The Day Technology Took a Break in Our Home

By: Jamie Thompson

Stage One: Denial

“Come on, Mom. You’re joking, right?” my son, Jake, scoffed as he made his way back to the living room. I had to chuckle when it dawned on him that the remote was missing—after all, isn’t that the key to turning on the TV? My kids rolled their eyes, convinced I wouldn’t stick to my plan. They thought they could endure a couple of hours without tech and that I’d eventually give in. But I held my ground, and soon enough, they found themselves entering stage two.

Stage Two: Anger

The house erupted in chaos. There were screams, dramatic flops onto the floor, and stomping that could be heard from upstairs. My tween daughter, Lily, threw her arms up in despair and shouted, “Why!?” Amidst all the whining and fury, the three of them united to protest against what they dubbed the most unfair mom ever. They even crafted signs—some of which were quite creative!

Stage Three: Bargaining

Realizing their tantrums weren’t working, they shifted their approach. With sugary sweet voices, they promised to behave and even declared they would tidy their rooms. “Just a few hours of TV, please!” they begged like little kids deprived of candy. They were acting like they had been cut off from their favorite source of entertainment.

Stage Four: Depression

All that yelling and pleading soon took its toll. They began to drag around the house like sloths, lamenting the tragedy of living in the most boring place ever. No amount of my suggestions could lift their spirits. Instead, they chose to sulk, and one even resorted to taking a nap!

Stage Five: Acceptance

After what felt like an eternity—36 hours to be exact—my kids finally accepted that I wasn’t budging. But then, something wonderful happened: a massive blanket fort appeared in the dining room. Suddenly, the moody teenager was playing with his little sisters, and they transformed everyday items into an imaginative structure filled with creativity.

Soon, they brainstormed a slew of fun summer activities all on their own! They took our dog for lengthy walks, set up a lemonade stand, went hunting for lizards, and even created a nail salon in the kitchen. My favorite moment was watching Lily and her sister turn a giant cardboard box into an imaginary ship sailing to London (aka the guest room), complete with tiaras and British accents.

This was the summer I had always dreamed of! Sure, there were still a few sibling squabbles and pleas for tech time, but we actually connected and had real conversations. Time seemed to slow down. At the end of the week, I finally released their electronics from captivity. They were ecstatic to reunite with their digital friends, but life felt a little different in our house. They seemed a tad less glued to screens. That’s progress, right? Maybe next summer we’ll try an even longer break!

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Summary

A humorous account of a family’s experience when technology is temporarily removed from their lives reveals the stages of grief children go through while adjusting. The author shares how creativity flourished as they adapted to life without screens, leading to unexpected family bonding and imaginative play.