How Can Parents Provide Fulfillment Outside the Digital World?

In a world filled with digital devices for work, school, and entertainment, as a parent, you might feel at a loss for how to parent your child without the constant use of these devices. While it might be impossible to reject the use of electronic devices altogether, there are ways in which you can help your child find fulfillment beyond the digital world.

Plan an Arts and Crafts Day

Although this may sound as if it only caters to younger children, this can be an excellent idea for children (and even adults) of all ages. You do not need to create stereotypical juvenile crafts. Instead, you can gather art supplies of all kinds and make whatever comes to mind. Some materials that you may already have include:

• Paint

• Markers

• Paper

• Crayons

• Pencils/pens

• Feathers

• Brushes

• Scissors

• Glitter

• Newspaper

• Cloth

• Sewing kits

• Stickers

• Beads

• Watercolors

• Clay

• Wood

• Old books

• Glue

• Magazines

The great thing about art is that it essentially has no limitations. There are no materials you cannot use, making it possible to accurately and creatively express how you are feeling or what you are thinking. Safety is an obvious requirement when creating, especially if you are entertaining young children, but this does not mean that it cannot be fun. Using an old book, you can tear out the pages and pour paint where the pages used to be, then rewrite something on top of it. This can help express frustration and the desire to be heard. Make a collage using photos, images from magazines, blocks of text, or whatever materials you have on hand. Make beads out of colored paper. Use colorful packaging to make almost anything – the possibilities are endless. Be as creative as you can with your child and support their expression.

Have a Family and Friends Dance Party

Safe dance parties are still possible despite the current pandemic. If health is a concern, everyone can wear masks. Host a friends-and-family dance party in your back yard (or the back yard of a family member or friend). Although there will be a digital device playing music, you can put one person in charge of changing the songs, or you could even pre-plan a playlist. 

During the dance party, support fun, expressive dancing. This can help people to connect with one another while also releasing tension. Remind everyone that no one has to be a trained dancer to have fun dancing. Try to get everyone up and moving. If people are hesitant about dancing, try leading the group with dance ideas such as:

• Mimicking the movements of a swaying tree or the ocean

• Trying to move every bone in their bodies

• Jumping around as energetically as possible

• Dancing like a zombie

• Dancing like a snake, if snakes could dance

Go See Live Performances

Whether you go to a play, musical, dance performance, or concert, getting out and seeing others do what they love can revitalize you and your child. It can take them out of reality for a while and give them a safe space to disconnect from the digital world and find joy in watching people perform. These live performances can even inspire them to begin participating in theater, music, dance, or any other kind of live performance. Many times performers begin their craft after seeing a live performance themselves. You never know if a performance will inspire your child, so try taking them to a wide variety and have fun together. 

Bake or Cook Fun Foods Together

Before actually baking or cooking, sit down with your child and pick out some fun, delicious-looking foods they may want to try making. Be sure to let them choose what to cook or bake, so they look forward to the finished dish and enjoy the process more. Once you have one (or many) picked out, begin making the food together. Be sure to let your child participate in creating the food and getting to touch the ingredients. If they have not baked or cooked before, they may find it exciting to work with ingredients and see how they come together to form something new. Once it is all cooked or baked, try your creation together and enjoy. 

Take a Weekend Trip to a Nature Site

Being in the same place all the time can cause your child to become bored. To mitigate this, plan a weekend trip to a nature site. You could go to a lake, a mountain site, a forest, or the ocean, depending on where you are. Take them exploring through the area and take in the sights, smells, and sounds together. You could even have them help you choose where to go or what to do when you get there, as long as the activity doesn't involve digital devices. Doing this with your child can help instill peace, healing, and a deep love of nature and adventures that can be experienced outdoors. 

Parenting children during this technological age can be very daunting. You may wonder how to help children find entertainment and fulfillment without the use of technology. Some ways you can do this and spend time together include having an arts and crafts day, hosting a Covid-19 friendly dance party, attending live performances, baking or cooking together, and taking a weekend trip to spend time in nature. All of these options can help you entertain your child, and you may have fun, too. If you still need assistance, there are mental health professionals who can help. At Next Level Recovery Associates, we understand the struggles that the digital world has caused. We provide quality care for those facing the negative effects of this struggle. To get help for you and your child today, reach out to us at consult@nextlevelra.com and begin your journey.