Connect More, Tip 2: Schedule Family Screen Nights
Welcome back! How did your family screen free night go? If you struggled with getting your tweens/teens to agree to a family screen-free night, maybe start with this week’s idea and then venture back to the screen-free idea, or scrap it all together!
This week, I share with you the idea that is most approved by our teen: Family Screen Night.
Wait, what? Didn’t I just write that you should schedule screen free family time? Yes, I just did. And yes, now I am telling you to schedule family screen time. I could see how that is SUPER confusing, but here me out. Your kids and teens are using their screens A LOT, right? Why not use them to connect? Just as you schedule your monthly screen free night, schedule a family screen night, too. Now, you’ll have TWO nights to connect as a family, and it is likely that one (read: this one) will have instant buy in from your young people, making the other a little more tolerable.
There are MANY things you can do during your scheduled family screen time. No idea what you can do as a family on screens together? Try one of these ideas below. Each idea has a few ideas within it, and I am pretty sure your kids will be HAPPY to suggest extra ideas to keep you busy for the whole year.
Play a game together - Most consoles have family games that you can download and play, too. A quick Google search of “family games to play on [insert your console here]” will give you many suggestions! Some of our favorites:
Among Us - If I can learn to play, you can too, I promise. I spent a little while playing by myself to get the hang of it, and I am still PRETTY TERRIBLE, but it leads to some good laughs. And by laughs I mean, my family laughing at me, and me laughing at myself, too. This link is for Apple IOS, and Among Us is FREE on there, but you can also play on Android and Switch (costs money on Switch).
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes - This is a game built on teamwork and cooperation. Excellent for building communication and learning to work together. We have played this on the PS4 with VR, but you can play on other devices, too! You do have to buy this one, but it’s a fun one!
Jeopardy - We might get a little competitive at times in this house, but it’s all in good fun. We love Jeopardy but also have played Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit and Wheel of Fortune online together. Sometimes free - check for which device you want to use it on.
Mario Party - The first time I played Mario Party was on an N64, so I love the nostalgia I get from playing this game with my family now. Also, it doesn’t actually require THAT much video game skill (you don’t have to maneuver your character around except in mini games), which means that it is a game that I can actually play, so I am all for it. You do have to have a Nintendo console and purchase the game, but if you already have a console, it could be a good investment for family game nights!
Heads Up - Remember when this game was trending and it seemed like everyone was playing it? It’s still fun and you will STILL have some good laughs! And some of the games are FREE. You only need a phone or tablet to play on, so this is an easy one to set up and play.
Let your child/teen show you a game they like to play. - Yes, I mean WATCH them play and then try to learn how to play the game that they like for your family screen time. Seriously. Let them share with you what they like about their game, what they can do in the game, achievements they have made in the game, etc. Try to just listen and understand what you can, ask questions when you have them. Refrain from making judging comments or seeming bored. You might learn more about the game and what they are doing on the game than you would have otherwise.
Watch a movie together. - On a screen free night, there would be no screens to watch movies on, right? A simple “screen time” family night could be watching a movie together. Pop some popcorn, or grab some sweet snacks, and enjoy! Take turns picking the movie or type of movie to watch. A fun way to do this could be each family member writing down a movie they want to watch on a small piece of paper, folding the paper, and then putting them in a jar. Pick from the jar until each movie has been watched (have a marathon or do this over a few nights).
Look at silly TikToks or YouTube videos together. - I know, this is another one that might seem like it isn’t necessarily a fun family time, BUT again, you will learn more about what they are watching and enjoying if you allow them to show it to you and you take it in together than if you try to learn about it on your own. Just like with games, try to refrain from judging or seeming bored/annoyed by what they are watching. Let them lead, and go along for the ride. If there is something concerning that you notice, take time to reflect on how to bring it up to them the next day or later in the week rather than starting a discussion or conflict right then and there.
Make a digital slideshow or scrapbook together. - A lot of family memories are digital now, so you could work together to make a scrapbook (using Shutterfly, Vistaprint, or a similar website) to be printed out and kept on the coffee table, or you could make a slideshow to keep digital and just enjoy as a family. Looking at photos and sharing stories of the pictures can lead to bonding together over memories that have past. A lot of the tweens and teens seem to enjoy hearing stories of when they were younger, so this could be a great way to connect with them!
You might find this idea to be more challenging than your family screen free night, BUT, I really challenge you to try the ideas on this list. Meet your children where they are, allow yourself to be out of your comfort zone and try to just be present, enjoy and connect. You never know, you might learn something new about your kids or find a new game that you actually enjoy!
We are excited to share a new idea with you next week. This one has nothing to do with screens being on or off, but it will definitely help you feel more connected to your loved ones.
If you feel like your family is struggling to connect and could use some extra support, we are here to help!
Healing Hart Wellness provides wellness support to children, young adults, and their parents through individual and family therapy, parenting support, and yoga/meditation instruction. Clients who work with providers at HHW struggle to cope with anxiety and manage stress, need strategies to increase organization/focus/impulse control, or are navigating BIG life changes like divorce, moving, or graduating high school. Please feel free to reach out to us to connect by emailing Courtney Hart at courtney@healinghartwellness.com.