Rack Up Outside Time in the Evening
The evening hours are often affectionally called "The Witching Hours". Life with kids means that by the time the day is winding down and work is over you are probably toast. One 24 hours period represents feed kids gobs of food and answering endless questions. Nighttime is looming - and with it the thought of comfy clothes and the couch. Recent government data shows that 80% of Americans watch television on any single day - and that the typical American spends just shy of five hours a day in front of a TV screen. Before you call it a night consider using some of your evening hours to spend time as a family outside.
Devoting your evening family time to an outside activity (a short hike, a stroll through the neighborhood, shooting a few hoops with your kids, or even telling stories on the front porch) will actually be more refreshing and rejuvenating than relaxing on a couch.
You may have to leave dishes until the morning. The laundry pile might get a little higher than usual. Your kids may even miss out on 30 or 45 minutes of extra sleep - but they will sleep deeper and their bodies will soak up all that nature has to offer.
After work. After school. After dinner. It is a short period. But it's a short period you get most days of the week. Instead of "binge-watching" how about trying "binge-hiking"? Or "binge-wrestling-in-the-grass"? This is such a superior choice to cartoons. Will you join us in committing some of your evenings to outdoor play? How about one tech-free night a week? Two? Join in with your pictures and experiences on our Facebook page or with the hashtag #1000hoursoutside on Instagram. Each time you participate you help encourage other families to make the same choice. You'd be surprised at what just 60 or 90 minutes of evening outside air will do for your family's health and connection.
