Another Failed Attempt

If you are like the majority of families with tweens and teens, you know the feeling of coming up with a new system to manage screen time only to have it fail within weeks or days. We are parenting a generation that is growing up with world-changing technology that we did not have when we were kids. Intuitive tech devices are easy to use and are everywhere we go. There is no example from previous generations of how to best bring our children up in this environment, but the picture is beginning to come into focus as we put research together with experiences of those around us. Andy Crouch, the author of The Tech-Wise Family, has his young adult daughter write the forward for his book. What she writes is a first-hand testimony of the gift we give our kids when we are intentional with boundaries on devices. She writes –

“Technology promises that it can provide wonder. Take a picture with the proper filters and you’ll be awestruck—it will look better than real life! But this promise is deceptive. My iphone’s wonder generators, from Instagram to Temple Run, turn out to be only distractions from the things that really spark wonder. Thanks to tech-wise-parenting, I’ve discovered a world out there that is better than anything technology can offer—as close as our front lawn.”

 If you are like me, it is easy to feel like you have not done enough to protect this type of wonder in the lives of your kids, but we need to remember not to use realizations like this to shame ourselves. Wherever each of us can begin to pull our young adults with us while we recapture our own sense of wonder will go a long way to show them its value. When we feel that it may be too late since our kids are teens and technology is already intertwined with seemingly every area of their lives. This is not cause for giving up. Our teens watch us, and our patterns of life, so the first place to work this out is in your own rhythms. Once you set out in this direction and you invite your teen to join you in bringing the wonder of creating and nature back into your life, you might be surprised how ready they are to join you! Don’t underestimate the power of your influence just because it looks different now than it did when they were younger. I would love to encourage you and help determine your next steps as you make this shift in your home. Let’s get started!