Journeys With Jani

My grandson was on his GiGi’s iPad earlier today, and let me tell you—he was in another world. So deep into his game that the rest of us may as well have been invisible. The only thing that could snap him back to reality? His brother attempting to share. That, my friends, is a recipe for a full-blown meltdown.

Now, GiGi (my sweet mother-in-law) is visiting for a couple of weeks. And bless her heart, she has no interest in playing the disciplinarian. Nor should she. Grandparents have earned their stripes. They’ve been there, done that, and raised their kids. This stage of life is about soaking up the grandkids, spoiling them just a smidge, and enjoying every second without the worry of being the bad guy.

My husband and I are pretty lenient with our grands too. But I can’t help noticing how easy it is for kids to get swallowed up by electronics—phones, tablets, video games, computers. You name it, they’ll dive into it headfirst.

But here’s the thing…

When we just say no to electronics for a little while, magic happens. Suddenly, blocks become castles. The play kitchen turns into a fast-food drive-thru (with the most imaginative menu you’ve ever seen). Dress-up clothes transform them into superheroes, princesses, and sometimes both at the same time. They play, they laugh, they create. And there are lessons hidden in all that pretending—sharing, problem-solving, and figuring out how to entertain themselves without a screen glowing in front of their faces.

The Unplug Principle

Here’s the funny part: it isn’t just kids who need to unplug. Our brains do too. Think about it. Doesn’t everything work better when you unplug it, wait a second, and then plug it back in? Phones, Wi-Fi routers… even us. Sometimes the best reset button is stepping away from the constant stream of dings, pings, and notifications.

So yes, my grands may melt down when you try to take away the iPad. And yes, GiGi is perfectly fine being the keeper of screen-time peace (or chaos). But when we gently nudge them toward play that doesn’t involve electronics, we give them a gift that screens simply can’t match.

Unplugging isn’t punishment. It’s freedom.

Now I’m Curious…

What do your kids or grands do when the screens get turned off? Do they collapse in a heap, or do they surprise you with some wild imagination play? Let’s swap some stories—I could use a few new “unplugged” activity ideas!

XOXO, Jani