This month we are doing offline August – we’ve turned off our wifi at home, and we’ve docked our phones in various places so that we don’t just sit on the internet all the time. Even as I right this I’m writing in notes on my iPad and then later today when I go to work I’ll connect it to the internet and upload it. Old school.
The rules of Offline August are simple – no wifi, and phones docked. We do have a wifi connection down at Saadia’s dome/office that doesn’t reach to the house, so once a day the kids can go down there to do their Duolingo, check messages, make a FaceTime call, or use their allotted screen time for something online (nestled within a whole host of other rules we already have around that).
The kids still have their computers or iPads, so they can still have screen time. Especially important for some parts of their homeschooling, but also just for games. We got a DVD player and a few DVDs so they can watch those, as well as games on their computers. We’ve slightly increased the amount of screen time they’re allowed, but the rules are essentially the same – no screen time during “school hours” (9-3), and a max of 1.5 hours total time (this includes passively watching someone else’s choice or game).
For the adults, we can still access the internet via the 5G, but you’ve got to be at your docking station to do that, or you can use it when out. We did a trial turning off our phone signal as well, but that meant we were super isolated, couldn’t receive any calls or messages, and couldn’t do other things we might need to do like banking etc. So we scraped that for this docking method.
Sometimes our older kids do stay at home alone, so we needed a way to insure they could call us (or emergency services if Chas V’Shalom they needed to). Previously they had their iPads etc. on the wifi and could call, but now we have a spare iPhone that’s docked in the kitchen with a bit of credit on it so that they can make calls. This is also how they can talk to friends if they want to.
Anyway, we’re a week or so in, and it’s going pretty well so far! Not TOO many complaints. I mean, I think it’s hardest for me. Lol. I miss my morning wake up social media scroll. Yes, I know it’s bad for me, and yes I know this is better (and I am sleeping better not scrolling before bed), but that doesn’t mean it isn’t hard!