Less Screentime, More Sunshine: A Summer Vacation That Brought Us Closer

It started with a simple decision: no screens before lunch during summer break. Not because we wanted to be strict parents, but because we were tired. Tired of the glazed-over eyes, the constant background noise of cartoons, and the sense that summer was slipping away behind glowing rectangles. So we made a change.

At first, it felt like a mini rebellion in our own house. Our kids didn’t exactly cheer when we told them about the new plan. There were sighs, dramatic flops onto the couch, and the inevitable “but I’m bored” within the first hour. We stuck with it anyway, hoping we hadn’t just set ourselves up for the longest summer of our lives.

The first few days were rough. Really rough. We tried to offer activities: coloring pages, building blocks, backyard bubbles. But nothing could quite compete with the thrill of animated worlds or endless scrolling. It would’ve been so easy to cave. We almost did.

Then something shifted.

One morning, I found our oldest sitting at the kitchen table, quietly drawing in a notebook. “What’s that?” I asked.

“It’s my superhero. She’s got lightning powers,” she said. There was no screen in sight, just pencils and imagination. It was the first time in a long while I’d seen her so focused on something that wasn’t blinking or buzzing.

Over the next few weeks, these moments became more frequent. The kids started asking to go outside, to ride bikes, to make lemonade from scratch. It was more chaotic than refreshing, but still worth it. They rediscovered board games that had been collecting dust. They even invented their own version of tag that somehow included singing. Don’t ask me how, but it kept them moving and laughing.

We had conversations we didn’t know we were missing. They told us about their dream treehouses, asked questions about the stars, and shared ideas for stories they wanted to write. Without screens pulling them away, they were fully with us. Present, curious, and creative.

As parents, we felt the difference too. We weren’t refereeing YouTube time or arguing over tablet turns. We had space to just be a family. Dinner didn’t come with distractions. Bedtime was slower and softer. Even on the harder days, and there were still plenty, it felt like we were actually doing summer instead of watching it happen.

The best part? The kids didn’t just adapt. They started to love it. The draw and write journals we printed out became daily rituals. Each page was a tiny time capsule of what they saw, thought, or imagined that day. One of my favorites was a drawing of our backyard picnic, complete with ants and a slightly exaggerated version of our dog stealing a sandwich.

These journals turned into more than just an activity. They became proof that creativity had been there all along. It had just been waiting for a little quiet and a lot of sunshine.

By the time August rolled around, something unexpected happened. The kids stopped asking for screen time. They still enjoyed a movie night or two each week, but the urgency was gone. Screens were no longer the default. They had found new rhythms, ones built on play, connection, and plenty of fresh air.

I’m not saying it was perfect. We had meltdowns, rainy days that felt like forever, and a few moments when we all caved for an hour of cartoons. But overall, this summer felt different. Fuller. Slower in the best way. Like we’d stretched the days a little wider and found something meaningful inside them.

If you're a parent thinking of cutting down screentime this summer, know this. It’s not about being perfect or screen-free every second. It’s about making space. Space for creativity, boredom, imagination, and connection. And sometimes, that space is exactly what your family needs.

Want a simple tool to help your kids stay creative and screen-free this summer? Our printable Summer Draw and Write Journal for Kids is a great place to start. Just enough structure to inspire, and plenty of freedom to explore.