Parenting in the Digital Age

Many parents feel that screens have taken over their family’s lives. While few could argue about the benefits digital devices offer, as parents, it’s important that we establish guidelines for their use so they remain tools, rather than a source of endless distraction from real life.



Here are some tips for creating a life that balances online activities with those that can only take place in the 3-D world.

1. Talk — and listen. [...]

2. Model healthy habits. [...]

3. Establish rituals. [...]

4. Avoid heated negotiations. [...]

5. Invest time in connecting. [...]

6. Be fearless. [...]

7. Prepare for withdrawal. [...]



Parents today are dealing with a challenge that no other generation has faced. None of us were prepared to deal with the intense pull and highly addictive nature of what the online world has to offer. We’re all learning on the fly, trying to make sense of devices and online destinations that, in many cases, our children understand better than we do. As parents, we have an opportunity to guide our kids so that they can learn habits that help them make use of the digital world, without being swallowed whole by it.

Source: huffingtonpost.com