Mar 20, 2017

Why We Don't Worry About Screen Time - Radical Unschooling

The one rule of Freeschoolin' is there are no rules to Freeschoolin'!

Hope, 6, self regulates. When she eats, when she sleeps, when she wakes, what she does with her day.

This means she also has full control with her screen time. She's been doing this since she was 3.

At first we were worried.

What if she becomes addicted to watching things? What if she finds video games more fun than actually playing outside? What if she becomes unhealthy because of too much screen time?

Hope riding our rescue ex-racehorse, River, 21.

We decided to go with our hearts and test the theory that people, and kids are people, know what's best for themselves.

And we have been amazed!

Not only does Hope self regulate but she has more success with it than many adults! Unfettered, her self confidence has bloomed. She knows she is responsible for herself. She is the Captain of her Ship and she charts her own course with us along as her loving guides. I had no idea that letting go of the idea of rules would lead to such a bonding experience with our daughter. What an amazing added bonus.

Winter doesn't keep us inside here in Ontario, Canada!

Yes, we do have times where we are immersed in certain activities. This is part of maintaining balance as well.

In the winter it is harder to get outside as often so we utilize this time inside wisely by doing more art, watching more movies and shows, playing more video games, baking, writing and organizing the house.

It never fails that once the warm weather starts, we're pulled outside for the majority of our time tending to our crop beds, doing horsey things and going out to enjoy the acres we have to play on around us.

Indoor Days

If we were to meet these times of what some would call over-indulgence with fear, we would be stuck in the cycle never being able to find out what happens without it. Because we let go of comparing ourselves to others, we did not transfer this worry to Hope, creating a fearless experience of what self regulation offers in young children.

Hope and River Yesterday ( Mar 19 2017 )

We really can trust ourselves and our kids. It's just that many of us were taught otherwise. So we're here to share our findings and to support like minded families on this amazing journey through our semester here at Life University.