Summer 2021 is being described by many as the summer of “deconfinement.” This is a fancy way of saying that, with more people being vaccinated and social distancing and mask mandates easing, we are entering into summer feeling semi-safe and finally starting to imagine a more normalized, post-COVID world. Parents (like so many others) have been in survival mode for 15-plus months, probably having had to lean hard on screens and electronic devices. But now the dust is slowly settling.

With light peeking through the dark clouds, we are re-emerging into the world beyond the glowing screens that we have become accustomed to using for work, for distraction, and often as our only gateway for human connection.

A lot of us mamas (pretty sure it wasn’t just me!) relied on screens as a way to stay sane during long periods of confinement. Watching The Mandalorian on Friday nights with my kids helped break the monotony of the week and allowed some semblance of normalcy in a scary, rapidly-changing world. However, as we begin to rediscover the world outside, we will also need to start reestablishing some boundaries, rebooting some systems – and most importantly, weaning the kids from electronics. Here are five guidelines that can help with that process.

Parents, please give yourselves and your children a break. We just lived through (and many are still living through) a once-in-a-lifetime crisis, a pandemic that has left huge emotional, economic and social impacts in its wake. These were extreme circumstances, and extra screen time was often the only choice for all parties involved.

It allowed teens and tweens to stay connected to their peers, enabled something school-ish, and for many offered the only form of communication with our loved ones. It’s no surprise that we may have a hard time letting go of these new survival habits.

One of the Golden Rules of parenting is “Do as I say, not as I do.” However, if you are constantly on your own phone, or always keep the TV on in the background, your children will follow your lead – so please lead by example. Don’t reach for your phone as soon as you wake up. If your house is quiet (something I’ve heard about but never personally experienced) and you use the TV as background noise, ask Alexa to play music instead. Or better yet, say “Alexa, play the Mommying While Muslim podcast.”

Visit your local library or bookstore and stock up on some great summer reads. If your children see you reading, they will read too. Bonus: Putting limits on our own screen will leave us extra time to spend with our kids, our spouses or just ourselves. You may even like it!

Start (re-)establishing limits on screen time. If your children are older, allow them to be a part of the discussion. When everyone is on the same page it is easier to follow through and get “buy-in” from all involved. With electronics being such a major part of our lives for so long, expect some pushback from even the youngest children. No one likes their routine messed with.

I am not the biggest believer in reward charts and feel that extrinsic motivators don't really facilitate long-term change, but remember I mentioned we were coming out of a pandemic? Yeah, go ahead and get that glitter-glue sticker chart out. Create some incentives. Finished your homework and chores? You’ve earned an hour of screen time. (Set a timer!) This allows your kids to be independent and saves you from having to fight the same battle every day.

In our house we add, “AND after lunch.” As in, “Fill in the chart AND it has to be after lunch.” Remember, as the parent you are ultimately in charge, and as such you set the limits in your household.

Summer is a great time for your kids to be creative, try new things, and get dirty. Plan a weekly play date with vaccinated friends. Explore neighborhood parks that you have never been to. Encourage your child to learn a new sport. There are so many high-schoolers and college kids home for the summer who can coach or teach kids for a fraction of the price of a “pro,” and your kids will likely have way more fun.

With the nicer weather, take advantage of outdoor time. Allah (S) knows we need to make up for a lot of Vitamin D we missed during quarantine.

I am one of those parents who does not feel obligated to play with my kids every single minute. (Hey, I gave them siblings so they could play with each other!) I am very dedicated to doing my “job” as a parent by providing safety, security, and as much enrichment as I can. But, I am also 100 percent okay with them occasionally feeling bored. It may sound counterintuitive, but a little boredom is part of growing up and even helps facilitate creativity.

Letting your child deal with the void left by curtailed electronics and decreased screen time can be a gift. Turn off the PlayStation or XBox and let your child transport herself to a world far, far, away.

We are taking our first steps into the summer of 2021 with eagerness and trepidation. The big upsurge in screen time over the past year hasn’t been ideal, but let’s remember that we haven’t exactly been living in an ideal world either. In fact, we all deserve a round of applause for surviving such a tumultuous period.

Gently provide the space for your child to wean off the electronics, and provide some space for yourself as well. Change will take time.