Our smartphone’s map helps us figure out where to drop off our kids for swim lessons; texting helps coordinate afterschool playdates; and there are so many great apps for both parents and kids — useful when you’re in a particularly slow line at the grocery store.
Still, if we parents are going to be smart about our smartphones, we do need to make a few rules for ourselves — just as we make rules for our kids on devices. Smartphone users tend to underestimate the time they spend staring at their phones instead of their kids. It might feel like 20 seconds, but really three minutes have passed — long enough for kids to wander off, get into trouble, or feel neglected.
A few suggestions for keeping our relationships with our phones more balanced:
- No devices during mealtimes. And if a topic comes up that you would normally google, add it to a list to look up later.
- Leave the game-playing (Words With Friends!) until after the kids are in bed.
- No texting or talking on the phone while driving.
- Put away the phone if the kids are swimming unattended or doing anything else potentially dangerous.
- Designate “no-tech zones” in your home — and respect them!