The Screen-time Alternative We Love
- GayatriM
- Mar 26, 2020
- 1 min read
by Mary Qamaniq-Mason
I am seeing a ton of parents post about unlimited screen time for kids right now. That is totally awesome for everyone, sounds like a blast, and you get cheers from me - not judgement. Personally all I want to do at the moment is have a Netflix marathon...
But, having a gifted, spirited, amazing, "difficult" child who was adopted from foster care, my heart goes out to parents of children with special needs who really can't handle more than an hour of screen time without completely melting down and turning home life into family hell! To those parents who are trying to keep kids balanced and occupied indoors all day right now without screens - you're hero's.
For our family, one of our best strategies (for quarantine, holidays, weekends, Fridays, whatever) is audiobooks, audiobooks, audiobooks.
And, PSA: audible stories is now free for everyone
Mary Qamaniq-Mason is a mom of two and a foster mom of more. She'd been studying yoga and meditation since she was four years old. She has a Phd in Education, and writes books for children and parenting articles for grown ups. You can find her at allofustogether.blog
I tell parents that bedtime should be soothing, not stimulating. Short moral stories in English achieve this balance perfectly—brief enough to avoid late-night excitement yet packed with lessons that guide children toward empathy, respect, and thoughtful decision-making.