Jane Schmidt:: Kids & Technology

Last Tuesday we heard from local parenting coach, Jane Schmidt, who helped us understand how to navigate our kids through this media-driven world. Armed with tons of research and loads of grace, she encouraged dialogue about our feelings on technology, its presence in our home, and the changes we may want to make. I think most of us left asking ourselves, "Moving forward, what do we need to do in order to achieve our desired goals for our children and family?"

Posted below is the handout Jane provided from our meeting and some notes on her talk. Let the conversations commence!

 

//Communicating what's important: making a connection with your child vs. looking at a screen.

//"Why do our children want our phones so badly?": ...because we have them. If they're important to us, then they will be important to our kids. From an early age, our kids are watching us like hawks and are ready to imitate us, and that includes our time/fascination/preoccupation with technology. We probably need to evaluate our own behaviors with screens and start making boundaries for ourselves in order to model the boundaries we want for them. 

//Sending one message: It makes a big difference to be on the same page with our partners. Then our kids aren't getting a mixed message and the expectations/boundaries are the same.

//No guilt, just evaluation and priorities: It's about what they're watching, how often, and who they're watching it with. Watching the Seahawks game with your child every once in awhile is different than frequently sitting them in front of other shows alone and expecting the television to babysit. 

//Proper nourishment: Most parents are pretty concerned with what they're kids are eating. From the moment they're born, we're consumed with what and how much they're eating and nourishing their bodies with healthy foods. The same goes for their brains and being mindful of proper nourishment for their noggins. Which, like with food, can mean a "treat" every once in awhile.

Decide what's right for your family. /// Figure out what's best for you and your child.

For Reflection:

• What are you doing now that encourages them towards your goals for them in the future (i.e. relationships, connection)?  
• What's the one thing you're going to change?  

Jane Schmidt
Parent Coaching NW, LLC
www.parentcoachingnw.com
jane@parentcoachingnw.com
206-930-6787