Controlling Technology
Email 1
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Subject Line: Controlling Technology, Part One
Christmas Greetings Parents:
We are at the time of year again where your kids are bringing you their Christmas wish list for you to look over…and maybe even for Santa? am sure, like almost every child their age in America, somewhere on that list is technology of some sort or form.
While we might want to buy them the newest and latest device, we are not always sure how to find the right balance of time, use, and control. Once they get that device, how do we set the right number of limits while also seeking to give them some freedom?
This month’s Online Parenting Class is here to help with this very thing.
It is all about teaching healthy habits in our home…emotionally, socially and spiritually. Your child needs some guardrails to start off with, to guide them toward a good balance. While they might bump up against those rules and limits, it will keep them on the right path.
Remember, it starts with you setting the example as parents. Your children will do what they see, often more than what they are told. During this special time of year, with time off from school and work, make sure to put down your phone, turn off the TV, and put away the device. As much as you are excited about your new toy, make sure to show your family healthy habits of control too.
https://vimeo.com/parentministry/review/280520380/632043582b
In Him,
Children’s Pastor
Email 2
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Subject Line: Controlling Technology, Part 2
Dear Parents:
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”- Proverbs 4:23.
This is my prayer for you as parents and as a family. I pray that God would guard your child’s heart. It is part of our vision for our ministry to your child and your family. We want to do our best to protect children’s hearts from the things that can so easily hurt or even break them.
One of the paths to your child’s heart is through technology. Their world, schools, and even your home is saturated with technology. Technology is not a bad thing, but we must be wise in how we allow it to be used in the life of our child.
We are afraid of being controlling or having our child miss out on something their peers are talking about. The reality is if we are discerning, we can set up healthy habits for our child that will allow them to use and experience technology while still protecting their heart.
This month’s Online Parenting Class gives us some wonderful hints to take steps to better control and develop healthier heart habits when it comes to technology. Look over these few quick things to consider below:
– How is your example of technology use at home? What are the lessons your child is learning by watching you?
– What limits do you need to consider or improve on in your home when it comes to technology use?
– What are your tech-free moments and spaces for your child? Do you have any?
– Have you kept updated on the more recent apps and parental controls on all of your child’s devices?
– Have you come up with a plan or rules on when your child can get social media yet?
As you process this month’s online parenting class and the above questions, let me know how I can help you. I would love to provide some helpful resources and advice about technology expectations in your home!
Blessings –
Children’s Pastor
Video Script
Controlling Technology
We all love and hate technology. We depend on it for so many things but we are all beginning to see that it seems to be changing our lives in unexpected ways. As parents, we have an even bigger burden in that we have to help our kids navigate their access to technology. How much should a child be playing video games? How much TV should they watch a day? Should we allow them to have a cell phone? How do we keep them from stumbling on adult content online?
Let’s be honest. It’s overwhelming and a little frightening because there is no rule book for this topic. Everyone has a hot take on the what they believe technology is doing to our children. Everyone seems to have a different set of rules for their kids. Everyone has an opinion they want to give you as a mom or dad. This month we want to step away from all the fear and process how we can gain control of technology in our homes.
You can’t escape the reach of technology but you can help your children develop a healthy relationship with it. Controlling technology really is about forming healthy habits with tech from an early age. It’s never too late to establish healthy tech habits but the earlier you begin this process the better it is for the family. The time to start working to control tech in your home is today and not tomorrow. The encouraging news for all of us as parents is that when you look at controlling technology as healthy habits you embrace the blessing of time. Establishing healthy tech habits is going to take time. This is a process and here are a few steps you can take to get the ball rolling…
• Set a good example for your kids with tech. // Your kids are learning lessons about technology from how you use technology. Think about the message you are sending your children with how you consume technology. You set the tone with tech in your home with your tech habits.
• Limits are good for everyone. // Think about how much time you want your kids using technology and set limits. Limits are like bed times; they move as kids get older. There are great online tools like Circle that you can connect to your Wi-Fi to monitor your kid’s devices and give them time with certain apps!
• Create tech free moments. // Find times where you intentionally get your children away from tech so they can do other times. Reading time, art time, outside play time are great places where life can be tech free. You may even want to limit kids watching movies in the car when you are driving around town just to give them tech free time.
• Limit access with confidence. // Every tablet and streaming platform has controls to filter content. Leverage these immediately. Never give your child unfiltered access to television or the internet.
• Say no to social media with kids. // Your 4th grader does not need social media. Please, please, please wait to give your kids a social media avenue until they are 12 years old. Kids do not need social media in their lives.
If you take these simple steps as a parent you will be doing so much more than the average parent. Habits with technology created today will give you more leverage when they are teens.
Texts/Tweets
TIP: Choose a hashtag for your tweets and use it consistently. That will tell Twitter to store a list of your tweets on one place for later reference.
Tweet One: You can’t escape the reach of technology, but you can help your children develop a healthy relationship with it. #parenting #family #techparenting #healthykids #godlyparenting
Tweet Two: It’s never too late to establish healthy tech habits, but the earlier you begin this process the better it is for the family. #mom #dad #techhabits #familylife #familymin #parentmin #healthytech
Tweet Three: Your kids learn habits about technology, good and bad, from how they see parents use technology. #parentinglife #modernparent #momlife #dadlife #godlydad #healthymom
Tweet Four: Creating tech free moments in your home will create moments for you to focus on the people in the room, not online. #techfree #parenting #familymoments #mom #dad #kidtech
Tweet Five: Every device your child owns has filters and controls. Your kids should never have unfiltered access to the Web and TV, so turn them on and turn off the negative influences. #filteredfamily #webcontrol #tvfilters #parenting #smartmom #smartdad