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Pad Patter 3/23: Unplugged Vacations

jenevang

jenevang

Rocking a two-piece under my scrubs
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OK, so next week is Spring Break for us and some friends invited our family to join them at their cabin in Tennessee for several days. We agreed since we didn't have other plans and are looking forward to it.

However, I'm starting to feel a little twitchy now that it's only a few days away. They tell us (now) that there is NO TV, NO INTERNET, and NO CELL SERVICE there. Seriously? EEK. The lack of TV doesn't bother me, but no contact to the outside world... She actually gave me the cabin land line # to give to anyone who may need to reach us.

UNPLUGGED. For 4 days (plus it's 5 hours away so there are 2ish travel days). Part of me is thrilled, especially for my kids and my husband b/c I can certainly see the value of getting away for realz. But part of me is skeered, LOL.

Are you vacations unplugged? Are they refreshing or stressful? Help me feel good about this decision. I'm gonna love the family time, right? :giggle
 
Our vacations are DVDs only for the tv, and although our phones work, we don't have smartphones so we aren't connected as much as usual. We love it! (The kids can still play games on the tablets, but they almost always want to play a board or card game together instead.)
 
Just reading it makes me twitchy! Especially the no cell phones part, lol! I'm sure it'll be fun though!
 
When we go to the cabin, we only get cell service upstairs in the loft or outside, so we don't really use them. The last time we went I took my laptop so I could sort through my scrap stuff at night, and dh took his so he could play games. But that's because it was just the two of us once the munchkin went to bed, and you can only play so many two people board games :)
It's a really nice change, and experience. I think you'll be surprised at how much you enjoy it.
 
You'll love it. Everyone will probably have a little adjustment, but it'll be easier than you think. Whenever we travel we let our kids (and ourselves) use devices while traveling, but once we arrive, they have to go away. The kids grumble for a little bit, but really they have just as much fun doing stuff with us and playing outside and in the pools, etc. My hubby is usually the twitchiest of the bunch. :giggle
 
LOL, you will be ok. you are so funny.
2 recent vacations were unplugged, but not by choice. one was a week in OBX after a big storm ... the cable/wireless was out and never got repaired while we were there. and the other was last summer on Lake Ontario ... we were on an island (with over 200 acres to explore and play on with boats and ATVs ). technically there was internet and tv. no one turned the TV on ... and the internet was so bad, it wasn't even worth it to try. i must admit. it was relaxingly and really nice ... not worrying about keeping up with FB and the internet. i loved it.

if there's enough to do, i bet you won't even miss it that much! enjoy ... hope you have a fabulous time with friends and family.
 
We did ours pretty darn good. We were too tired to do even try to plug in. I did read tons in my kindle, so bring yours.
 
I don't know if I could do that! When I've gone away, I like to check up on my dog! And I like to share pics and check in at different places where I go. I think it's kind of fun.
 
We've done internet/cell free vacations with no problem, but never fully unplugged. We each have 1 main electronic device that we bring, and luckily they're all still fun offline. I bring my laptop for scrapping, DH brings his ipad, and the 3 kids bring the portable DVD player, DS, and Kindle Fire. Like others have said, we tend to be busy and spend even less time on our screens when we're away, but I will admit how much I like having them for the long car ride and the occasional rainy days or times when the kids just need a few calm minutes.
 
Our camping trips are 100% unplugged... and I LOVE them to pieces! I learned two things: 1) For the kids, it's important to plan a lot of fun stuff during the day... then they don't miss electronic devices. 2) I take a huge notebook to jot down scrapbooking-relevant stuff... what we've done, where we've been, how we've felt, what happened, the little anecdotes... every single day. Then I can easily do my project life once I get home.
I love that during those trips, we 100% concentrate on each other... there's nothing else. And it's amazing.
 
I bet it will be the best vacation ever...the art of conversation and laughter with your kids is amazing when no electronics.
Bring some fun board games. Perhaps make a scavenger hunt game. Take a million photos, journal like a mad woman and tell us all about it in your pages when you get home!
 
Up until last year we didn't have internet or phone at our trailer. We did have tv though. It was good in the sense that the hubs and I spent more time actually talking and doing stuff together. The bad was....I missed seeing what was going on with my FB friends/pinterest/blogs etc. I couldn't wait to get home on Sundays to check in LOL. Enjoy this little break and you might be amazed how many other things become interesting when you're not plugged in LOL.
 
It is Nostalgic Jen!! Everyone talks to each other and every now and again the kids need to know that electronic devices should not run your life. It is fun to do something different and you will be surprised at how relaxing and unwinded you will be. I think the electronic devices sometimes add to stress in our lives and every now and again it is fun to turn that all off and enjoy what means the most... family time :)
 
Our vacations tend to be unplugged because we are either traveling overseas and I'm not paying for the roaming data service ($$$$) or we're on a cruise, which is a perfect place to be unplugged. Nothing on TV to watch, not to mention the cabins are small and not that comfy to hang out in anyway, and no cell service or internet (again, not paying for it). I'm always refreshed by stepping away from the computer and phone and TV for a week or two.
 
I thought I wouldn't be able to do it -- but actually it's quite nice. I have gone on a few vacations where I was unconnected from the internet and cell phones. TV's aren't a big deal to me, either. I didn't even have a useable one for 3+ years. We went to my BIL's family's cabin on an Island by Seattle and it was a really nice weekend. I've been there a couple of times.
But the really surprising thing is that when I moved last summer into my new house with my Sister, BIL, Dad and Furry Nephew (Pug), my dad and I moved in early and we didn't have internet for almost a month. I actually grew to like being off the computer. Now I don't spend as much time online as I used to before that.
It's so funny how connected we all are when the internet wasn't even a thing until I graduated from college. In 1994. Now I can't imagine life without it.
 
There is a little red cabin on a lake close to where DH's family vacationed every summer while he was growing up. I am dying to rent it, and they advertise no cell/Internet service. I think they do have a TV and a DVD player, but no cable.

I think it would do us so much good to be unplugged for a few days. I don't think SS would make it, though. He was with us this weekend and went home early Sunday (rather than staying the night) because he just 'had' to play his Playstation and we only have a Wii here. :pffft
 
We take our gadgets to use on the night but during the day we go out and explore make games together and enjoy each other's company and our surroundings
 
we did an unplugged vacation last year, and all five of us (plus our dog) LOVED it!! We went hiking and exploring, went horse back riding, built campfires, sat out on the porch in the hot tub. It was great!! The only electronic time was when we would all sit and watch a movie together as a family, or during long travel times. We loved it so much, we're doing it again this year!!
 
jenevang said:
(plus it's 5 hours away so there are 2ish travel days)
Click to expand...

For us, we let our kids take their DS's / ipods / whatever else in the van on the way to / from our destination. Just easier to survive a long, boring car ride that way. But they never even asked for them once we got there. Maybe you could do something like that and tuck them away while you're at your vacation spot. ??
 
i'm having an unplugged one towards the end of the summer. will be a blissful week. blissful.
 
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