Kids and Technology: Mom Talk

Mom Talk: Kids and Technology | One Small Child

No doubt about it, the relationship between kids and technology is something every mom needs to consider. Here are our thoughts, what are yours?

Samantha | One Small Child Mom TalkSamantha: Mindful Media Use in the Infant Stage

There has been a lot of talk lately about technology, and the effects it has on children. We’ve learned it’s important to limit and monitor children’s usage time. Research suggests technology under 24 months can interfere with social development. So we implemented the policy of no tv/technology until 2 years old. We feel our baby girl’s social development is worth any added effort or inconvenience this may cause.

But what about my own technology use? Especially around my little one? When my baby was a few months old, I began to find myself busy ‘doing nothing’ on my phone or laptop when I should have been engaged as a mom. I was missing out on moments I wanted to cherish.

I don’t want memories of my phone. I want memories of my daughter. More importantly, I want her to have good memories of her mother. I now set aside time after the little one is fast asleep to browse pinterest and other social media. And I’m all the happier for it.

Do you notice a difference when you unplug yourself and focus on you kids? Would you be willing to put away the social media to make a few good memories?

 

Audrey | One Small Child Mom TalkAudrey: Finding the Balance

The subject of kids and technology use is absolutely a part of everyday life, and it’s here to stay. I think we can all agree that the omnipresence of our favorite digital devices is a double-edged sword: the tools we have at our fingertips are invaluable, while creating and maintaining healthy habits around these tools can be tricky. For me, it’s important to accept that figuring it all out is going to be an ongoing process.

On any given day, I’m in love with the fact that I have so many ways to accomplish my job and connect with others…and ten minutes later, I’m frustrated at the intrusive distractions that work their way into my family’s life. Some days we keep things in balance, some days we don’t. Bottom line, we’re working on it as we go, and that’s okay.

Here’s what works for me:
-Take care of personal, family, school, and household responsibilities before plugging in.
-Limiting the amount of time spent in front of a screen makes every one of us more pleasant to be around! (Unlimited screen time has the exact opposite effect)

Here’s what I’m still figuring out:
-The optimal amount of time to allow.
-Consistency…no two days are the same, I need to build more flexibility into the plan so it doesn’t run completely off track when things are crazy busy.

Here are some great resources for considering and creating your own technology game plan:

Rethinking the Screen Time Battle – Power of Moms (I love this one…it’s definitely going to be built into future iterations of my plan)
How to Make A Family Media Use Plan – American Academy of Pediatrics
Friday Q&A: Facebook & Social Media – 71toes
TV Timer BOB for older kids.

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