If you were watching the Olympics, you might already know about Common Sense Media’s #DeviceFreeDinner Campaign. During prime-time Olympic coverage, Common Sense Media launched a challenge to families to put away devices at the dinner table. Throughout the Olympic events, NBC aired a series of Common Sense Media- created PSAs to announce the campaign to a national audience. As you can see from the sample below, the PSAs make a humorous, yet compelling argument that clearly certain times should be device free.
“Our devices keep us connected, informed and engaged, but dinner time is an important time to just say ‘no,'” urges James P. Steyer, founder and CEO of Common Sense Media. “Everything from better grades to a healthier lifestyle has been linked to eating together regularly as a family.” (Common Sense Media Press Release)
Common Sense Media 2016
The #DeviceFreeDinner campaign comes with a wonderful 3-page Family Starter Kit that includes tips for getting started, a printable Family Commitment Pledge, and even a a printable sign for designating the place (e.g., basket, box) families will place their devices during dinner.
#DeviceFreeDinner Family Starter Kit
#DeviceFreeDinner is a “multi-year” campaign with no start/end dates. Common Sense Media is planning to add an additional challenge in the fall with “a holiday-specific pledge and New Year’s Resolution component.”
We encourage you and your family members to step up to the #DeviceFreeDinner challenge – and we invite you to post a comment to let us know the impact on your family dinners.
"The technology that has so dramatically changed the world outside our schools is now changing the learning and teaching environment within them."
