By: Aaron Johnstone & Daniel Sih
How can we build a healthy relationship with technology?
How can we help our children navigate the fraught world of the internet?
Daniel Sih, award-winning author of “Raising Tech Healthy Humans” has grappled with all this.
The Problem of Technology
Every generation has to navigate new technology, but the internet has revolutionised our access to information, socialising opportunities and media consumption. It’s also opened a new wild west of cyberbullying, online grooming, pornography, and gaming addictions. We know that social media affects our mental health and that smart devices are changing our brains, our attention spans and our connection with the real world. However, it is also virtually unavoidable.
Here are three things to consider to help you use technology well:
1 – Consider Your Relationship with Tech
Before looking at our children’s relationship with their devices, we need to look at our screen habits. Do we shout at the kids to get off their iPads, while we stare at the email on our phones? Do we wonder why our children don’t want to go outside or make art when we’re always listening to podcasts? We model how to interact with tech in ways our children, teens and tweens will copy.
2 – Consider How Your Brain Responds
The “upstairs” part of your brain helps you regulate your emotions and make good decisions – but the “downstairs” part of your brain tends to be impulsive and reactive. This is where our fight, flight and freeze reactions come from. We can find ourselves too much in the “downstairs” part of our brain if we consume too much social media or other content Become aware of these different states and take time to remove yourself if you’re struggling to regulate your emotions.
3 – Consider the Impact on Your Family
Children need their parents and other trustworthy adults to understand what they see and hear. If family members are all watching different media, it’s harder to process information overload and engage with their world. Take time to watch media together and discuss it. Communicating about shared family and faith values is a great way to build tech-healthy humans.
To listen to the whole conversation between Daniel Sih and Deeper Questions host Aaron Johnstone, listen on our website or search for Deeper Questions wherever you get your podcasts.
Article supplied with thanks to City Bible Forum.
Feature image: Photo by Laura Chouette on Unsplash