We have more information at our fingertips than ever before. Ask Google anything, and you’ll probably find an answer. We already know that access to social media, gaming, and Google is both terrifying and amazing. So how do we consciously move the gauge from less terrifying to more amazing? Browse these 5 tips for fostering physical and emotional digital wellbeing with adolescents.
Model Healthy Phone Boundaries
Quite simply, children are incredibly in-tune mirrors. They observe what we do, how we respond vs. react, and they form their own habits accordingly. When I was in my family unit, I noticed the girls on their devices more when my partner and I were also using our devices more. I distinctly remember a few Sundays after breakfast that I looked up from my screen to see the whole family also sunken into their chairs and faces into their phones. Why? Because the two adults in the room were using maladaptive coping mechanisms like screen time as an escape instead of finding healthy ways to pause.
The opinions expressed in Montessori Life are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the position of AMS.