Countdown to Christmas

 

Image via Pixabay

I’m all for giving Thanksgiving it’s time to shine and like to appreciate the cool down and beauty of fall. However, my big kid so kindly brought to my attention that there are only 10 weeks until Christmas! 

Where do I even begin thinking about that?

I look around at our play room and wonder where I will squeeze another round of toys in. If I’m going to have to clean out to make room, I better get started! I’ll research organization tips and tricks and feel like I have my life together for a minute. Then, Dec 26 will roll around and I will be up to my ears in things to find homes for. It’s all worth it though, to see their little faces light up when they open something they have been wanting. 

I remember as a kid getting a Sears Wishbook in the mail. My siblings and I would sit and study each page of the latest and greatest toys of the year. We circled the things we would talk about to anyone who would listen for the next two months. Last year, we received similar catalogs from Amazon and WalMart and it felt like passing on a tradition to hand my kiddos that book and an ink pen. 

Two years ago, I tried something different with my big kid. He got to do a Christmas morning scavenger hunt. He had 12 clues, each leading to a gift card and scrapbook under the tree at the end to tie it all up. A year of adventures. A gift card for a different place each month and the scrapbook to record our trips. They were not all extravagant getaways. There was an overnight trip to a big zoo a few hours away, but we also went to a movie, a local trampoline park, and took an ice cream trip to Dairy Queen. It focused on quality time together, and really, isn’t that the point? I think he liked it, and we had a lot of fun over the year spending the gift cards.

There are some really cool options out there if you’re looking for minimal clutter and fun gifts. 

Subscription boxes are fun because they keep the thrill of receiving gifts going beyond Christmas morning. KiwiCo has awesome boxes for all ages and educational components that make it more than just toys. This year, my big kid has requested Mark Rober’s CrunchLab kits.

Monthly snack boxes. Who doesn’t like snacks? A few years ago we received these and it was so cool. Each month we would get a box of assorted snacks from around the world. Enclosed was a postcard that told us the name of the snack, its country of origin, and a bit about the flavor profile, as most of the packaging was in the original languages! 

I have also heard of “The rule of 5”. Something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read, and finally, something to do. This is good to keep in mind to streamline your shopping decisions. 

It is, for me at least, fun to shop, but it’s easy to get carried away. My intention is to have a game plan and make a list but sometimes those Black Friday ads induce some impulse buys. Online shopping has also made it easier to squeeze it in here and there as I can, instead of dedicating a day to running around town. 

Daily Help…

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17 KJV

His Truth, our journey...

Whether you shop all year and are done by now, or wait until Mary’s water breaks to start, I hope you enjoy the coming weeks and get to spend time with loved ones over the holiday season.

I would love to hear from you! What are some of your favorite gifts you have given or received? What was the most unique? 

Thanks for stopping by and hope to have you back soon!

Momma Writes

Developing In The Digital Age

 

Image via Sunrise of Pixabay

Streaming services, YouTube, gaming systems, phones, tablets, laptops. Everywhere we turn there is an electronic device at arms reach. 

I remember life before the electronic takeover. We had a computer when I was a kid, and it was a big bulky thing that sat on a desk in the family room. We could play tetris, design masterpieces in Paint, or we had a floppy disc game of Family Feud. Eventually, the introduction of the Internet when I was a teenager had me programming a Myspace page and burning CDs with LimeWire. 

The computer stayed put though.

When I was done, I could get up, walk away, leave the internet in its designated place, and move on with my life.

Today, web accessibility is everywhere, all the time. My big kid and honestly, my husband alike, are obsessed with the screen. I regulate the screen time my kiddos gets, but my husband is a lost cause. 

The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) makes the following recommendations for screen time in children:

• Until 18 months of age limit screen use to video chatting along with an adult (for example, with a parent who is out of town).
• Between 18- and 24-months screen time should be limited to watching educational programming with a caregiver.
• For children 2-5, limit non-educational screen time to about 1 hour per weekday and 3 hours on the weekends.
• For ages 6 and older, encourage healthy habits and limit activities that include screens.

In addition to guidelines for the amount of time on a screen, they also make suggestions for when and where screens should be avoided. 

• Turn off all screens during family meals and outings.
• Avoid using screens as pacifiers, babysitters, or to stop tantrums.
• Turn off screens and remove them from bedrooms 30-60 minutes before bedtime.

This seems reasonable, however, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published a study by Common Sense Media 2021 that suggests otherwise.

Usage averages by age:

• 0-2 - 1 hour 3 minutes
• 2-4 - 2 hours 8 minutes
• 5-8 - 3 hours 38 minutes
• 9-13 - 8.5 hours
• 14-17 - 8 hours 39 minutes

You mean to tell me 9-17 year olds are on screens like it is a full time job!? These numbers should amaze me, but I get it. Every time I turn around, there is a screen somewhere. 

The mom trying to get through Wal Mart as painlessly as possible, kid’s in the cart with a phone or tablet. 

At a restaurant, kid’s get done eating, get bored, “Mom, can I have your phone?”

Some cars even come with screens built into the backseats now, because goodness forbid somebody is bored on the way to town. 

Listen, I’m not judging because I’ve been there, done that.

But how far do we let it go? Studies show that neural pathways in a developing child's brain will die off and the brain is literally rewired when given too much tech time and not enough hands-on time. 

What conversations are we missing with our children when dinner is served in front of the TV?

What critical life skills could we be teaching if we talked our kids through the grocery store and had them help with shopping?

What games could we be playing in the car that would help develop their observation skills? 

Creativity is often birthed from boredom. “Being bored” is not the enemy, but rather the starting place for the brain to stretch and grow. Handing our kids tech at every moment of boredom is not doing them any favors.

With all this being said, we can’t deny that we are in a digital age now. Students are using Chromebooks instead of notebooks, texting and email have become the first choice of communication, and receiving a letter in the mail is an exciting surprise saved for special occasions. AI is on the fast track to taking over the jobs of designers and artists. So that begs the question. Is screentime a matter of quality vs quantity?

Daily help

Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him. Psalm 127:3

His Truth, our journey…

This is a big topic to unpack, and every family is going to approach it differently. I would love to hear your thoughts on it! Please leave a comment and let me know what you think. 

Thank you for your visit and hope to have you back soon!

Momma Writes

ShoutOuts

Habit or Ritual? (via By the Way…)

Making your own candy–why bother? (via After the Miracle)