‘Go Touch some Grass!’ Don’t switch off. Tune in.

Kids & Video Games - knowing the limits

My son loves his video games.

In fact, I remember how much I loved mine!

A few years ago, we got the original Sonic the Hedgehog. I grabbed the remotes and using sheer muscle memory whizzed through each level in record time, remembering all the hidden treasure troves and collecting ALL the rings.

He looked at me with such admiration and asked me how the hell I was that good!

I told him. I was the youngest of three, with busy parents and older siblings and spent hours perfecting Sonic skills.

But, I quickly added, this was not all…I spent an incredible amount of time outdoors.

I would jump on my bike and discover nooks, crannies and old dried-up rivers I could throttle down at high speed, climbed trees, created magical lands with mud, leaves, rocks and whatever else I could find.

I could be with my neighbourhood buddies or completely alone, it didn’t matter to me.

I was actually so similar to that blue little hedgehog!

((come to think of it ... Does Sonic have ADHD?? Let's put a pin in it....but I bet we could find the best Homeopathic remedy for him!))

As a family now, we eat as healthily as we can and we spend lots of time outdoors and with each other. But I’ve never been a mum that forbids even the more than weekly sweet treat and I don’t have a blanket ban on screen time. I found banning things completely has the opposite effect for my children. 

But there does need to be a balance right?

The evidence is there- the harms of blue light, mental and emotional health detriments through overindulging in video games, social media and general screen time is clear. It’s not only affecting kids – it’s just easier to spot the symptoms with kids.

My son recently had a falling out with a close friend. As they approached tweenhood, play dates with his friend suddenly turned from basically rolling around the muddy garden to the said friend constantly tuning out on his screen.

My son missed his play buddy…and he reacted. And they didn’t speak for ages. I hadn’t really understood the full picture so one day when I discussed it with my son again, he gave me the low down.

When he finished his spiel and expressed his evident frustration and grief of losing a friend, he just huffed and exclaimed:

‘go touch some grass’!

I asked him what that meant and he told me this is what his generation says when people get too stuck on their screens…

I love it. My little gen-zedder is wiser than his years. He knows how to balance healthy screen times and still knows how to play.

Every time I recognise those symptoms in me (I work remote on my laptop so I am every day reminded how many hours I clock!!) I say to myself … “oh, go touch some grass!’’

and off I go outside, soaking up the natural light, swimming in the sea, walking mindfully around the town… and creating the balance I need.

It works every time!