There is no denying the teenage fascination for screens. Be it the television, the laptop computer, the tablet, the video game console or the smartphone, the average teenager spends way more time in front of screens than in front of their family members.
The excessive screen time affects their eyesight, their anxiety levels and even their cognitive functioning. A break from screens is a must have in the daily schedule of homeschool teenage students. Here are some ideas for things that they can do instead of sitting in front of a screen.
Cookbook Experiments
Gift your homeschool students with time in the kitchen, even as you gift yourself with a break from meal prep. Have the teenager come up with a one dish meal for your family. Allow them to experiment with new recipes and don’t forget to teach them how to clean up after themselves. This is an important life skill and your teenager will be grateful for it when they first begin living alone.
Create Art Work
Draw, color or paint something new. Give your artistically inclined homeschool teenage student a wall in their room to decorate as they see fit. Or allow them to come up with art work that may be gifted over the holidays and birthdays to family and friends. It’s a good self confidence boosting measure for the talented teenager.
Visit or Call a Grandparent
Take a couple of hours off in the week to go visit a local grandparent. Or if they live in another town, take ten minutes to give them a phone call and check how they are doing. Make sure that the call is placed on the regular land line and not the distracting smartphone. This helps foster the bond between the grandparent and grandchild, even as it keeps the teen away from the screens.
Play Outdoor with Siblings
While you may not enjoy playing referee for your children, sports is a good way to tire out the hyperactive siblings. Basket ball, baseball, hopscotch, or tag, let them play for at least an hour with their younger siblings. The time will be well spent and the homeschool parent can get some chores done during this time.