Technology is wiring our children’s brains to believe five fundamental lies:
- I’m the center of the universe.
- I deserve to be happy all the time.
- I must have choices.
- I’m my own authority.
- I don’t need other people.
What’s technology’s part? Eighty percent of a child’s ability to interact with the world around him develops after the child is born. Until about age 25, neurons in a child’s brain are connected through repetition, through the things the child does frequently. That’s how children learn to roll over, crawl, walk, and talk – through repeated stimuli.
Dr. Kathy Koch says the more kids are engaged with technology, the more it trains their brains to expect everything to respond like technology – to be fast paced, easy, and within their control. When everything is at their fingertips, children soon believe that everything is about them.
So what can parents do to minimize technology’s impact on their kids? It’s challenging, for sure. There’s no doubt that technology is here to stay. Parents don’t have to fear it, but they’re wise to practice discernment in how they use technology themselves and how they model healthy technology use for their kids.
Dr. Koch says that we can help our children safely navigate the world of technology if we’re brave enough to say no and to set boundaries. We can connect with them beyond the screen by reading together, exploring nature together, and playing together. Face-to-face interaction connects us emotionally, builds relationship, and can steer children away from their screens and toward deeper relationships with family and with God. We have answers for how to do that on our radio program “Interfacing with Your Teens Beyond the Screen.”
Dr. Kathy Koch will help you combat the negative influences of technology on your kids and provide practical ways you can put down the screens and build stronger relationships. Tune in on your local radio station, online, on iTunes, via Podcast, or download our free phone app.
If you could use some helpful resources in the area of kids and technology, I’d recommend downloading our free Parents Guide to Technology.
I also suggest Dr. Koch’s book Screens and Teens: Connecting with Our Kids in a Wireless World. It’s available in our online bookstore, but if you’ll become a monthly ministry partner, we’ll send you a free copy. Or you can choose a DVD of Kirk Cameron’s documentary featuring Dr. Kathy Koch, titled Connect.
To make your pledge, or for more information about our “Friends of Focus on the Family” program, visit our website or call 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459). Thank you for partnering with us to help families in need.
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