Social Innovation Forum
From Left To Right: Derrick Shallcross Highland Street Foundation; Eric Arnold, Hale Reservation; Dr. Michael Rich, Center for Media and Child Health at Boston Children’s Hospital; Tyler Simpson, Hale Reservation
During the month of March, the Social Innovation Forum is hosting eight "Social Issue Talks" across the city. This year, we've invited guest bloggers from our community to offer their perspective on the events and reflect on what they learned about the social issues facing greater Boston. Guest blogger Paula McLaughlin, of Hale Reservation, gives her take on "Utilizing Open Spaces to Enhance Education for All," held on March 21.
Have you ever heard the term “Digital Sabbath?” It’s the practice of taking time off from technology. I had never used the phrase myself but know my own personal need for a social media cleansing is probably long overdue. This concept was presented at a lunch hosted by the Social Innovation Forum (SIF) at DLA Piper featuring Children’s Hospital’s own “Mediatrician” Michael Rich, MD who spoke about the importance of getting children away from screens and bringing them outdoors.
Working at Hale, and seeing the difference breathing fresh air and being unplugged makes to a child, this wasn’t news to me. What was eye-opening, however, was some of the facts that Dr. Rich shared. If you have someone living in your home between the ages of 12 – 20 something, chances are they sleep with their phone aka “alarm clock” under their pillow or on their nightstand. Sleep interrupted by notifications and vibrations all night is not quality sleep. Dr. Rich explained that during our deep sleep (REM), we remember what we learned throughout the day. Children, especially, are having a hard time retaining information because they are never really getting a good rest. Since Dr. Rich is a pediatrician, his talk focused on adolescents but in a room full of adults, we were all thinking the same thing – “Am I spending too much time in front of a screen?”
Following Dr. Rich, Hale’s Executive Director Eric Arnold spoke about the ways Hale is helping to combat this very real issue. We make it pretty easy at camp and during our education programs, there are simply no screens allowed. We do something even more important, however, by introducing healthy habits that encourage the need to explore more. When Eric began to describe an encounter he had with a once reluctant camper on the ropes course, I couldn’t help but think that climbing 30 feet in the air has to be more exhilarating for a youngster than sitting on Xbox and doing something virtually.
I work at Hale and know the difference we are making but events like the SIF luncheon give us a chance to share our stories and our goal of increasing the dosage of “outdoor activities” by hopefully offering overnight camp someday soon. And you can be sure there will be no sleeping with cell phones under pillows for our campers.
About the Author
Paula McLaughlin oversees communications, donor relations, and community partnerships at Hale and has been with the non-profit for more than 10 years. She is a seasoned fundraiser and friendraiser for the organization and is motivated by the difference the staff can make in the lives of the children they serve. In addition to her work at Hale, Paula is a founding member of the Westwood Community Chest and a Director at Needham Bank. She and her husband Paul live in Westwood and have three grown children who all sleep with a cell phone close by but maybe not for much longer.