The Big Screen Switch Off is an idea based around helping our children (and ourselves) regulate screen time. Let’s start small. How about for 3 hours every week, between the hours of 5pm and 8pm on a Wednesday, we all turn off our phones, TVs, Nintendo Switches, VRs and whatever else we’ve got illuminated in front of our eyes.
Now I know 3 hours sounds like a lot, but you’ve probably also got dinner time in there too, which is always better if there are no screens. You can find out about each other’s day? It’s not straight after school either, so your young people still get the chance to do homework, debrief on social media, watch a few cartoons to unwind…
The reason it’s a regular time on a regular day? Well there are many reasons. Some people aren’t good with change, especially when it takes them away from something they might well be addicted to, or depend on. If they can see it coming, it might make it more successful.
Also, one of the main reasons my own kids find it hard when we have downtime is FOMO. Fear of missing out. All their friends are still online and chatting, they will be left out. But not if I can convince all of their friends families to join in, and all have screens off at the same time. We might even all meet up for a walk/ play in the park/ game/ chat, face to face!
Why make a website? Well I wanted a way to package this as an idea. Who knows, this might grow beyond our small Southampton neighbourhood into something bigger! I’d love it if it did. Maybe some big organisations can get behind it, maybe even do awards and rewards for children who manage the big switch off each week for a whole year… ok, I’m getting ahead of myself.
Let’s start small, like I said. On this website I hope to keep you updated with how many people are joining in, what we are getting up to and ideas for things you can do during the switch off. Perhaps you could write in and tell me what you did, and I can blog about it?
Sound good?
Why don’t you first take a look at my first blog posts around why too much screen time can be a bad thing: Too Much Information
and if you’re up for joining in, maybe read the blog post about The Rules.
In the mean time, get off this screen and say hello to someone!
But if you don’t want to do that just now, then please fill in a quick survey with your thoughts, comments, suggestions…
If you want to support this initiative (I’m running it voluntarily!), feel free to buy me a coffee!
The Big Screen Switch Off 