How can we teach our kids to use technology as a tool instead of a crutch? #sponsored
Keeping communication open and reflective is key to giving them the best chance at a healthy relationship with technology.
Asking these questions weekly can help:
How do YOU feel about the amount of time you spent on technology this week? This gives them a chance to self reflect without judgement or feeling like you are just coming at them with a lecture. Let this question open up conversation, not close it down!
Were you able to accomplish what you needed to without too much distraction? Evaluate school assignments, talent development, etc. Kids usually do want to do well and if you can help them understand how technology, unchecked, can hinder that, sometimes they can make changes all on their own.
Did you get enough exercise and personal interaction? Remind them that screens aren’t all bad, but when they keep us from good things, there is a problem. Encourage them to evaluate all the areas of their life and decide if screen time is helping them live their best life or getting in the way of it.
Is there anything you saw that made you feel uncomfortable? This gives them a chance to talk about issues that might be hard to bring up without prompting. Just remind them that you are there to listen and then react in a loving way if there is something they are ready to share with you.
Is screen time affecting your sleep? Sleep is crucial and should take priority over screens. You may need to talk about plugging phones in away from a bedroom or turning the Wifi off at a certain to encourage good sleep habits. So many problems can be solved by the right amount of sleep!
Is there anything you need us, as parents, to do to help keep screen time in check so you feel healthy? This is a time to work together on solutions not demands or rules. Remind them that tech is addictive even for adults, so boundaries are critical and you are here to make sure they don’t have to make more decisions or have more willpower than they are capable of at their age. You are there to help!
One thing I love about Comcast (Xfinity) are their solutions for families! You can turn off wifi with the click of a button, set homework time, sleep time, and block websites. A lifesaver! Learn more about it HERE.
While some worry about too much tech time, others don’t have internet access at all. This is seriously detrimental to kids today who are required to do so much of their learning online.
Comcast has committed over $100,000 in Utah and $1 billion nationally towards digital equity grants to get internet access to underserved areas! As you know I am a big fan of companies that help families. Their Project Up is doing incredible things. Find out more about it HERE.
They have an Internet Essentials program that is helping people get the reliable internet they so desperately need in our technology driven world for only $10 per month. Pretty awesome…learn more about it HERE.
Thanks to Comcast for sponsoring this post, for caring about parents and families, for providing fast and reliable internet in our neighborhood, and for making the world a little more accessible for everyone.
#internetessentials #projectup #comcastutah
