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TTTs work any day but the key is to stick with it. Calm, consistent conversations about screen time can improve family and classroom dynamics.
Get kids more invested in TTTs by starting each conversation with a positive about screen time.
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We want youth to grow up feeling comfortable talking with people—whether that’s a cashier at the grocery store or someone or on a tram in the airport. This not only builds confidence but these simple acts have been scientifically proven to evoke happiness. Today I explore the science of this happiness trick... and how to get our kids looking up and talking to people around them.
I hear from parents regularly about their frustrations that although they set limits around their phones and game consoles when it’s time to do homework, they then have found out that the child/teen simply resumes their social media interactions and gaming on their homework device, i.e. tablets, laptops or desktops.
Read MoreSome analysts say the majority of YouTube videos people watch are discovered by the suggestions the company gives. That can be helpful... and harmful. What concerns me, beyond the time suck, is that algorithms are defining our children and forcing them deeper into silos.
Read MoreToday I give tips and ideas for reaching beyond the screen and making a point of bringing your kids and teens to events and places they wouldn’t naturally gravitate toward. Also, I share with you a very short (6 min) documentary I made that few people have seen and just happens to be one of my most favorite pieces.
Read MoreHow do we achieve maximal mental focus in an overly wired and wireless world? I explore how to prune one’s digital life, getting it down to those technologies that truly help you.
Read MoreIn a world where parents can't always agree on what's best (let alone couples who are divorced or separated), an unwavering joint effort can be harder than it sounds. Thankfully, there are a few methods that can make calm compromise more likely.
Read MoreI recently worked with my teen daughter to set up a fair consequence around one of her screen time rules. I also include several examples of consequences from other parents.
Read MoreHappy New Year! I thought this would be a good time to revisit your plans to limit screen time this year and reduce struggles in your house. I’ve got a 3 part plan.
Read MoreAll these films can inspire meaningful conversations with teens and a few of the suggestions are appropriate for younger kids.
Read MoreWhat incentives work to help decrease screen time for our kids (and ourselves)? Today we look at a contest a company is running that is offering 100K for someone to not use their smartphone for the year and whether these kinds of external motivations change habits.
Read MoreBig news has hit us today about brain morphology and screen time and I want to weigh in as we all try to make sense of the findings.
Read MoreComing up with unique gifts for the holidays to help promote off-screen time for kids and teens is something I have enjoyed writing about in the past and jazzed to do again today.
Read MoreSaying no and being able to tolerate the myriad of emotions that result, such as guilt, self-doubt, and sadness is challenging for many people. I have tips to help.
Read MoreThanksgiving is this week, and I have some ideas about how to support more face-to-face interactions and fewer retreats into all our individual devices.
Read MoreOften teens will say things online such as “hey you are cute” and other compliments. Teens tell me that they would not say these things face-to-face but online it is fun. I have tips and more to guide and support them.
Read MoreSchools experience pressure to have tech on their campuses from tech companies, administration, and others. Schools want to do well by their students and tech has been sold as a quick fix.
Read MoreI encourage parents to share their feelings with their children. It is not about burdening them with one’s anxiety or sadness or other emotions. It is about naming feelings and discussing them. This approach has been shown to be highly effective in helping youth develop greater emotional intelligence.
Read MoreLast year Snapchat introduced Snap Map, a cartoon-looking map with Bitmojis of users positioned at their real-life locations. Did you know that It goes one step further than just showing where the kid is, it also can virtually show what they are actually doing?
Read MoreSpending more time talking with youth about all the cool things on screens paradoxically makes them more receptive to talking about ways to limit screen time.
Read MoreI am a big believer in working hard to teach my daughter and son, and myself, to continually be better planners. The less we rely on the phone as the escape route for changing plans, the more we work together to get our plans organized outside of school time. So I have really started to “HOLD THAT TEXT.”
