Technology and Parenting: Eliminating Technology from Your Parenting
By: Dilini Dharmawardana, LMFT
Nowadays with the advent of technology, disciplining your child and paying the proper amount of attention to them may be hard. Children need a lot of attention and seek that parental attention more than you may think. So, let’s talk about some ways you, as a parent, can be better attuned to your child!
We are all attached to our phones and I’ll even admit that when I’m with a child client and I hear my phone buzz that I get the urge to check it.
I know it can be hard to admit, but the first thing to do is to assess how often you are strapped to your electronic device.
Take the time to think to yourself how much time you spend thinking about or on your phone, computer, or tv.
Children value time spent with the people and adults in their lives. Another area to assess is whether when your child asks for your attention do you just hand them your phone, computer, iPad, or give them video game time.
I have found that a lot of parents substitute electronics for time spent with their child. So, think about whether you do this. When we consider h
ow much spending time with your child impacts their brain and their development, think about spending more time each day with your child!
Is it difficult to get your child off his or her electronic device?
One way that seems to work for helping children get off the electronic device is to follow through on unplugging the device or shutting it off. Sure, that may lead to a tantrum, but stick to your method of taking away the item.
Disciplining when technology is involved can be difficult. Resist the urge to pull or take devices away from your child as this may cause injury or a fight may ensure when you don’t mean it too. The younger your child is when you start instituting technology free time the easier it will be to maintain having technology free time.
Another way that you can get your child to enjoy their summer and not be stuck on their electronic devices is to reward them with electronic time when they spend time outside. Children need activity and time outside and the best way to do that when they are younger is to institute this policy from a young age.
Technology does not help children grow and develop at a healthy pace. Consider how much time you or your child spend on a technological device and consider altering this to be a more attuned and purposeful parent! We all need to spend time with each other and when we start to consider how much of our time is spent on our phones when together we may decide the time to change is now. So, start by changing the way you incorporate or eliminate technology from your parenting.
