"Turn it off" Thursday

I wanted to write an official post about our family's Thursday evenings. Approximately a month ago, we initiated what we call "Turn it off" Thursday. During the evening, while stepson is here, we turn off everything electronic. Well, all technological "toys". This includes computers, gaming systems, and cellphones. 

The purpose of this was to teach stepson how valuable it can be to unplug from electronics, and enjoy other things. Thursday evenings have been a huge success. We plan on keeping it going. 

Here are some things we have done, instead of picking up the computer/phone/ds: 

• Read a book.
• Deep cleaning. 
• Play a board game as a family. We have discovered so many board games that have been collecting dust in the closets.
• Play outside. 
• Take a family walk, including Ella. 
• Talk, and actually listen, not nod while reading something online/trying to finish a level. 
• Laugh, a lot. 
• Take our time eating dinner, telling more stories. No one is worried about rushing back to what they were doing. 

It has been so enjoyable. It has rubbed off onto other nights. We will sit down and play a board game, instead of each retreating to our own electronic. My husband and I will cook, and clean, together while having a discussion. It makes chores go so much faster. 

I challenge you. Pick an evening, or a few hours, sometime during the week. Announce that this will be the evening that you will unplug and run with it. See what happens. See which activities your family starts to enjoy. Sometimes we are so "connected" to the world, that we forget to connect to the people right around us.