Kids today are glued to the phone, sleep deprived, binge on video games, social media dependent, anxiety-ridden and struggle to develop social skills.
Parents today are overwhelmed, tired of fighting, feel out of control, scared for their kids' future and often, addicted to tech ourselves.
Don't feel badly! We're the first generation of parents raising digital natives using outdated models from our own analog childhood. We need more than an app!
Get the SolutionIt’s up to us, the parents -- not our kids' peers, schools or the tech companies -- to guide them towards a healthy tech-life balance. We tried the easy ways:
Although kids won't admit it, parental approval remains a powerful motivator in their lives, even after they leave home.
We weren't willing to wait for the tech giants to offer a realistic solution, so we created one ourselves. Our unique approach is:
"Raising two teenage girls as a single dad is tough enough in the analog world, and screens add more friction to the parent-teen relationship. It’s unrealistic to cut off the benefits of tech media because it is how my kids stay connected to their friends. It’s a relief to have a trusted guide to coach us through the new habits to develop around tech use."
"Putting a screen contract in place has brought life back into our home. My wife and I started with the no cell phone at the dinner table, then looked at restricting time for our girls. It would not have been possible without a screen contract. Thank you Marissa and Sherri!"
"Most parents know they have to do something about screen overuse, but it’s hard to know what to do first. This course helped so MUCH! The content is excellent, the worksheets are valuable, and the way it’s delivered is truly unique. This course led me to revelations about how technology is affecting me, my children and society as a whole."
"Beyond the challenges of normal adolescence, my son is dyslexic, so he has to try 3x as hard to get good grades and he finds the work boring. Agreeing to boundaries around screen use was a huge help. His focus improved, he learned to manage his time, set goals and even got an internship in his with music producer! We’re thrilled."
"To let the forces of social media and video games loose on a developing young brain is like playing with fire. Parents need clear rules and should not be afraid of banning certain technology outright. The idea that "everyone else is doing it" is rapidly losing its validity as a counterargument..."
"We're in the midst of a natural, uncontrolled experiment on the next generation of children."
"God only knows what it's doing to our children's brains."
The first step to stopping the constant fighting about screens is creating a parent-child agreement around tech and media use. We call it a Screen Contract and it's the most powerful tool in our parenting box.
Take control of technology before it controls you!
Your kids are worth the fight!
"We gave our kids phones in middle school, but quickly screens began affecting them in disturbing ways. We often don't get home from work until dinnertime, so constant nagging or hiding devices wasn’t an option. Marissa and Sherri recommended the right technology and helped us create family systems that work for us. Now, we feel more in control of tech and media and we’re confident that we can manage the way technology impacts our family over time"
Regina, mom of 15 and 13-year-old girls
Learn how to work as a team with parents in the lead, modeling the best tech-use form, keeping on track and avoiding tripping hazards. Pick up your teammates when they fall and show them how to avoid mistakes in the future. The ultimate win in this race is when your kids are finally ready, through years of practice and your help, to make wise choices and run with the baton all by themselves. That is the greatest victory of all!
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