A recent study has found that daily screen use for teenagers has more than doubled since the start of the pandemic, with the average amount of time on a screen rising from 3.8 hours per day to 7.7 hours per day (not including online schooling). The participants in the study reported that multiple-player gaming, single-player gaming, texting, social media, video chatting, browsing the internet and watching or streaming movies, videos, or television shows were the most popular forms of activites.
For parents and guardians, this dramatic rise in screen time is alarming. The study found a correlation to poorer mental health and greater perceived stress for those reporting higher use of screens. Those teens who reported less time on their screens showed better social skills and coping behaviors.
This troubling report is not news to Mark Hancock, CEO of Trail Life (TrailLifeUSA.com), the largest Christ-centered, boy-focused scout-type organization in the country. Utilizing an approach suited to boys that focuses on building character, fostering relationships, and having good old-fashioned outdoor fun, Hancock encourages boys and parents to leave behind the electronic distractions and get back in the great outdoors.
Hancock stated, “In Trail Life, boys regularly leave daily duties and digital distractions behind. They join with their mentors and fathers in the outdoors where relationships form naturally, time seems to slow, and boys are able to listen, connect, and grow.”
Boys go to video games to find a place where they can “win.” Video games capture their attention with easy wins and then become progressively harder. They provide connection around challenge, conquering and competition—the very things boys used to get in sports and the outdoors. Trail Life understands this innate need of boys and provides unique outdoor adventure that speaks to the heart of a boy.
“Away from daily concerns, cell phone distraction, social media interaction, and video game pseudo-satisfaction is a real world of wonder—a world of adventure and exploration, where crickets chirp, campfires crackle, stars twinkle, freshly caught fish simmer, and pocket knives whittle,” Hancock continued.
Only by leaving behind the negative effects of technology can meaningful relationships and personal growth be found, according to Hancock. “Trail Life USA supplies the place, the programs, and the outdoor adventures to connect boys to other boys, to adult mentors, and to their God-given purpose to become godly men,” said Hancock. “This is our moment to show the kind of positive, meaningful impact that Trail Life Troops can make in boys’ lives, and to inspire them to strengthen and maintain those friendships with fellow Troop members and mentors into their adult years.”
Trail Life USA?is the premier national character development organization for young men, producing godly and responsible husbands, fathers, and citizens.?Trail Life’s?mission is to guide generations of courageous young?men to honor God, lead with integrity, serve others, and experience outdoor adventure.?Troops exist in all?50 states and are?growing as?Trail Life USA?expands around the country. Find a Troop for your son today, or Start a Troop in your area. Find out more at TrailLifeUSA.com.
Since?Trail Life USA?launched on January 1, 2014, it has grown to?over?35,000 members in over?880 Troops across?the nation. The K-12 program centers on outdoor experiences?that build a young man's skills. A robust awards program motivates young men to grow on a personal level to become role models and leaders among their peers. Living the?Trail Life USA?is a journey established on timeless values derived from the Bible.???
Discover more about?Trail Life USA?at?TrailLifeUSA.com,?Facebook,?Instagram,?Twitter,?YouTube, or?Vimeo.??