Would you last ten days without looking at a single screen? Just over 1,000 kindergarten and primary students from the Fontaine d’Ouche district in Dijon have tested for you. Since Wednesday June 8, 2022, they have been instructed not to watch screens (too much). Six schools participate in this challenge, which ends on Friday June 17, 2022, and which aims to make families aware of the risks of screens. Challenge taken up or not?
Cap or no cap?
Living without TV, phone, or video games for ten days may seem simple, but it’s not that easy for Bambo, for example. He has a habit of looking at his phone as soon as he gets home from school, he must therefore find ways to prevent it : “There are days when it’s easier. Days when there is school, for example, but Wednesdays are hard because there is plenty of time before going to bed.” So sometimes… he snapped: “I can’t help myself” he admits.
For others, it’s easier to forget the screens, like for Rwaël: “When you’re often outside like me, it’s not a problem: I go play football or I go to the skate park”.
Inès’ parents are already limiting her screen time: no more than half an hour a day on weekdays, and one hour on weekends. She quickly found activities to replace TV, but she admits, it will only last for the duration of the challenge: “I think I will go back to playing video games, but I will continue to play outside”.
On the parents’ side, some admit, it’s not always easy to prevent children from watching TV. Natalie clarifies: “Right now, there’s school and it’s summer, so it’s easier, but when it’s winter vacation, of course, they’re more in front of the screens”.
Activities to help students
To motivate the pupils, the primary school Champs Perdrix organizes itself. Every morning, teachers take stock of their class : they ask everyone how long they spent in front of a screen the day before, and according to this, the students receive a certain number of caps. Eddy had four, he admits it himself, it’s not a lot but he’s still happy with himself: “It proves that I made an effort, and then I had never spent ten days without screens, that’s a long time!”
Another tip to help children: organize entertainment. Twice during these four days, the Champs Perdix school offered 90 students the opportunity to discover activities that could replace screens: rollerblading, hiking or board games. Neila tried rollerblades, and she really liked it: “I would like to make it more often but I don’t have it at home… I’ll ask for it for my birthday.”
In any case, all the children participate willingly and the school intends to participate again in the challenge in 2023.
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