top of page

Kids and Tech

Leslie and Ryan share their thoughts about screen time.  We talk about some of the myths that are out there and how we should be managing our kid's time on these devices.  Also some added commentary about fandom!

Audio Only Version

EP-17 Kids and TechLife Admin
00:00 / 49:49

Show Notes and Helpful Links​

Set the table

Society is worried about kids and tech, to the point that any seems too much. But for kids, it’s how they do things, including life admin things. "Fave" story about limiting screen time when schools moving to cloud systems. We need to teach them how to use the tool of tech, which is a bit daunting since they are actually better at navigating it. Can try to get in front of them but impossible. Need to teach them how to navigate themselves. We will go in age order because it’s a learning curve. 

 

Segment 1: Tiny tots

  • Hold the line as long as possible

  • AAP guidelines say none under 2. Great idea. hard to practice, especially  2nd kid and beyond and in modern school environment

  • It's an aspirational goal, something to aim for, but don't beat yourself up about it (or give up if you fall short)

  • They do not need to practice tech skills. Exploration, art, and reading better to establish first, which puts us will into elementary age.

 

 

Segment 2: Elementary age 

  • When you start depends on kid and family situation. Skills? Is your kid responsible? Need for, say, parent swapping, activity management?

  • what are other kids and families doing? Not just if they have one, but also, when they do,

  • What are schedule requirements? Schedules get fluid because they can as kids are always reachable. Would a little more structure solve need for earlier tech

 

Ryan: How to start?

  • schools will introduce laptops or tablets. 

  • highly recommend retro phones. Sidney Bristow had my fave. 

  • Speed bumps for texting, games, internet. Testing ground for responsibility. (Story about failing to keep or charge.) Still let me be in contact. 

Aside: the free range parents’ dilemma: works best when lots of kids do it, which they don’t. Ability to contact and track helps this. 

 

Ryan: What other things do they need to know?

  • Teach ettiquette. Calling in the round story. 

  • Set and model screen time limits. Meal times, for instance. 

  • Some is self taught, like texting blow ups. They turn on DND pretty quickly.

 

Segment 3: Middle school and beyond

​

  • Monitoring use

  • Expanding use

  • Use of spot checking

 

​

​

Helpful Links 

66/ Mindset: Gratitude

Its the term for the adults still caring for children at home when their own parents care needs rise.  It can be complicated, messy and a little uncomfortable. We are here to help navigate.

65/ It Takes a Village 

Life shouldn't be lonely.  We are meant to be together and thrive!  Today we talk about what happened to the village and how we can rebuild it.

64/ How to Delegate

Effective delegation is a neglected skill. Circular trap. When it doesn’t quickly work, we often think it is easier to do things ourselves, which makes effective delegation more elusive..

63/ Back To School

Having now seen school from almost every angle and gotten perspective from the pandemic, I have many thoughts on what I would do differently if I had the chance. 

bottom of page