Being there for your kids - Rules for Electronics in Your Home

Episode Date: January 17, 2019

In this age of internet and social media, it's easy for the tail to wag the dog. That is, if you don't have family rules for use of the internet and social media in your home, it could easily get away from you. Mental health professionals are now treating internet and social media addiction. To circumvent such difficulties, start with a family meeting. Kids get an equal say in voicing their feelings and opinions. List the where's and how's that personal electronics are on in your home, and then talk about the impact of these devices on your family time and functioning. Come to agreement on how they can be used without interfering with personal and family function. This podcast concludes with examples of three frequent rules for electronics use in your home.

Hi, I'm Dr. John Robinson, and this is Teachable Moments. In this day and age, it's really important for me to ask this question of you. Do you have rules for electronics in your home? We all live in a fast-paced era of computers and electronics. Many families struggle with the proverbial tail wagging the dog. Is that your home? Jason, dinner, son. His dad called out from upstairs while Jason continued gaming on his computer in his bedroom.

A pile of homework lay untouched. on his desk next to his bed. Jason, come on, son. Don't let your dinner get cold. Jason could hear frustration in his dad's voice. He called out, OK, Dad, in a minute, just let me get to where I can pause this game. No, son.

Now, put the game up and get down here. Jason paused his game and started downstairs. Geez, Dad, don't get your panties in a wad. This kind of hassle and disrespect on both sides can be eased with a few additional house rules. computers, cell phones, smartphones all have great, unbelievable benefit to our lives. Research, information, and fun are all easier, faster, and more readily available. The question, though, is at what costs?

When electronics interfere with or take the place of relationship, especially in your family, it's time for a family meeting. Talk about the impact, the trade-off, the needs and feelings, and find a way to safeguard family and relationship while also benefiting from all these electronics. Currently, there is a wait-until 8th movement that encourages parents to not get their younger children's smartphones until they are at least in the 8th grade. Some phone services offer contract plans with GPS texting and calling only specific numbers, but no apps. A Colorado physician who instigated parents against underage smartphones, also known as pause,

found that 13 to 15 million kids in the U.S. are on devices without content restrictions. Parliament in the country of Ireland has passed a law this year called the Internet Access for Miners Law, 2017, where parents can be fined when found that their children under 14 are on Internet-enabled devices unsupervised. A couple of suggestions for kid-friendly, family-friendly use of electronics. First, limit gaming to one hour per day for children, and only after homework and other duties are completed. Second, have as many family meals together as you can and have them without electronics. Finally, collect electronics from your children at bedtime so that they can enjoy more and longer quality sleep. Return them in the morning.

Consider these rules for electronics in your family, and you will find both respect and relationships dramatically improving. I'm Dr. Jonathan C. Robinson, licensed clinical psychologists, and this has been Teachable Moments. Teachable Moments, Building Blocks of Christian Parenting is available online at AmazonBooks.com and in local and national bookstores. More on Dr. Robinson at TMC-P-I-N-C.com.