the perfect thing for our family!
The marigold bunting is beautiful! I look forward to seeing what else comes from those flowers.
We would love this book! I am looking for new ideas to engage everyone that don’t include the tv.
I’d love to hear more about your online options for your older kids! It’s been so hard being away from friends and balancing technology.
Your marigold bunting is so pretty. It will transition nicely into Fall too.
This book looks like a winner. xo
This book sounds great!
What a perfect idea for a book! I know that I need more ideas for offline time for my young ones.
Ooh, this one looks like so much fun! I think I enjoy project books like this as much as my kids do( :
Our screen time has gotten quite out of hand these past months! Trying to lessen it but also be gentle with myself. It’s not always easy to keep an almost 4 year old and an 19 month old busy!
This is awesome! I do feel my children are more discontent after “watching shows.” It ends up making me even more tired to listen to them than I was before they watched. I am not doing the tech thing well. Here’s to a new start.
I think so many of us are trying to find that balance. In our virtual schooling setup we have Wednesday off when most districts around us have Friday off. That day is going to be our unplug day. I already have outdoor field trips planned (ones that involve us very far from people in the mountains) but certainly need snowy day ideas because I only have 6 weeks before those set in!
Ginny,
Just by your photography’s and your choice of words so pure and honest it’s easy to tell you have a beautiful soul. I visit your blog because of that and of course the creativity. Your words speak volumes to what’s going on so open and comforting know we are not alone in any of this craziness of abnormality. Your blog offers a spiritual, soft, steps of days past and the simplicity that is relaxing to visit.
Being an empty nester who lost my other in 2017 it’s often difficult to occupy one’s time in living alone. Being of a bit at risk for covid no one visits, in fact, can’t remember my last hug. Your blog is comforting in all ways which brightens my day. I thank you for that especially in this time of crisis we are all experiencing.
I want to give a shout out to you and all the mom’s as my kids are grown with families of their own. I admire all of the mom’s who have to endure such a time in this life. I don’t know how I would react had it happen when mine own were so small. You are all amazing even in your moments of the unknown, the decisions all have to make for your children. Blessings to all of the mom’s enduring this odd time in the world, you are all simply beautiful.
Thank you, Pamela! Wish I could send you a hug!
This book looks like it’s filled with fun and cherished memories for the making! It would be so wonderful to explore these ideas with my kids! Thank you for the opportunity to win this giveaway!
This looks like a great book. For both kids and adults. I have been doing more creative projects lately for self-care and to get through this time. The other day my granddaughter and I spent 3 hours making different train cars for her brother from those little plastic beads you stick on a plastic peg board type-thing and then iron into a permanent flat shape. I made a caboose, flat bed, coal car, and a cattle car. I had made the engine a few weeks earlier. He was pleased as could be, and I felt relaxed.
This book would be so helpful in planning activities to do with my granddaughter. Thank you for the opportunity to win!
unsettled and topsy-turvy and all of those things – yes! help!
So nice to see someone devoting energy to unplugged living. Thanks for the chance.
What a cool giveaway and very apropos. Fingers crossed ??!
I would love a copy of this book! I would also love to know what your own activity list includes, if you ever were up for writing a post about that. 🙂
Would love this book