Teaching Your Kids to Be in The Moment 

As parents we have all told ourselves many times to put the phone down. We are connected to our jobs, friends, and family 24/7 through our phones. The ease of technology is a blessing and a curse. If we become addicted to our phones, our kids will follow our lead. We don’t want our kids to be tied to their phones. We need to be great examples of how we can balance our phones with screen free time. Not only will it help our connection with our family and friends, but it will teach our kids the same lesson. We need to help our kids embrace moments without using a phone.  

Our Kids Need to Embrace Each Moment with Friends 

Let me paint a picture that you might have witnessed at your house or at a party. You walk into a room to check on the kids to find that all or some of the kids “hanging out” together are looking at their phones. They could be texting each other or texting other friends. This is where we need to step in and tell our kids to put the phone down. Some might say it was like our generation when we were playing video games. I can see a small comparison, but when we were growing up and playing video games we were still interacting with our friends. Mostly we were talking trash while playing Madden, Goldeneye or Mortal Kombat. Nowadays kids are not talking to each other since they are checking out their phones. 

Kids can learn life skills when they are communicating with their friends. Creating small talk or having in-depth conversations on which movie trilogy is the best leads to strong communication skills. My wife and I tell our kids to be present when they are with their friends. Their phones are not near them when they are hanging out with their friends. I have seen kids text other friends and not be present with the kids who they are hanging out with that day. Imagine if we were on the phone talking to other friends while a friend was hanging out at your house when you were a kid. It is rude and it irks me to see that happen these days with our kids’ generation.

Create A Pact with Your Kids 

I am guessing most parents reading this will agree with me on this topic. One question that might pop up is how can we make sure our kids are not addicted to their phones. Besides leading by example, you and your family can use OurPact. OurPact is the one app every parent needs to keep their children safe when online and teach them healthy digital habits. With OurPact, it is a breakthrough parental control app that harnesses the power of the internet and application blocking to teach children proper device use and responsibility. It is the most comprehensive parental control app and family locator, perfect for families of any size. 

OurPact is easy to use, easy to set up and great for parents or families who are concerned with their children’s overuse of technology. Whether you are introducing a device to your child for the first time, or simply have a teenager who spends too much time on social media, OurPact is the perfect parental control solution for your family. For more information or to download the OurPact app go to their website at https://www.ourpact.com. 

OurPact also offers useful information for parents regarding trending news topics based on children’s media use, screen time, privacy issues, and mental health on their website. This new addition to their website will feature a new article twice per month with the goal of aiding parents as they navigate digital parenting in a tech driven world. Check out their news feed here and subscribe to receive new articles as they are posted.

Please note: I am working with OurPact on a sponsored campaign. I am receiving payment for my work, but my thoughts are my own.