A recent study by the University of Michigan — I have to mention the source so you don’t think I just asked a few parents :) — asked parents what topics were their biggest concerns.
The top three were:
1. Overuse of devices or screen time
2. Social media
3. Internet safety
So, the biggest issues parents are facing are all related to technology. Is there a good answer to these challenges? What should we do?
We can’t address everything in one Practical Parenting tip, but I can offer some direction. I’m currently reading a book by Andy Crouch called The Tech-Wise Family. I’m not officially recommending the book yet — I haven’t finished it — but there’s a phrase he uses in the Prologue that I do recommend.
He says we should strive for technology to have its “proper place” in our homes.
“Proper place.” If you’ve been around us at Crazy Cool Family, you know we love using meaningful phrases to create a common language at home. For example, we say things like “Encourage Extravagantly and Correct Carefully” and “Listen More and Lecture Less.” We build unity in our home by uniting under shared values and rallying everyone around something larger than themselves (not familiar with these phrases? You should check out our resources :)).
Back to “proper place.” This phrase is a great way to center discussions about technology. What is the "proper place" for a new app? What is the "proper place" for the amount of screen time? (For example, screen time should be balanced with non-screen time.)
When we use phrases like this, we can keep coming back to them, helping us build common ground and unity in our homes. And remember, every home is different. What is the “proper place” for technology in your home?
