I sometimes had to say to my kids, “there will come day when we will be great friends. Unfortunately, that day is not today. Today, I must be your parent, and do the hard thing that is best for you, even if it means at this moment, you don’t see me as your friend.”
All my kids are now grown, and happy, productive adults. And indeed, we are great friends.
We took our now 14 year old daughter's smartphone away after discovering some problematic behaviors. I was naive. I thought she could handle it, but I was wrong. I did apologize for that, but I'm not sure she understands why I am sorry. We even went as far as locking the phone in our safety deposit box so there would be no surreptitious usage. It's a lonely road, but it's the right path.
I love this! I work at Gabb, safe phones for kids, and I hear so many parents say just that: they already gave their kid an iPhone, so now it's too late. I LOVE the graphic on turning it back. It's really never too late to go back to the basics with technology (only calling + texting) so that your kids can live without the stress of the online world.
for years, my friends who are parents have spoken with helplessness once they've given their child a phone. i get it. i'm a parent too but have always insisted it's not too late to take a step back. thank you for writing this. I'll share it
I wish we were friends! It can be a lonely road, but it is SO worth it! Your kids be confidant, have hobbies, read, and play outside! Pull the phone plug now!
It's too late when the child becomes an adult, so start early! Sadly, one of my adult kids posts selfies nearly every day and seems hopelessly addicted to social media. It didn't exist when I was raising her, so I couldn't do much, and now I can't do anything.
I have read that the entire Blue Screen Addiction angle was lifted, holus bolus, from Las Vegas Poker Machine tech; which was DESIGNED using literal Mob psychologists to keep players losing. Predatory tech, unleashed on human minds... they KNEW it's harm. And it's POWER. These are not good people, they are Oligarchs. We are dirt to them.
I would be less skeptical of the upper middle class’s meritocracy’s crusade to curate perfect children who hold the same values they do if children’s perspectives were represented here.
I don’t view these efforts as to create “perfect children.” It’s not even about creating a perfect environment, as we know that’s out of our hands! Limiting tech and social media is about healthy kids (literally, physically and mentally) not perfect kids. I’m curious how a child’s perspective would change your mind?
I sometimes had to say to my kids, “there will come day when we will be great friends. Unfortunately, that day is not today. Today, I must be your parent, and do the hard thing that is best for you, even if it means at this moment, you don’t see me as your friend.”
All my kids are now grown, and happy, productive adults. And indeed, we are great friends.
We took our now 14 year old daughter's smartphone away after discovering some problematic behaviors. I was naive. I thought she could handle it, but I was wrong. I did apologize for that, but I'm not sure she understands why I am sorry. We even went as far as locking the phone in our safety deposit box so there would be no surreptitious usage. It's a lonely road, but it's the right path.
I love this! I work at Gabb, safe phones for kids, and I hear so many parents say just that: they already gave their kid an iPhone, so now it's too late. I LOVE the graphic on turning it back. It's really never too late to go back to the basics with technology (only calling + texting) so that your kids can live without the stress of the online world.
for years, my friends who are parents have spoken with helplessness once they've given their child a phone. i get it. i'm a parent too but have always insisted it's not too late to take a step back. thank you for writing this. I'll share it
I wish we were friends! It can be a lonely road, but it is SO worth it! Your kids be confidant, have hobbies, read, and play outside! Pull the phone plug now!
It's too late when the child becomes an adult, so start early! Sadly, one of my adult kids posts selfies nearly every day and seems hopelessly addicted to social media. It didn't exist when I was raising her, so I couldn't do much, and now I can't do anything.
Make it a learning experience by letting the child pay for their own cellular service.
I was cutting the grass at 14.
I have read that the entire Blue Screen Addiction angle was lifted, holus bolus, from Las Vegas Poker Machine tech; which was DESIGNED using literal Mob psychologists to keep players losing. Predatory tech, unleashed on human minds... they KNEW it's harm. And it's POWER. These are not good people, they are Oligarchs. We are dirt to them.
I would be less skeptical of the upper middle class’s meritocracy’s crusade to curate perfect children who hold the same values they do if children’s perspectives were represented here.
I don’t view these efforts as to create “perfect children.” It’s not even about creating a perfect environment, as we know that’s out of our hands! Limiting tech and social media is about healthy kids (literally, physically and mentally) not perfect kids. I’m curious how a child’s perspective would change your mind?