Rules for Tech at Home
Technology is a two-edged sword. On one hand, it is extremely convenient, on the other, it can become rather intrusive and disruptive to family life and our relationships. We need some rules if we want technology to work for the family rather than disrupt it.
Rule 1: Choose Family over Technology
This is really the crux of the whole article, isn’t it. We tend to choose lesser goods over the greater ones all the time, that’s just the work of concupiscence. First question to ask yourself: If I lost my phone or my computer, would I lose my mind? Do I use technology as an escape from my personal responsibilities? If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, you’d do well to strictly limit your use of technology for a while to get your life back into balance.
Rule 2: Set rules for everybody (mom and dad, too)
Parents often set rules for their kids that they break themselves. You know that the best leadership, is not a command but an example. Parents and children should create rules that everyone lives by. Children, if they are not allowed technology, will grow jealous of their parents’ use of technology and have an unhealthy attachment to it. Parents and children should learn to divest themselves of their attachment to their devices together. If you have a rule about technology like, no technology after 7pm, then you should all abide by the same rule.
Rule 3: Equal time
Every hour a week allowed watching, playing, or scrolling, should be matched by some quality family time. If you allow everyone a half-hour a day of scrolling, then there should be at least a family walk, or some other activity that at least matches that same time.
Rule 4: Cover your tech when not in use
A friend of mine does this with his TV. When they aren’t watching the TV (and they only watch it a few times a year for sports games or a family movie) they cover it up. They have a shade they pull down over the TV to keep it out of sight and out of mind. He said that before they would avoid the use of the TV, but it was always in plain view and always seemed to plague them like an unyielding taunt. So, rather than let it disturb their family peace, they covered it up, and it ceased to be a temptation. Out of sight, out of mind.
Rule 5: Play outdoors
Playing outdoors seems to have gone out of vogue, but its playing outdoors that challenges the mind and grows the imagination. Only if you want your child to become a mindless lemming do you put them alone in their room in front of a screen. If you want them to grow and flourish, then make them go outside. Let them discover the wonder of building forts or playing house. Find other families that share your value and create play dates for them. Give your family the best chance to flourish by making the world their oyster and letting them explore it.
