NOTEWORTHY PARENTING

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Stay Ahead of the Technology Snowball!

With every passing day, parents are exposed to the avalanche of new technology and updates. 

The best way to survive an avalanche is to go with the flow, swim with it, and try to stay on the top.

As parents, trying to stay on top of technology is a huge and tedious task.

We purchase technology.

We then quickly set it up in order to move on with the other hundreds of tasks that we manage in our family life.

As time passes we begin to realize, all of the unforeseen parenting pitfalls of the new technology. 

It feels like being on a mountain and at the top, you start with a little "snowball tech device".

It's just a small little snowball.

It's easy to purchase and set up.

  • We use it.

  • We love it.

  • Then all of a sudden that tech-snowball starts rolling down the hill... 

…getting bigger as issues begin to present themselves.

We may wonder why tech companies put out products that are so difficult for parents to manage?

  • Kids find inappropriate content even with parental controls.

  • Kids can download costly or unapproved apps.

  • Kids are addicted to their devices.

  • The list goes on!

As parents, we find ourselves running to stay ahead of technology.

  • Researching updates and new features.

  • Setting up multiple parental controls.

  • Purchasing insurance and protection plans.

  • Creating codes and passwords that rival algebraic equations.

I have parented 4 teenagers from…

  • flip phone technology through to the smartphone

  • from desktops to laptops

  • from laptops to tablets

In order to stay ahead of the tech-snowballs, it is important to…

talk as parents and create a plan! 

You still will have some "snowballs" or technology frustrations and surprises, but you can be on the same page and update your plan before that snowball gains momentum.

For example…

  • Stay on top of technology news.

  • Talk with other parents in your parenting network who may already be using the new technology with their kids.

  • Discuss the limits and rules around technology use for your family. Create a plan and share it with the kids. Maybe even post it on the fridge!

  • Plan family meetings to talk about the appropriate use of technology.

Once your plan is in place, may all your "technology snowballs" be small and slow rolling!

Parenting is not about perfection, it’s about the

POWER in your PLAN!

Think it! Note it! Parent it!

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