How to Create Deeper Connections in The Digital Age

May 18

Written By Waterville Valley Resort Association

It’s become increasingly hard to truly connect with the people you love. According to Harvard Medical School, half of all kids and three-quarters of all parents feel the other is distracted when talking to each other. With social media, virtual reality, and a plethora of online entertainment - it can be hard to compete with the allure of screentime. Not to mention, screentime can actually be detrimental to your child's health. Research studies suggest that children who are exposed to more screentime at age 3 show significantly increased behavior and attention problems at age 5.

When everyone in the family is on their phone all the time, it can feel impossible to find that deeper connection we all crave. You may want to encourage your family to engage and bond with one another. But you don't want to find yourself on a loop, repeating over & over again: "Can you just put down your phone for one darn second?".

There is no simple solution to such a complex issue. But there is one simple undeniable fact: kids can't look at their phones when they're riding a bike or playing tennis, throwing a frisbee or swimming. This summer, consider a family getaway, where you can unwind, unplug, and start making screen-less memories.

Here in Waterville Valley, making screen-less memories is easy with the Freedom Pass. The Freedom Pass is your ticket to summer adventure and is issued to each guest staying at one of Waterville Valley's local inns or lodges. With the Freedom Pass, the opportunity for exploration is endless. Explore the White Mountains via mountain bike with your free daily bike rentals. Or perhaps cruise around Corcoran Pond with your free daily boat rental. Take a complimentary scenic chairlift ride up to the top of Snow's Mountain, and you can access downhill mountain biking, an 18-hole disc golf course, and scenic waterfall hikes. Or beat the heat with unlimited access to the White Mountain Athletic Club, where you and your family can enjoy an outdoor pool and splash pad, hot tubs, sauna, steam room, weight & cardio rooms, and indoor tennis courts.

Here in the Valley, it's easy to leave your phones and tablets behind because you're embarking on a new adventure every single day. No matter what the adventure, a getaway to Waterville Valley can help your family spend real, quality time together. Plus, with so many activities to try, you may just find a new family hobby!

Sources

“Screen Time and the Brain.” Ruder, D.B. Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, 9 June 2019, hms.harvard.edu/news/screen-time-brain.

“Screen-Time is Associated with Inattention Problems in Preschoolers: Results from the CHILD Birth Cohort Study.” Tamana, Sukhpreet K.; et al. PLOS ONE, April 2019.