Technology-Free Ways to Finally Laugh, Relax and Play with your Family

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Life is too busy. Gain back your sanity with​:

Technology-Free Ways to Finally Laugh, Relax and Play with your Family ​Even if you feel time-starved.

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All images Copyright Areti Bratsis Photographer

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“Wish we had family Sunday dinners like those I grew up with - when all the stores were closed and life was simple.”

You feel badly as a parent if your child isn’t doing all kinds of activities - Saturdays and Sundays are jammed packed: sports, parties, practice, shopping...the list goes on an on.

Your biggest fear is still not being enough or doing enough. With all the pressures of today's modern world and being a working mom,​ it’s easy to feel that pressure.

You want them to have every opportunity to succeed and become obsessed with all the plans.

You take one child to dance class, while Dad goes to the ball field with the other. .Seems like you are hardly in the same place at the same time.

You even have to compete with all the electronic devices pulling their attention away.

You want to keep them preoccupied.

Give them everything their friends have.

Let them learn and read as much as possible

But the quietness never comes!

Other parents tell you how their life is more hectic. That you have it easy compared to them!

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But it doesn’t have to be like this...There is a way to disconnect from technology, make the world stop spinning and gain back your sanity...even for a little while.

I am not saying it’s easy to change a routine but there are a few things you can do to change things up and bring back some of the simple pleasures of yesteryear to create fond memories.

In time, your children will recall some of these events and maybe want to repeat them with their family when they step into your shoes as future parents.

NOPE I am not a parent, but I remember the simple pleasures I had as a kid ​PLUS as a professional photographer, I’ve witnessed how when families are together in a natural setting it makes a kid ​want to​ put down their device and pick up a pebble to skim it across the pond.

I​ ​ asked a group of 25 Mothers what they wanted with their kids. No one wanted technology, everyone wanted​ simple things ​that were​ relaxing a​nd ​not extravagant​ and a period of time just ​enjoying life and laughing.

Stepping into the great outdoors instantly causes one to unplug and notice the surroundings.

Breathing in fresh air and walking through a field is instantly relaxing.

You naturally forget about the internet and electronic devices [ In some place, there may be limited cell phone service so even if the urge to “connect” arises, it is usually futile.] Those few hours of walking through the park together, laughing, teasing, joking often lead to fond memories of how life used to be when we were not so over-schedul​ed.

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Here a few things you can do...

//01: HAVE A FAMILY PICNIC

Ditch the fast food and pack a basket full of healthy sandwiches and snacks. Feel time-starved? Whole-Foods and Trader-Joes have a great selection of healthy pre-made sandwiches and cut up fruit to grab on the way. The ultimate summer meal on the go never tasted as good as when eaten on a blanket in a new and exciting environment. ​Here is a link to ​ ​12 of the Best Picnic Spots for Families in Boston

//02: TURN A LOCAL TRIP INTO AN OUTDOOR CLASSROOM

You can teach them a little bit of history without them knowing what you’re up to. Most of these places are free and often forgotten but locals. Working these excursions in as a family outing give you a first account into the wonders and excitement of discovering things for the first time.

Plan a visit to ​Old Sturbridge Village​, ​Plimouth Plantation​, visit the ​USS Constitution [ Old Ironside]​ ​in Boston,​ ​Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market​, ​Castle Island​ in South Boston, Ride the​ ​Boston Trolley Tour​ or visit one of the several islands in​ ​Boston Harbor​ with a harbour tour.

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//03: VISIT A FREE WATER PARK

I’ve never seen a kid laugh harder than a kid splashing in water - be that a water park, puddles after a rain or an old fashion lawn sprinkler. Pools are great but what an experience to visit a water park set in an unexpected locale. Boston has their share of newly constructed ​water fountains​. Great for kids of all ages and did I say it was free.? ​Boston Wading Pools and Fountains

//04: FIND AN OUTDOOR MOVIE

Go without arguing over Netflix for a night but still enjoy some relaxation and unwinding and perhaps a small popcorn fight :) Well, we no longer have drive in movies but the next best thing is an ​outdoor movie​. Lots of towns set up their own movie night events. My favorite is to visit the “grandaddy” of outdoor movie events at the Hatch Shell, Esplanade, Boston. ​You can find more here.

It doesn't take much to plan an unplugged event for the family. Pack a lunch basket with their favorite food and you’ll see how quickly they forget that the world does not need to run on batteries to be fun.

You might even find they prefer doing things as a family rather than hanging out with their friends. Imagine that!

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P.s On a personal note……

You may have picked up on a common theme in my suggestions...the city of Boston. You can have a picnic anywhere, find parks, sprinklers and any of the above mentioned activities in just about any town.

Boston is not only where I grew up but I hold the fondest of memories from the simple, unscripted and “free” things we would do on any given weekend.

There was nothing fancy about our excursions but we were all together, laughing, holding hands, stopping to make a memory with a simple snapshot.

Simple livin’ at it’s best!

Areti Bratsis & family circa 1970 Boston Public Garden & Boston Common Summer & Winter.

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