Posted by Kalli Pasqualucci on 07 Feb 2025

At the beginning of this year, my son’s school banned smartphones for Year 6 students, and I must say I wasn’t pleased about it. So much has changed since we were young, and being able to check in and check on our children has become part and parcel of parenting in the modern world.

But when the school recently suggested a two-week digital detox for their Year 6 students, I thought that it was a brilliant idea and was very supportive of adopting this practice at home.

Our Experience

An email was sent out to the parents, suggesting that they could join in with the experiment to support the year 6s. The detox could either be a complete removal of all things digital – except for TV – or you could drastically cut down.

Our family is international so we stay in touch with them online. My husband and I both work digitally, I use social media to promote my business and stay in touch with clients, and the boys use gaming to communicate with friends (modern-day ‘playing in the street’) so we decided to remove ourselves from devices as soon as our work day was over, to reduce our social media presence and to limit gaming/ watching YouTube/ checking in with family and friends/ being online to just 30 minutes a day for two weeks.

And I will say now that the first few days were brutal. The boys nagged every day to play a bit longer. There were tantrums and tears about not being able to spend more time online with their friends; but after a few days, I started noticing how peaceful our house and children had become.

Strong emotions were less heightened on a day-to-day basis. Simple tasks like getting ready for school became easier, and we had fewer arguments about getting ready in the morning and putting on shoes, etc. The boys started talking to each other and laughing more, we spent more time as a family watching TV or films, and we found new hobbies including art, studying languages, cross-stitching (my new quiet time) and reading books. We’ve also enjoyed cooking and baking together. It feels like we have so much more time to enjoy our real lives, away from screens; developing activities that bring us joy.

Why a Digital Detox?

There have been many studies and tests done regarding the impact of living our lives online and then subsequently on taking breaks from the digital world.

These topics have also been discussed, at length, recently in the news because of shows like Swiped: The School That Banned Smartphones, What Happened When 10 Teens Gave Up Their Smartphones and Mimi on a Mission: Digital Detox. All of these focus on the influence that social media has on us – and particularly on children, and how limiting (or removing) screen time can help with mental health, sleep and well-being.

Could You Do This At Home?

It’s not for everyone, and please understand that I am not suggesting that everyone should do it. I merely thought that it might help others who have considered taking a break.

Ofcom found that 50% of children aged 3-12, in the UK, use at least one social media app or site; and over 90% of children aged 12-17 years old. This number is constantly growing.

We’ve decided, as a family, that we will reduce our time spent online – scrolling mindlessly or watching reels or YouTube videos. I plan on including regular ‘offline days’ into my month, to ensure that I have time to do the things that I love without the constant distraction of what is happening online.

If you try it, please let me know.

Kalli x