Here is how: turn off the screens. Get rid of TV, computer screens, videos, video games…all the screens. Have a screen-free two weeks, cold turkey – just like that! And then see how much better everyone does playing and getting along as siblings and decide to extend it further.
Here are some wonderful things to do in January without any screens:
Cut out paper snowflakes, including really cool 3-D snowflakes
Dip candles
Roll candles
Play board games or card games with your children
Draw, paint, model
Whittle wood
Make popcorn together
Bake together
Play in the snow – build snow forts, have snowball fights, snowshoe, downhill or cross country ski, ice skate on a pond
Read and tell stories
Build forts inside
Take a walk outside in the cold – look for animal tracks or berries or birds or all of the above
Knit, crochet, cross stitch, finger knit, spin, sew
Sing and make music together – learn some new songs!
Clean, scrub, dust, work around the house – rearrange furniture
Go bowling or find an indoor swimming pool to swim in
Write letters to family and friends; write stories together
Snuggle on the coach with hot chocolate and marshmellows
Cook for a neighbor
Find a place of worship to attend and get involved
Throw a party
Clicker train your dog, cat, or other animal
Take care of plants; start seeds indoors when it it is time
Add your own ideas here!
Many blessings, enjoy January!
Carrie
The Parenting Passageway 
This post is really well timed : We’ve unplugged and taken down the TV and DVD player tonight. The kids were spoiled over the holidays an we fell into a lazy trap of movies and lounging. But it also meant less concentration, not listening to one and other… So we took them down to the basement in a closet. Always feels so good when we do. A family wide reset-button!
Great ideas Carrie. I have been planning to do some window stars after the Holidays, got papers and book all ready to go, and this is what we will be doing come this weekend.
Great reminders to re-connect us after chaos. thank you!
Pingback: » How To Have The Most Peaceful Family in January
Yes, a holiday media blitz had run on much too long here. We unplugged this week, and it has truly been transformational. My children’s imaginations inspire me daily. That said, I put my money where my mouth is, and I unplugged, too. I deactivated my FB account, and as a result, I have freed myself of the constant checking of my phone. I have no doubt that the mood around here has been so much lighter in large part because of my increased presence. I wish every homeschooling mom struggling with media could experience what we have this week. The results just speak for themselves. Thanks for the great ideas for family time, Carrie.
Thank you for the wonderful reminders. We unplugged the TV/videos completely for my 3 kids last summer but watched 2 Christmas movies over the holidays…it was fun, but now it is clearly time to stop again. My middle one (age 6) is having trouble letting go of the decorated tree so your ideas will help create a winter celebration to transition into to this time of new beginnings!
Thank you for this reminder! We don’t have any screens for our kids, but I do feel like I need to unplug myself. Any ideas on how to do that? I was thinking I would deactivate facebook, but I don’t feel like I can take a 2-week break from email, as there will be so much to sift through at the end of that break. Plus that’s how my daughter’s waldorf teacher communicates with us – and how will I read your posts?? But I often go on to the computer to check email and suddenly find that I have gone down the internet rabbit hole and lost 45 minutes. I would love to hear from ideas and thoughts on this. I know that my kids get much more contentious when I am on the computer or on the phone. Thank you for the encouragement to have a peaceful home.
Lydia,
I would make computer time before the children wake up or after they go to bed. I cannot unplug completely from email due to other commitments with assisting mothers, and nor do I want to completely unplug from Facebook or Pinterest. So, for me, it is important to keep set times so I don’t get lost down the rabbit hole. 🙂
Blessings,
Carrie