Let’s be honest. Most of us are addicted to technology. We love our screens. We use them to work, communicate, learn, and entertain. However, there is a lot of evidence that screens are horrible for child development. (For more information, see this fantastic blog post from Bambino’s school.)

I’ve always had mixed feelings about screen time. It often feels like a necessary evil– a screen can help placate a grumpy child or allow me time to get work done. Recently, I was inspired to dramatically reduce Bambino’s access to technology. (He’s never been a television junky, but he loves his apps.) I was concerned about the constant stimulation and immediate gratification that screens provide.

If you know my family in real life, you understand how pervasive technology is in our home. Il Marito’s professional life focuses on the Internet of Things. If a device can be connected, ours probably is. Limiting technology isn’t a small task for us.

Here’s what we did:

• Removed all tablets and touch screens from public access,
• Implemented a “family only” television rule (no solo viewing), and
• Had a serious discussion about how screen time is bad for little brains.

These may seem like simple things. But, what we experienced was remarkable.

For a day or two, Bambino fussed. He wanted a tablet. He was visibly frustrated that his (horrible) parents wouldn’t cave to his desires. Then, a switch flipped. He started seeking out books, art projects, and other work. He offered to help cook dinner, wash tables, and put away dishes. Once, he even asked that I turn off the television because it was “distracting” and he wanted to play with Lego instead. He seemed happier and more purposeful.

Admittedly, we haven’t been perfect. He’s abused his screen time privileges at times (particularly while eating out). But, we’re discovering that we all benefit from limited screen time. Because of this, we’re upping the ante over the holidays and taking part in his school’s Unplugged Project.

I’m going to use this space as a place to document our adventures in an (almost) screen free world. Join us!

Mea culpa. I am waaaaay past-due on a blog post. Here’s a quick recap of our summer happenings.

My anniversary surprise was a Copa America match in Chicago. We watched Leo Messi score a hat trick in approximately 20 minutes of play. I completely surprised him and we had an amazing weekend filled with soccer, fantastic conversation, and the occasional Negroni on a roof deck.

We have been enjoying our summer close to home. There have been lots of playground and beach visits, local concerts, and time with friends and family.

 

This past weekend, however, was special. We headed back to Chicago for a decidedly different trip than our last one. This Chicago visit was all about Bambino.

Our first stop was U.S. Cellular Field for a White Sox game. Bambino had never been to a baseball game. Although he didn’t pay much attention to the actual match, he loved sitting with his friends on a hot summer day– inhaling hot dogs, cotton candy and all the ballpark food he could get.

Il Marito and I enjoyed catching up with old friends- while our children continued to forge their own friendships. (There is something beautiful and remarkable about how kids bond. Bambino doesn’t get to see his cousin (the famous Tatertot from NC) or his Chicago friends enough. However, without prompting, they fall back into their friendships at each and every visit.)

On Day #2, I had grand plans of a visit to Maggie Daley Park and picnicking. Unfortunately, it was HOT. A heat index of over 100° hot. We canned the idea of an outdoor day. Over breakfast, we considered our options. We decided on a day at Navy Pier.

For as many times as we’ve visited Chicago, none of us had ever been to Navy Pier. Frankly, I’ve avoided it because it reminded me of Fisherman’s Wharf– a big, fancy tourist trap.

Admittedly, parts of it are filled with tacky souvenirs and franchisey restaurants. However, Navy Pier contains the wonderful Chicago Children’s Museum. Bambino climbed a three story ropes course, excavated dinosaur bones at a dig site, learned about gravity and physics through massive Hot Wheels tracks, and engaged in all sorts of shenanigans. The Children’s Museum definitely goes on the Bambino-Approved list.

Next, we rode the Centennial Wheel. In our air conditioned car, we enjoyed vistas of the Chicago skyline and watched sailboats glide across Lake Michigan.

After a much-needed nap, we headed towards Soldier Field. We were taking Bambino to see Coldplay (one of his favorite bands). We knew there was the possibility of a thunderstorm. Being (slightly) responsible parents, we packed our raincoats.

However, as we ate dinner at a lovely Mediterranean grill, we realized that the weather was becoming ominous. We debated bagging the concert. We debated rushing to Soldier Field and weathering it on the sheltered concourse. We spent so much time debating, we almost missed our chance to get to shelter.

The three of us grabbed a pedicab to the Soldier Field drop off. We decided to hunker in a pedestrian tunnel while the storm passed. We were joined by about 50 of our closest friends. The rain poured. Winds gusted. Water ran through the tunnel. Thunder cracked. Bambino thought it was awesome.

When the rain let up, we finished our trek to Soldier Field. The stadium was packed. We (frantically) tried to find our seats, which didn’t seem to be on the map. Eventually, we asked for help…  And realized that we had fancy seats in the Club section. We entered the United Club and were greeted with air conditioning, lounge areas, plentiful bathrooms and line-free concession stands. We took an escalator to our section.

Il Marito and I kicked ourselves for not doing our due diligence. Instead of huddling in a viaduct, we could have been sprawled on a coach, drinking a draft beer, watching Bambino scamper through the club during the storm! Crap, crap, crappity crap. (Lesson learned– check your tickets before the event.)

We made it to our seats. The view was perfect and Coldplay’s performance was on point. While Bambino has been to a lot of concerts, he had never experienced a show with the production value of this one. There were lights, confetti, and pyro. He was awestruck, and danced in his seat (while singing all his favorite songs). I hurt from smiling.

We skipped the end of the show. Bambino asked to go home, and it was about to storm again. We grabbed a pedicab, followed by a regular cab, and made it back to the hotel just as the rain started to fall again.

We slept in, grabbed a coffee, and headed home the next day. Bambino asked when our next adventure would be. (Soon, my little wanderer.)

I learned a lesson this weekend. I’ve cut back on my neurotic, anal retentive planning. I need to get back in the habit of strategizing our vacations. There were a few times when a strategically-scheduled restaurant reservation or a general understanding of our concert ticket amenities would have been a godsend.

However, even the best plans go awry. You visit a city during a heatwave. Your concert is interrupted by an epic thunderstorm or two. In those moments, you can find magic. You can discover a gem (like the Children’s Museum) that you would have otherwise missed. You can watch your child relish the beauty and power of a storm. (Next time, I’d just prefer to do this while comfortably seated at the United Club.)

Until next time, friends.