How comfortable are your kids talking to extended family and adult friends? One concern I often hear from parents is that they think screen time decreases face-to-face communication skills. I have not found any exceptional data around this issue. Families and friends will be together for the holidays and in these settings many kids and adults will gravitate towards their personal devices. When situations are uncomfortable or activity is slowed down this is accepted behavior these days. It upsets me when I see kids disappear into their screens when those special multigenerational opportunities for conversation are right in front of them.
In past years at my husband’s family get togethers, I always voted (alone) that the kids stay connected to the family and not disappear to a TV room. Sometimes I “won” and sometimes I "lost", but I always felt unsettled by the conflict. But, finally, after many years of this struggle, we now all agree that having my voice back then to ensure a balance between on-screen and off-screen time was a good thing. Now, that my kids are teenagers they usually choose on their own for the family interaction.
For this week’s Tech Talk Tuesday, let’s discuss face-to-face family time. Remember, this is for both the adults and the kids to answer:
As well as our weekly blog, we publish videos like this one every week on the Screenagers YouTube channel
How comfortable are your kids talking to extended family and adult friends? One concern I often hear from parents is that they think screen time decreases face-to-face communication skills. I have not found any exceptional data around this issue. Families and friends will be together for the holidays and in these settings many kids and adults will gravitate towards their personal devices. When situations are uncomfortable or activity is slowed down this is accepted behavior these days. It upsets me when I see kids disappear into their screens when those special multigenerational opportunities for conversation are right in front of them.
In past years at my husband’s family get togethers, I always voted (alone) that the kids stay connected to the family and not disappear to a TV room. Sometimes I “won” and sometimes I "lost", but I always felt unsettled by the conflict. But, finally, after many years of this struggle, we now all agree that having my voice back then to ensure a balance between on-screen and off-screen time was a good thing. Now, that my kids are teenagers they usually choose on their own for the family interaction.
For this week’s Tech Talk Tuesday, let’s discuss face-to-face family time. Remember, this is for both the adults and the kids to answer:
As well as our weekly blog, we publish videos like this one every week on the Screenagers YouTube channel
The Pew Research Center recently released findings from a study conducted in the Fall of 2023, which has important stats that can help inform our parenting and spark essential conversations with our youth. I’ve structured today’s blog to state the findings first and then write about the solutions later.
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I have one goal with this week’s blog: Inspire you to make one and only one New Year’s Resolution about screen time rules. Maybe that has to do with your own behavior with screen time, maybe with your kids, family, or even work. And I’ll share with you my one-screen time rule for 2024.
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A few weeks ago I wrote a blog and encouraged people to share with youth in their lives whatever small change they made and to share with me as well so that I could share with you! And that is what I am doing today. I received some great responses. Here are a few examples people shared with me:
READ MORE >for more like this, DR. DELANEY RUSTON'S NEW BOOK, PARENTING IN THE SCREEN AGE, IS THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE FOR TODAY’S PARENTS. WITH INSIGHTS ON SCREEN TIME FROM RESEARCHERS, INPUT FROM KIDS & TEENS, THIS BOOK IS PACKED WITH SOLUTIONS FOR HOW TO START AND SUSTAIN PRODUCTIVE FAMILY TALKS ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND IT’S IMPACT ON OUR MENTAL WELLBEING.
