I can't think of one parent I know that doesn't lament the amount of time their kids spend in front of their screens. Computers and iPhones are rarely off or out of reach. Sometimes it takes a lot of work to get our kids away from screens, but it will pretty much always be worth it.
Three dads and myself just took our boys camping and whitewater rafting for a weekend. While the campground promised WiFi, it was pretty poor and we were actually pleased with that. As we sat around the campfire and stared up into the trees, I thought of "Shinrin-yoku" the Japanese term that translates roughly to "forest bathing". The concept is simple, relaxed experiences in the forest can heal the body and soul from the stresses of everyday life.
I can't speak for the boys, but myself and the other dads certainly seemed relaxed. It might have been the beer or two that we drank, but I think we all benefited from being disconnected for a while. There was one moment where the dads were chatting as the hot dogs cooked over an open fire, and all the boys piled into one of the tents and played a game of Cards Against Humanity, when we heard laughter and engagement with no screens, no phones, and it just felt right.
These moments were worth the work, the seven-plus hours of driving, the calls to campgrounds and rafting companies for reservations, and the juggling of schedules to make it happen. And taking a large six-man tent, even though I just shared it with my son turned out to be the right call as the five boys fit nicely in there for their game. Just a note, I had used a Carlsbad Fast-Pitch 6P from Coleman that was great. Plenty room and it kept us dry when it started raining at 3AM. Plus the screened in front "porch" was a nice addition to keep shoes and gear out of the sleeping area.
And our day on the river was entirely screen-free. Phones and whitewater do not go well together. The boys shared lots of laughs and lots of action-time on the upper Hudson River as we ran fun rapids with our guide. And while this may not have been mindfulness in the forest of Shinrin-yoku, it was outdoors and natural.
Even John Muir wrote, “Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home. Wilderness is a necessity.” For me, I didn't hear one mention of politics, no news articles, or Facebook posts about any candidates or controversy, so I guess as much as the boys needed a break from their screens...so did I.
