Families Will Spend More Than a Third of Summer Staring At Screens (betanews.com)

Reader BrianFagioli writes: A new survey reveals that families will spend more than a third of the 2017 summer season with their eyes glued to some sort of screen. To make matters worse, parents say that while they would prefer to do more activities away from devices, outings are far too expensive. A typical weekend family getaway with all things factored in, could average $2,328. Sadly, the overuse of "screens" are negatively impacting the health and behavior of children too. "With warmer weather finally arriving in most parts of the country and the school year winding down to a close, Groupon asked 1,000 U.S. parents how much time their families plan to spend on their electronic devices this summer -- and the results were staggering. The average American family will spend an average of 35 days of their summer, which is the equivalent of more than one-third, using their electronic devices. The survey, which was conducted for Groupon's Funtacular Fun Fest, found that the average child will watch an estimated 60 movies and play 150 hours of video games over the summer months," says Groupon.

Comments

Many green spaces cost nothing to visit

[OffTheLip]

I don't buy the cost thing. It's most likely more convenient for the parents and the kids prefer their screens to the outdoors.

Re:Many green spaces cost nothing to visit

[ravenshrike]

Sorry, but the idea that a weekend family outing needs to include Universal Studios Orlando is fucking batshit. That sort of outing should be maybe once every three years at most. A weekend outing can be as simple as going to the nearest park for the day. Doing things like hiking, biking, playing stupid outdoor games. Eating pre-prepared sandwiches and other food kept in a cooler with enough icebags to keep it cool.

Re:$2300/weekend??

[dargaud]

And even if you do want a family WE getaway, 2300$ ?!? What do you do during this WE, snort coke with hookers and badly lose at poker or what ? I mean 50$ of gas to reach some forest, beach or mountain, 50$ in BBQ coal, food and booze, 10$ to sleep in a tent on some campground, 0$ to hike, climb or swim. Double those prices depending on local price of life but if 2300$, you are doing it wrong.

76% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck

[rsilvergun]

It's about all I can afford. I'm not going to do any travel. I can't afford it. I could wander around the neighborhood or go to a park I suppose, but the kid's a bit old for that. A trip down to one of the lakes burns gas and puts miles on my old car. So yeah, "staycation" it is.

Unintended consequences...

[Fringe]

Long long ago, we would...

• Run around outside playing cowboys & indians.
  • Only now, that's racist and violent and will get you locked up.
• Roam around the countryside with our friends.
  • Only now, that's an abdication of parenting, and results in HHS taking kids from parents.
• Play random games of dodgeball.
  • Only now, that's violent and gets you sent to counselling.
• Played soccer or competitive (organized) sports.
  • Only now, those are judgemental, because there are winners and losers, so they've over-burdened them with rules and awards to where they're no longer fun enough to do.
• Goofed off in one of our parents' backyards.
  • Only now, any minor injury results in a lawsuit, so you can't risk your neighbor kids coming over to play.
  • When younger, have birthday parties with our besties.
    • Only now, that's exclusionary and the school forbids parents from having non-school related parties at all.
  • Each our brown-bagged lunches, mostly peanut butter & jelly, together outside at recess, except for the kids who luckily brought the chips and candy.
    • Only now, peanut butter is banned. And so are candy and chips. One is dangerous and the other is, well, dangerous but slower.

  Geez, and you wonder why the kids hide from everything?