When I was a child I would go with my mother to her weekly hairdresser appointment, she would have her hair washed and curled and then she would sit under the hairdryer for what seemed like hours. During that weekly visit I would bring books, dolls, notebooks, crayons, and pencils. I would read, imagine, and create. Today, I see babies as young as a year old at the supermarket watching videos on their parent’s cell phones. Whatever happened to books, toys, paper and crayons? We are raising our children to be consumers, not creators. 

My generation (and some of yours) created what most of us are unable to live without; computers, cell phones, tablets, game systems, social networking , etc. Most of us are unable to live without the technology we use in our everyday lives. Think about it, you lose power during a storm, for a few minutes, few hours, or even days and weeks. You can live without electricity for lighting, but do you miss your television? Internet? The ability to charge your phone? Access to your laptop or tablet? How long can you go on National Unplug Day?  If you missed National Unplug Day which is held on the second Friday in March,  I hope you will create your own day. Go out for a walk, cook or bake together, talk to your family during meals, play a board game, visit a relative, neighbor, or friend, volunteer or give back to the community, do arts and crafts and create something.