Andrea Gribble encourages families to unplug in the Chippewa Herald

The National Day of Unplugging is held from sundown to sundown on March 4-5. Social media expert and author Andrea Gribble weighed in on unplugging in the Chippewa Herald. As seen in the Chippewa Herald:

It can be hard for families today to find time to disconnect from their multiple electronic devices and connect with each another instead. The National Day of Unplugging gives them the day and a mindful deadline to do it.

According to the National Day of Unplugging website, individuals are encouraged to take 24 hours and step away from their devices to “unwind, unplug, relax, reflect, get outdoors, and connect with loved ones.” The National Day of Unplugging starts at sundown on Friday, March 4 and runs until sundown on March 5.

Author Andrea Gribble wrote a children’s book, The Von Awesome Family in a Digital Daze, to help start the conversation among her own family about why it is important to “unplug” from their electronics and spend time together. She even created a family contract so kids and parents can hold each other accountable.

“I saw technology obsession as a problem with my own family, and that’s what prompted me to write this children’s book,” Gribble said.

Gribble has built a company around managing social media accounts for schools, which means she is “plugged in” for a good portion of her day. She realized she needed to educate her children about the importance of balancing screen time and family time, and went in search of a book to help her. When she couldn’t find one, she decided to write one herself.

“Families need to talk about the issue together, and starting with a lighthearted children’s book is the perfect place to start,” Gribble said.

The Von Awesome Family in a Digital Daze can help other families have this conversation with their children, especially on the National Day of Unplugging. In the book, seven-year-old Zoey finds that her family is more interested in their devices than inplaying basketball with her. She and the rest of the Von Awesome family sit down together to come up with constructive family rules to help them put family relationships first.

Gribble encourages parents to take the National Day of Unplugging as a day to talk about technology with their children and discuss how they use technology at home.

“I can’t change society’s addiction to technology, but if we can start in the home — with little changes — then I think we can make a big difference,” she said.

To download the free contract, go to: www.andreagribble.com.