If you have lost family time, bring these moments back to yourself and your family by creating technology-free zones.
Imagine you are sitting around the dinner table when—buzz, buzz—your mobile phone starts vibrating. Or you are driving and taking your child to class when—ding, ding—your phone starts ringing. Or you are putting your child to bed when—ring, ring—a notification from one of the apps on your phone goes off. And this cycle never ends. Technology always interrupts our most genuine and valuable family moments.
It is true that new devices have kept us connected, informed, and busy, but mealtime, bedtime, and the time we spend in the car are times when we must say no to technology. Lately, children have started complaining about the amount of time parents spend on their mobile phones. Now, if we don’t set boundaries for our own mobile phone use, who will? Creating mobile-free zones is both an essential step to reclaim important family moments and an important role model and example for our children. But where and why should we avoid technology?
At the dinner table: Everything from getting better grades to having a healthier lifestyle is connected to eating meals together as a family. Using a mobile phone at the dinner table can prevent these benefits. Famous author Sherry Turkle says that even the presence of a mobile phone on the table makes people feel less connected and belonging to each other. You ask what the solution is? When dinner is ready, ask all family members to turn off their phones, put them on silent mode, or set them to “Please disturb” (note: translated literally from the prompt’s context). Alternatively, you can provide a special basket so everyone puts their phones inside that basket before coming to the table. If you complain that when you ask your children at the table how their day went, you don’t get much of an answer, talk about something funny you saw on your phone earlier to instantly excite them and get them talking too.
Bedroom: There is scientific proof that cell phone radiation leads to sleep disorders. Getting inadequate sleep can affect school performance, weight, and health. Also, if kids text their friends or post late at night, it is likely something they will regret tomorrow in the daylight. Set a specific time for your kids to hand over their mobile phones before going to bed.
Inside the car: Here the discussion is not about texting while driving because, God willing, you don’t do that at all, right?!! The presence of a mobile phone inside the car also disrupts the conversations you can have with your children while driving them somewhere. Perhaps this is because you are not face-to-face with each other. Therefore, put your phones away until you reach your destination. Sometimes serious and deep conversations can be had with your children inside the car, and no one wants that opportunity taken away.