What is it with playdates these days? Both of my older kids (ages 9 and 7) have had several playdates in recent weeks and it seems like kids are no longer "playing" on the playdates. Rather, they are obsessed with playing video games with one another. It totally bothers the hubs and I that playdates have turned into this kind of digital madness. What ever happened to actually playing with each other? Like playing Legos or board games or tag outside? Are we the only ones with kids who insist on playing Minecraft when they have friends over? Sheesh.
I find myself constantly saying to my kids, "why don't you actually play something with each other instead of just play on your iPods?". But, alas, the kids say that IS their version of playing on a playdate.
This summer we've decided to have one screen-free day per week in order to get the kids to detox from their laptops, iPods, XBOX, and other devices. The kids have actually not complained too much about it and I'm enjoying watching them use their creative brains to stay busy sans devices.
What about your kids -- do they still play alongside their friends during playdates? How do you help encourage that?
It's not just you. Same happens at our house and it drives me bonkers. We have instituted the rule at our house this summer that you earn screen time by reading first. Straight time ratio - one hour of reading for one hour on the DS. How else are we ever going to meet our summer AR goal?
Posted by: Janelle | June 17, 2013 at 08:45 AM
Hey Candy! It's definitely not just you! This topic has actually been really interesting to me lately because a lot of the research points to this "screen time play time" as being a major trend - and there's a lot of controversy over how beneficial or harmful it can be.
I actually wrote an article on it that got published here, I'd love it if you'd check it out and maybe give me some feedback:
http://www.platformbedsonline.com/blog/interior-design/kids-bedroom-design-sparks-imagination-creativity/
Basically, it talks about how creative and especially unstructured play is crucial to a child's growth and development both creatively and critically. An iPad game can be "educational," but merely from a "knowledge" perspective, not from a logical, resourceful, and creative perspective.
I definitely had a strict 1-hour-per-day screentime policy in my house (exceptions of course for school research) and I think it's a smart choice. I applaud your choice to have a "Screen-Free" day once a week! Great job, mom! :)
Posted by: Mike | June 19, 2013 at 03:13 PM