Fun, Loving & Connected
1 SURPRISING STEP THAT'LL BRING YOUR FAMILY MORE FUN, LOVE & CONNECTION
Article by Lola Reed
Philosophy of People
Magazine: Issue #18
You’ve Got to Disconnect to Get Connected: Lay Down Some Digital Dharma House Rules To Get Your Family Fun, Loving & Connected.
When we’re checking in with our kids about what’s happened at school today, are our eyes darting over to a screen, checking for texts or scanning through emails?… If we’re frustrated with not getting our Tween’s full attention — much less eye contact — we need to think about what we’re demonstrating to our family day in and day out and to seriously consider just how short our lead is to our screen of choice.
As it turns out, the late, great SJ has our back when it comes to digital dharma and kids. While it would be easy to assume that Chez Jobs would be the equivalent of a Willy Wonka-esque tech wonderland, quite the opposite was true. In a conversation with a reporter back in 2010, Steve revealed that not only did he and his wife limit how much technology their kids used at home, but his children did not even have iPads.
Try this:
- Turn your phone off before you walk through the front door. This is about changing our habit of constantly checking our devices for texts, emails and updates
- Follow the lead of tech parents and don’t allow any screens of any kind in your TweenAgers’ bedroom(s). Keep all digital devices in shared spaces: living rooms, kitchens and such.
- You’ll need to decide which social networks are appropriate for your TweenAgers. Most tech parents only allow Snapchat— which deletes messages after they’re sent — and that’s for their teenagers.
Feeling like the best days of family togetherness are behind you?
They're not. Here’s why:
Ever since my son has become a TweenAger, I kept noticing something that really bothered me. It felt like I was losing him to the tsunami of digital distractions and the mean kid conformity of middle school that was beginning to downsize his dreams and self-esteem.
I knew there had to be a better solution and I became determined to find it.
Philosophy of People is a compilation of self-improvement articles written by entrepreneurs seeking to bring holistic solutions to everyday problems. Read more articles from our 2nd Year Anniversary issue.
Lola's mission is to give you the tools that will transform your family dynamic from disconnected busyness into renewed appreciation, trust and joy as you navigate the sea change from childhood to adolescence that defines the TweenAge years. That’s why I created this premium online course, Connect, Nourish, Explore my six week, interactive course that’s done all the legwork for you so that your family can make the shift from disconnected busyness into appreciation >> Fun Loving and Connected Family.