We frequently discuss the benefits of getting your children away from the screens, and the impact it can have on their wellbeing, schooling and development. However, these benefits also extend across the entire family. We’re all in front of a screen throughout the day – whether it’s our phones, computers or TVs. They make up a key part of our daily lives, from their use at school, work or in leisure. They can also provide a great deal of disconnection from our own selves and from others.
Here at Camp Wilderness, we host Family Camps to encourage everyone to take a step back from technology and reconnect with nature. Let’s take a look at the benefits of getting away from technology that impact the whole family:
Whether it’s school, work or just trying to make sure the house is running smoothly, there’s plenty of aggregators to stress in our daily lives. Stepping away from them and into the outdoors is a perfect way to give yourself a chance to relax. Fresh air and movement trigger certain parts of the brain, helping us to regulate our emotions better and process any problems that might be acting as a block for you.
Plus, it’s just good for your joints and general wellbeing to get up and about!
With our kids hooked up to their phone or games, and adults often pre-occupied by work, we often miss out on key moments between each other without realising. Stepping away from the indoors and stepping out into a wilderness scenario where you have to work together – even if it’s just planning what route you’re taking for your daily walk – you’ll begin to build connections between each other that weren’t there before. With greater lines of communications established, you’ll see an improvement in trust, confidence and vulnerability between the whole family.
As once famously said, ‘there’s only 24 hours in a day’, so how can we ‘discover more time’? The answer is pretty simple actually – you don’t. You make better use of the time that we’ve got.
We’ve all had it where we go on TikTok or YouTube and end up scrolling listlessly for what feels like five minutes but has actually been half an hour! Apps like these are designed to be addictive, and by stepping away, getting into activities outside of them we’ll loosen the grip they have on us. This means that we’ll be less inclined to get sucked in, and find that our days feel like they’ve got a whole lot more time in them.
- Be present and be realistic
We’re all susceptible to falling for social media tricks, comparing ourselves to influencers and everyone’s idealized version of themselves that they share online. This can often lead to unrealistic expectations of how our days, homes, work and selves should look, and can be damaging to anyone’s mental health.
Logging off can help us all reground ourselves in our realities. It can help us to enjoy the little moments during family getaways or with siblings rather than looking for the perfect ‘Instagramable’ moment.
If you’re looking for a way to get the whole family together, away from technology and into the outdoors then look no further than Camp Wilderness. We offer Outdoor Family Adventures that are suitable from everyone.
Stay tuned for our 2023 dates!
