5@8 Screen-Free Challenge interview with Annie, co-founder of Les Belles Combines!

Annie is the graphic designer to whom we owe the Les Belles Combines brand image and the design of all our products. She's the mom of a lovely, tall 16-year-old teenager. Managing screens at that age is a very different challenge, but fortunately we quickly put clear rules in place because we really value our time without those screens!   How many children do you have, and how old are they? 1 daughter, aged 16   How many screens do you have at home? 1 TV, 1 tablet, 2 cell phones, a desktop computer and a laptop   On a “normal” weekday, how many hours do you spend with your children? About 6 hours a day. I'm also lucky enough to work from home, so when my daughter gets home from school, she spontaneously comes to say hi and tell me (sometimes) about the good and not-so-good moments of her day!   How many hours a day do you spend on screens?  A huge amount. I work in front of a screen; I have 2 businesses that require me to use my screens constantly. So 8 to 10 hours a day. That said, in the evening I try to stay away from them: 40 minutes of TV max and that's pretty much it!   What habit have you lost because of (or thanks to) technology? Memorizing phone numbers! As I write this sentence, I realize I don't even know the number of my sweetheart, who's been in my life for almost 2 years!   What's the one app you can't do without on your cell phone? Waze, to zigzag through traffic and get where I'm going without too much stress.   Which app should you delete? I really like the idea put forward by Catherine Price (author of the book “How to Break Up with Your Phone”) and I should do it! She suggests deleting the Facebook and Instagram apps and going through the browser to peek at our social media. That way we think twice and go less often!   Is it hard to manage your own screen time? Not really! Since I'm so plugged in from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., in the evening, outside my work hours, I don't feel much like surfing the net anymore… I also try to share that time with my daughter.   Do you have a screen rule at home? Yes. No screens at dinner when we're together as a family, and in the car, if you sit in front with the driver, you put it aside. And definitely no earbuds. We introduce each other to our playlists directly through the car's sound system.    Are you more airplane mode or FOMO (fear of missing out)? More airplane mode, I'd say. I've turned off all notifications except my texts. When you have a 16-year-old daughter, that's how you communicate to keep up with each other's whereabouts. Since my partner in crime is in charge of social media, it's easier for me to disconnect more often!  

Rapid-fire round:

   Your favorite board game? Undeniably, Backgammon.    Your favorite children's book? Phew, my big girl is already far past that stage, but let's say we both enjoy the Paul comic series, which has fairly wide appeal.    Your favorite app for little ones TEENS? REMINDERS. Yes, yes, the app on Apple devices!!! Parents of teens, I recommend quickly teaching your kids who have a cell phone to use this app so you can stop repeating “empty the cat's litter box!!!!!!”    Your favorite family outing? Strolling the downtown streets, museum, thrift store, little café with my big girl! Heading to the country to my parents' magnificent property. I really need both of these worlds – city and country!   To take part in the 5@8 Screen-Free Challenge and not miss any of the activity suggestions, tips and tricks for better managing the whole family's screen time, click “Going” on the event's Facebook page! Don't hesitate to share photos of your 5@8s on social media using #Défi5a8sansécrans!