Screen Addiction. Sexting. Fleeting Attention Spans. FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). Cyber Bullying. Porn. Obesity. Poor Social Skills. Excuses. Defiance. Family Conflict. Stress.
Why don’t we just deny all online access and get rid of smartphones, tablets, and laptops altogether? Let’s play a game of chess, walk the dog, or even sway on a swing!
Our generation grew up without all this addictive tech nonsense, right? Our kids should be able to pick up the phone and call their friends and actually have a conversation!
We should all be outside playing more often, spending time in nature and actually allowing ourselves to get bored. Let’s allow creativity and imagination to find its way back into our children’s lives.
It is our job as parents, teachers, and therapists to do what we can to keep kids safe. However, denying all access to mobile technology is not the answer.
Technology is here to stay, and it is our responsibility to figure out the best way to help kids navigate the tech world safely. This can be extremely challenging and disconcerting when our kids are even more tech-savvy than we are!
If we look at the bright side, technology has brought an immeasurable number of improvements to our society. Real, meaningful communication does take place.
Social outings with friends are planned on Facebook or Groupme. Many beneficial long-distance friendships are maintained through “streaks” on Snapchat.
Homework completion requires online access while learning supports and tech features can help those who need it. Barriers to learning can be lifted with the help of assistive technology tools to support reading, writing, and effective time management.
However, it’s the addictive nature of games and social media usage that is so alarming. Our kids need help, and so do we!
As parents and professionals, we struggle with the tension between empowering our kids to develop independence and benefit from the positive aspects of technology while simultaneously wanting to monitor their activities.
But there is always that risk of being a “helicopter parent.” We don’t want to exert too much control over our kids and micromanage their decisions. It’s important to let them learn on their own and prepare for their future. However, we also want to avoid life-changing mistakes that may cause irreparable harm.
Are you ready to take back some control over the tech use in your house? Have a look at THIS, and discover two free solutions you might not even know exist!
If you’re an Apple user, I also want to share that I’ll be hosting a FREE webinar, Wednesday, November 28! We’ll uncover all the possibilities that iOS 12 will bring to your iPhone or iPad.
Click here to register!