Hello Friends! Let me start by setting the scene for you on our home life. My fiancé and I are both educators and we have a three-year-old toddler in tow!
A few years ago, we decided to embark on a new adventure. We sold our house in a small, sleepy town and moved to a few acres at the base of a mountain to try something new: farming. As first-time farmers and aspiring homesteaders, it has been a wild ride. It's been tough, no doubt, but the rewards have been immeasurable. This journey has truly enriched our family's lives.
We've learned a lot along the way, and watching our little one grow up on the farm has been the most beautiful part of it all.
He is developing a deep connection to his surroundings by learning:
- Where his food comes from and why
- How to tend to animals and the land
- Why things work the way they do
This experience is giving him a sense of purpose, resilience, and pride that we are incredibly proud of. This has been a special way to raise our family, and for us, it has just worked.
The Reality of Raising a Toddler
Sometimes I find it funny how little technology our toddler is exposed to compared to other kids his age. Then I remember that what we're creating is so much more valuable. It's not easy, and don't get me wrong, our household isn't all sunshine and daisies with constant smiles and happiness—because that's not real life. A three-year-old is a three-year-old, regardless of how you raise them. Toddlers will always have their developmental behaviors (if you've figured out how to stop tantrums, please let me know!).
But I can share that we've experienced many positive benefits from creating a nearly screen-free environment in our home.
As educators, we are not anti-tech. We fully understand that technology is a vital tool for the future. By intentionally using technology for educational purposes, we are laying a critical foundation for digital literacy skills that foster adaptability, critical thinking, and communication.
Why doesn't our toddler engage in regular screen time?
Here are 3 reasons:
1. Intentional Family Focus
Being primarily screen-free allows our family to truly focus on each other. A strong family is everything and the greatest reward on this earth. We all know that time is a thief, so we cherish all the meaningful memories we make together. Our family philosophy is that everyone has a role to play and we must work together as a team to get jobs done. We teach by example and encourage involvement in all duties around our property.
This fuels our toddler's curiosity and desire to help, whether it's:
- Collecting eggs, watering the garden, and feeding the animals
- Cooking dinner, doing laundry, and cleaning the house
Such hands-on experimentation gives him a sense of place and an important place in our family, which in turn fosters the idea that our family is a "unit" built on responsibility and love. It also allows for amazing shared memories and a true sense of togetherness. Our lives feel rich with intentional presence and deliberate ways to spend time with each other.
2. Engaging Environment
As parents, my fiancé and I decided early on that we wanted to give our toddler the best opportunities to succeed in this rather harsh world. To us, this meant providing a rich and engaging environment for him to play in and get his hands moving and dirty.
Exploration: Letting him explore the world is the most developmentally appropriate thing.
Problem-Solving: Engaging with objects—LEGOs, magnets, sand, dirt—helps his brain navigate his surroundings and develop problem-solving skills.
Imagination: We're obsessed with reading! We read countless books together each day because books activate imagination and model literacy skills. We want him to be a creative, curious, and resilient lifelong learner.
3. We're Just Too Busy
The other simple and honest truth is that we're just too busy. There is always something to do from sunup to sundown. We have a rhythm that dictates our farm days and the chores that need to be done. There's a continuous flow of tasks, and our toddler is always in the thick of it with us. This is vital to his development. In our house, it's understood that it's not just Mom or Dad doing the work while the kid plays. It's a team effort, and everyone has an important role to play. Yes, tasks might take longer, but the resilience we're building is always worth it.
Where Does Daylight Fit In?
How do we honor the importance of technology while staying committed to a screen-free philosophy?
Daylight's technology supports our intentional use of technology for educational purposes. For us, its functionality combines the convenience of modern technology with our commitment to staying focused on our family. This product was created for people like us—specific users with intentional priorities and a focus on health.
Here's why it's a game-changer for our family:
- Better eye health: We don't have to worry about tired, red, sore, dry eyes at the end of the day. The monochrome display feels truly gentle on the eyes, and that's even more important for my toddler with his developing retinas.
- Calm energy: I feel good using the Daylight before bed, it's not stimulating like normal screens and when I use it at night, the amber tone actually helps me and my family fall asleep more easily.
- More focused: We are all way less distracted when using the Daylight, and I'm pretty sure it has to do with how the display is intentionally unengaging. We've seen it with our toddler too: he will be focused on a specific task, but after a while, he will lose interest. He won't get sucked in and he has never asked for more screen time.
- Learning is Fun: We truly enjoyed the natural feel of the stylus while learning to write our ABCs together.
This product is exactly what families with children need to find a healthy balance in a world of overstimulation and screen addiction.
