We’re almost a week in to our Unplugged Challenge. In fairness, we haven’t turned into Luddites. The television is occasionally turned on. A tablet has magically appeared at a restaurant table. But, there are a lot fewer of these moments than usual. And, while Bambino still asks for a screen, these requests are becoming less frequent.

So, what has he been doing instead? There have been a lot of family activities. We decorated a gingerbread house.

We played at the local sledding hill.

It’s been good for us to spend “quality time” together. Life doesn’t always allow you to spend time with the ones you love. My family needed a chance to play together, laugh, talk, and listen to each other.

But, Bambino’s also had a lot of unstructured time. When left to his own resources, he has found ways to entertain himself. Sometimes, he’s helpful.\

Other times, he immerses himself in a good book. (He’s discovered and rediscovered so many wonderful books this week!)

And, sometimes his imagination runs wild. He’s built monster-resistant forts. The dog has been transformed into “Robot Dog.” Piles of snow are mountains to climb (or inexplicably, bison to ride). Epic soccer matches are reenacted.

Less tech has not led to a simpler existence. In a lot of ways, it’s been a deeper and more satisfying one. We’re talking more. We’re playing more. We’re thinking more. I don’t think we’ll ever fully plug back in again.