You know the saying you are what you eat...

Well, the same applies to how you spend your time. You are what you do consistently. 

In the last blog I talked about my excitement over the Analogue Bag trend, but when you're trying to make a dramatic change in your life, you need tangible ideas for how to make the transition.

You must have something to fill the void that stopping scrolling just created, or something to hand your child instead of a screen, and it needs to be convenient and straightforward. Planning ahead is your greatest ally but you also need to clearly know your why.

Why do you want to spend less time on technology? Why do you want this for you, for your kids?

It's pretty shocking to learn that most of the Silicon Valley tech employees, including Steve Jobs, send their children to Waldorf Schools and don't let them have any screens until they are in high school. Waldorf and Montessori schools are famous for their commitment to tech-free childhoods.

Some circles are going so far as to call the tech-free childhood, "The New Rich" because it is only accessible to children whose parents understand the risks and aren't themselves addicted to technology and allows for the "privilege" of normal brain development.

A few years ago, I heard a Scandinavian childhood advocate give a talk, and he said that in 20 years we will look back at smart devices as child abuse. That's pretty harsh to consider, especially when most well-meaning parents and educators have been sold a story that what kids need is greater and equal access to technology.

But the truth is that the research shows only a negative correlation to access to technology and its relationship to academic success. In other words, the studies show that, without a doubt, the more access children have to screens and internet, the worse they do academically and in their mental health. What did Silicon Valley know so early on that the rest of us didn't?

The past is gone and all we can do is the best we can we the information we have now.

Here are some ideas for high-quality hobbies for adults and children. My best suggestion for the success of these hobbies is to not default to social media or the internet to learn these hobbies and don't feel the need to share them on social media. 

Find ones that can be done in real life with real people and in-person teachers. Look at your local library, church, or community center, or if your schedule is too busy to go outside the home, get a book to learn it. You will be well-intentioned when you go to look for that YouTube tutorial, but your brain will sideline you to, instead, get easy dopamine, I promise.

Part of escaping the addictive easy dopamine loop that digital life traps us in, you must prove to your brain that digital connection is a sad substitute for actual human connection. You must have enough human and 'in real life' moments daily/weekly to have this perspective. It is great that we live in a time where we can stay connected with family and friends far away, but that can never replace the need for human connection on a daily basis. We are wired for it, and without it we suffer.

Regarding hobbies, over time you'll find the ones that are the right fit for you, but starting out with an open-mind is important and be willing to tolerate a learning curve and the feelings of boredom at first.

My current favorite hobbies are our nightly game of Rummikub, playing in the handbell choir one night a week at church (this might seem like an old lady hobby, but at least half the members are younger than me) and sticker by numbers by the company Brain Games (imagine a paint-by-numbers using beautiful vintage stickers to create scenes of flowers and birds). 

Other Hobbies Worth Considering:

Puzzles (they are not just for children. I work on puzzles throughout the week, for a few minutes here and there. I leave them out on a puzzle board so that anyone who passes through can help out.)

Watercolors

Drawing, painting, coloring

Hiking or Walking

Travel

Flower arranging 

Learning a new musical instrument

Join the Y or a Gym

Table top or board gaming club

Supper club

Join a dance or swimming class

Pickleball, Tennis, Bowling

Adult team sports or martial arts

Join a community or church choir

Reading (if a novel feels too big try a magazine)

Join a local book club or Bible Study

Cooking or Baking

Knitting, Crocheting, or Embroidery

Cross stitch or Looming

Gardening ( if this feels too big start with something like an indoor aerogarden or a shelf of air plants)

Photography and Macro Photography (one of my most favorite hobbies is macro photography especially in spring time)

Whittling or Carving

Bookbinding (there are whole kits for this)

Book press/engraving

Pressed flower art

Calligraphy

Felting

Leather working

Model car, planes or trains

Paracord braiding 

Ham radio operation(check your local and state laws)

Fishing 

Foraging and plant identification (we call this nature notebooking)

Journaling or Commonplace booking (I have a blog about the Commonplace book)

For children-

Most children will enjoy the same hobbies listed in the adult category but there are also some specific sites that might inspire you.

Look into Montessori and Waldorf stores for ideas as they are committed to offline childhoods. They have wonderful ideas sorted by age categories and ideas for travel, which is often when parents cave on the screens.

Also, look up Charlotte Mason 'handicrafts'. She was an early childhood educator who wisely believed children needed to be industrious with their hands. Even my boys loved them growing up.

A tech-free Montessori toy that was a favorite for my children and now my 2-year-old niece is called a Busy Book. It has felt animals and farm scenes, shoe lacing or buttons or zippers and it all folds up into a small book size. My sister-in-law raves over it.

Many of these hobby ideas have very inexpensive starter kits at the Dollar Store or 5 Below type stores or even at thrift shops. Normally, I don’t love anything that encourages overconsumption, but the reality is that many young people and young families don’t have any of these tangible craft supplies, and in this case, I would say it is worth a reasonable starter investment. 

Trying a small kit first can help you to know if it’s something you’d like to spend more time on before you spend more money.

While the time spent scrolling or on the internet may feel free, there is a cost that one day, you may decide was too high but.