It seems like there’s a National Day for everything now. There’s a National Pizza Day, a National Donut Day. Y’all- there’s even a National Ferret Day. But did you know that there’s a National Day of Unplugging? There is and it’s March 9th!
Now, we all know it’s good for us (and our kids) to turn off the phones, put away the tablets, step away from the TV. We know too much screen time can sabotage our sleep, mess with our kids’ brain development, and affect our teens’ brains like a drug. And yet, the path of least resistance is often the one where both the adults and young people in our homes spend lots of hours a day staring at a screen. Sometimes we need a catalyst to do the hard thing. That’s where the National Day of Unplugging comes in!
Want an excuse to turn off the electronics and just hang out with your people for a night? Let this National Day be the fall guy for you. I mean, we all know we use National Donut Day as an excuse to run through the Krispy Kreme drive through. Why can’t this be the same thing? When your kids complain, just blame the day. And then give them a super fun analog activity that will make them forget those screens, at least for a night. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Play some old-fashioned board games!
Break out that old Monopoly set! Or the UNO cards! Or, buy a super fun new game to teach your kids just for NDU! There are so many great games available these days- strategy games, cooperative games, word games, you name it. Find some more great suggestions here and here.
Get outside!
You never know what the weather will be like in Georgia during March. But if it’s nice outside, what better way to spend your unplugged evening than outdoors! Head to your favorite local park (or find your new favorite spot in Smyrna, Gwinnett, Atlanta, or Cherokee County). If your kids are too old for a playground, why not head out for a short hike? There are so many beautiful spots to explore around metro-Atlanta!
Serve together!
Need a quick way to regain some perspective, both for you and your kids? Why not spend your unplugged night serving others? There are some great places in and around Atlanta where you can work to better the community alongside your children. Brittni has some great suggestions here and Allison has more ideas here. No matter what you do, giving back will definitely bring your family together.
There are so many other ways to spend a screen-free evening with your fam! Cook together, head to the gym and exercise together, go hang out at IKEA! Check out the National Day of Unplugging website for more ideas and to find local events. Whatever you choose, the time spent looking at the faces of the most important people in your life will definitely be an evening well-spent.
