How to Switch off Your Phones and Find Your Family
Strong words about technology were the key to a wilderness adventure
Not today, not on my watch.
I’ve known my stepdaughter since she was five.
This year, she became a teenager. I’ve watched her grow in body and mind. I’ve also seen her pay more attention to screens than the real world. Last weekend, I had the chance to remedy this. At least for a little while.
Do you watch as everyone around you stares into their glowing screens?
It’s not only today’s children that are overly reliant on technology. Sometimes, adults, too, need a reminder. There is more to life than a digital display.
It used to be a comic strip joke. Two friends at a restaurant, both texting other people instead of talking to each other. Now, it is a sad reality.
Today, you will read how my family left the tech behind, except for one brief moment.
We found ourselves, we found each other, and we found forgotten joy in the deep woodlands of England.
Get everyone to leave the tech behind and head out on an adventure.
Be inspired to insist.
Before it's too late.
"What Shall We Do?" "Dunno."
It's still winter here in the UK.
Days out have been put on hold. And our little family of three has drifted into the doldrums.
We get less leisure time together than some of our friends.
Mrs M and I work long hours. Grace is not only busy with school. She has myriad extra activities, mainly in the world of dance.
So, when we have a few hours to spend together, I try to find something that is, well, "good".
But, recently, whenever we ask the little 'un what she'd like to do, her answer is non-commital, should we even get one.
She's just hit the "Phone, Games Console or YouTube" phase.
Now, I remember this from my childhood in the 1970s and 80s.
It was the dawn of home computing. My brother and I were excited to spend as much time as possible with our new Sinclair ZX Spectrum. But we were equally enticed by the great outdoors in our beautiful Cheshire countryside.
Under our parents' careful eye, we had an even measure of both.
Today, it feels much more like a battle of wills.
Grace used to love being outside. Learning about the natural world. Discovering a new animal or plant.
Now, she'd rather glance at an online photograph than interact with the real thing.
"What is real? How do you define 'real'? If you're talking about what you can feel, what you can smell, what you can taste and see, then 'real' is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain." (Morpheus, The Matrix)
Simple electrical signals they may be.
But I'd rather they were based on a non-electronic version of the world to start with.
We're Going "Out Out"
Our attempt at planning Sunday afternoon hit the familiar wall.
The three of us mumbled a bit, then fell quiet. Two of them returned to their shiny little screens.
"Right, that's it!" I declared. "We're going for a walk, and that's final."
It's not often I get to put my foot down.
It was quite a thrill, actually.
In the spirit of allowing them at least a little freedom, I offered them three options. I used to perform conjuring tricks and was trained in using the "Magician's Choice."
Needless to say, I got the one I wanted.
Fresh Air and a Fresh Point of View
We headed off to a local forest.
It's a place we've all grown to love over the years. Trees, wildlife, steady climbs and a flowing river. It is a true treasure in the heart of a changing world.
And it's quiet.
As we chose our path, I noticed that the party's youngest member nearly tripped as she stared at her phone. I'd seen the tree root. Her mother had seen it.
The thirteen-year-old had seen an advert for a beauty product.
"Okay, hand it over!"
"What?"
The look of indignation on her face. Oh my.
"We're not here for phones, are we?" I turned to her mum. "Yours too. Let's put all three phones away."
With all the family devices safely secured in my zippered pockets, we set our faces to the breeze and made progress.
"I'm going to see how close I can get to the river," stated our young one.
My face broke out into a huge smile. Suddenly, she was five again. Excited by a new adventure.
I looked over at Mrs M, who nodded wisely. Even she had been reluctant to hand over her phone. But now she could see the reason.
For an hour, we lost ourselves in the peaceful paths of a wintry woodland.
The only time a phone was used was to take the photo you can see above.
What you can't see is the massive grin on our little girl's face as she figured out her climb.
"You've been living in a dream world, Neo. This is the real world." (Morpheus, The Matrix)
I was so happy.
So, so happy.
Because we all were.
Perhaps this simple tale will help with your next spot of free time.
Whether with family or friends, have a go at leaving the virtual world to one side.
Enjoy the real one while there's still some of it left.
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Thanks for reading.
Mark
Oh I love this. We try to get out as much as possible in order to avoid screens, my kids are 5 and under so it's not as hard as it would be with a 13 year old, but already I find it so much easier to keep their attention if all possible screen related distractions are out of reach. The place you visited sounds lovely, too.