Stop worrying about video games. Phones are the real problem.
The scariest article I read in all my research about homeschooling is about how far parents in Silicon Valley are going to keep their kids off of phones. A Dark Consensus about Screens and Kids Begins to Emerge in Silicon Valley. The article was from 2018. It was clear to me then that the parents in Silicon Valley knew more than everyone else knew about phones. It was also clear to me that it costs a lot of money to keep kids off phones. Because phones are a sanity tool for parents.
So yeah, the phones are a drug. Of course, that’s why the parents need them so much for raising kids. I gave up one drug, which was school, and replaced it with another, phones. I could tell then that I was going to do nothing about this because I saved the article without any note to myself.
Usually, when there is an important article there is also a note. A tirade. A directive from me to the rest of the world that obviously, this is the truth so just be a grown up and face it.
My kids spent too much of their transition time/break time/waiting time on their phones. I didn’t let them have space to learn how to have space. Look at nothing. Time to think. I have done the same to myself. I rarely am without a screen.
Now, with a little distance I know that the failures I have as a homeschool parent are a reflection of the failures I have as a human. I didn’t need to worry so much about being a homeschooler.
I could have focused more on being the best version of me. The best version of me definitely is not with my head in a screen all the time. But as a homeschooler I know I’m always learning; I think there’s still time for me to learn to be better. That’s true for my kids as well.
Phones are all encompassing. I use mine to read,look things up ,scroll mindlessly.It’s easier than thinking.
My boyfriend started showing our toddler the shorts on YouTube.He now asks for it.He’ll sit up for awhile on your lap watching. It gives us a break but play would be better.
My teen uses it for snapchat, info on soccer and school.When I was there teacher’s didn’t contact you outside school to send you work they forgot to assign.Or send reams of emails.
She tries to put it out for awhile before sleep and is alot better at scheduling than me.
Now I’m trying to do a business course on mine.Not sure if I’m wasting money again.I don’t always implement.
I don’t know what the answer is.Us being better examples might help.
Or is too late?
My son just got a flip phone. I see a lot of kids his age doing that — there’s a sense that people who use smart phones are out of control. I started reading about flip-phones for private school kids who aren’t allowed to have the Internet on their phones. I think for Gen Z the flip phone might be a status symbol for high-achievers.
Penelope