Myth: Going screen free sounds great, but my family will never do it.

Answer: BUSTED!

Going screen free during Screen-Free Week (April 30 – May 6) – and beyond – seems impossible. But it's worth a try! Here are some ideas to jumpstart your family’s involvement in becoming unplugged:

• Plan: Use this week to get your family together to decide what activities you will do next week during Scree-Free Week instead of watching TV, playing video games or other screen activities.


• Write it down: Develop a chart with ideas for every day of the week. Post it on the refrigerator so your family can see the ideas each day and recognize what they have done to reduce screen time.


• Discuss: Talk with family members after the week has ended. What activities did they like? What will you do as a family to continue some of these activities throughout the year?


• Be involved: As a parent or caregiver you are a role model for your children. If your children see you participating in screen-free activities, they are more likely to be screen free too.


• Reward: When screen-free week is over, give your family a treat to reward everyone’s participation.

Looking for more ideas to participate in Screen-Free Week? See the MU Extension publication Play More, Watch Less.

Visit MissouriFamilies.org for more ways to promote the health of you and your family.

Contributor: Ellen Schuster, M.S., R.D., Associate State Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, schusterer@missouri.edu, 573-882-1933