I had a message from our daughter-in-law asking if we could look after our granddaughters so that she and Leon could do some Christmas shopping. So this afternoon we took the two girls (aged 11 and 13) out to lunch at Frankie & Benny’s, and then took them to see The Grinch at our local cinema. Following this we brought them home to ours for tea.
I’d been wondering which activities would appeal to both of them when I originally agreed to babysit, and so bought some acrylic paints and a selection of pebbles for painting. I reckoned this activity would keep them amused until tea time.
Freed of their phones, we all sat around the table, chatted and painted pebbles. This activity, simple as it was, seemed to go down very well. The girls commented on how quiet our house is, and we replied how we like it that way. They’re used to the TV being on in the background at home, and at first they whispered until they became used to the silence.
They remarked about how much they’d enjoyed themselves when it was time to go back to Mum and Dad. I know as soon as they get home they’ll be on their phones again, but hopefully they’ll remember how nice it can be to sit around a table with family members and chat face to face.
Painting pebbles is cool.
Stevie Turner said:
Love your ‘anti-social devices’! Yes, tablets/iPhones definitely render the user anti-social. It’s great running about with the kids and wearing them out. We wear ourselves out too in the process, but it’s creating great memories. What memories will they get from staring at a screen?
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Phil Huston said:
Mine are not old enough for phones, but do have tablet ASDs (anti social devices) and you’d be surprised how much fun it is to put them down, go out in sweater weather in sock feet and help papa rake the leaves into a giant pile and jump in it, toss a small football and run like crazy in any direction, no mom or rules about anything but stay away from the street, much less about leaves and hair and dust and shoes and rolling in the grass squealing at little brother…Later I get a text from the daughter – “You picked the kids up, right?”
Yep. Wear their butts out, send them home hungry, tired and a little dirty. There are no video games for those things!
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dgkaye said:
Good on you for enforcing serenity on the girls, and who knows, maybe they’ll practice it once in awhile. 😉
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Stevie Turner said:
Hopefully…
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dgkaye said:
🙂 Hope floats.
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Denzil said:
A super idea, and definitely healthier for all concerned than screen time. On that subject – and I don’t want this to appear like a sales pitch (although I guess it is!) – I have just this week launched my book that aims to inspire adults with ideas on how to get children off screens and into the natural world outside. If you or anyone might be interested, you can find more at https://encourageachild.org/ Thank you.
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks Denzil.
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Jennie said:
The best! Far better than anything involving technology.
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Stevie Turner said:
Too true.
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Jennie said:
😀
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franklparker said:
A great idea – fits with Denzil Walton’s ideas about getting them involved with nature so I’ve shared it on my site, referencing my interview with him.
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Stevie Turner said:
Cheers Frank. It stops them looking at their phones. That’s what I like about it.
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Pingback: More Non-Screen Activities to Share « Frank Parker's author site
Stevie Turner said:
Thanks for the link.
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Darlene said:
What a great idea. My girls like doing that sort of thing too. They also like baking with me. Xo
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Stevie Turner said:
I don’t do baking, as I hate cooking. I don’t mind painting or colouring though.
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survivingtilbedtime said:
What a cute idea! My daughter’s two so she might be a little young but I have some older nieces. I’m totally going to suggest this to my mother in law! Thanks!
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Stevie Turner said:
It’s good for getting them away from their phones, as they can’t text and paint pebbles at the same time.
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jenanita01 said:
Reblogged this on anita dawes and jaye marie.
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks for re-blogging! Merry Christmas!
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jenanita01 said:
and to you and yours, Stevie!
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jenanita01 said:
I love peace and quiet, and painting anything. Very restorative…
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Stevie Turner said:
Yes…good for the soul.
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ksbeth said:
Beautiful
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks!
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Robert Kirkendall said:
It’s important to unplug and enjoy the quiet, that’s how people lived for the great majority of human history.
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Stevie Turner said:
Absolutely.
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jwebster2 said:
brilliant way to spend time together 🙂
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Stevie Turner said:
It was great. Nanny’s going to put a nice film on now that doesn’t feature a Grinch. Bye for now.
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jwebster2 said:
LOL
I think Nanny deserves a glass of something that isn’t all sugar, colouring and bubbles as well 🙂
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Stevie Turner said:
Green tea will do me just as well.
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jwebster2 said:
I could never cope with the hard stuff 🙂
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