| My older son's favorite place in the world is his very old-school summer camp – which his dad also attended and, later, where he was a counselor. It's a magical place on a river. There are platform tents. Reveille to wake up. Taps to go to bed. No online photos to let us know they are alive for those three weeks, but rather, forced handwritten notes scribbled during their daily rest hour. And absolutely, positively, no screens. When we dropped him and his brother off this year, the 14-year-old looked thrilled though he hugged his phone goodbye when he handed it to me. "Look!" I declared when we saw his sun-kissed face again, "You survived without your phone!" A few hours later, I took a picture of him and his good camp friend, sitting next to each other, phones back in hands, faces staring at tiny screens. Sigh. Since we came home, it's been a ton of Snaps, some video games, Instagram, and (happy about this one), catching up on news from around the world. Lucky guy that he can stay in touch with these far-flung friends from camp. But I loved that this screened-up kid had almost a month of fresh air, shooting stars, sports, swimming. He was forced to be with friends in person, to sit and think and stare at the sky. I heard no complaints, and he even commented that it felt great to just be with his friends he sees once a year. In person. So, when Meghan Leahy was asked how to rein screen use in again, after this reader's daughter went screen-free at camp, you can bet I read her answer. Carefully. We've been home for a day, and we're figuring it out. I'll let you know how that goes (she says warily). Have parenting questions for parent coach Meghan Leahy? She's here to help – you can ask anything now for her chat on Wednesday. | Perspective ● By Meghan Leahy and Amy Joyce ● Read more » | | | |
Parenting in a Pandemic These are challenging times for any parent to navigate. Let On Parenting help. Below you'll find a selection of expert advice and personal stories for all types of parents. To keep up with The Post's best advice for living through a lockdown, including recipes to make, shows to watch, the best socializing apps, resources for parents, guidance for managing anxiety and tips for canceled trips, bookmark Your Life at Home. And the latest on school reopenings can be found on The Post's Education page. For vaccinated parents with unvaccinated kids | Vaccinated adults may have more freedom. But for kids, 'the rules haven't changed.' For parents dealing with virtual school | Strategies to improve distance learning | Tips for creating a good learning environment at home | How parents can avoid anxiety around distance learning For parents dealing with in-person school | How to help children adjust to masks, according to experts and parents | As kids move from quarantine to school, separation anxiety may follow. Here's how to help. For parents working from home | 6 strategies for parents struggling with work-from-home interruptions For parents looking ahead to post-pandemic life | The pandemic changed everything about family
life. These are the parts parents want to keep. |
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