Should You Intentionally Limit the Amount of Time Your Kids Spend on Technology?

For many of us, the amount of time our kids spend on their phones is a BIG concern. Add in tablets, gaming systems and movie streaming, is there any time left for families to connect? Technology separates families, the internet can consume time you may otherwise spend together talking, reading, laughing, making meals together, playing games.
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Teens today spend a lot of hours a week in front of a screen. Too much screen time leaves me feeling grouchy, short and irritable. Have you noticed your kids being grouchy, short and irritable? Or saying things like "I have to have this" or "why can't I do that"? Could it be that they are spending too much time on technology?

What happens when you try to limit it?  "All my friends parents don't care how long they are on their phones, they don't have restrictions, you are so overprotective!"  You start to wonder could this be true? Am I over thinking this? Times have changed, this is just what kids do these days., right? Is it really worth the argument and attitude to enforce time constraints?  I want to be bold fellow parents, let's stick together and say YES, it is!

In many homes parents, myself included, lay down rules about internet usage but have a hard time following through with enforcing these rules.  Technology to the rescue... recently, I learned about a free app that can shut off all apps and internet access on a phone. You can schedule your teens apps to go off at a certain time each night to make sure they get their zzz's. If you want to have technology free "family time" with a push of a button internet and apps are gone!  The app is called Our Pact. Their mission is to empower parents to guide their children through the balanced use of technology.

Blocking times when kids can get on the internet without creating an alternative can create a void. If you want more family time, plan it. If you want them to be a better soccer player, get out there and practice with them. Most importantly, we need to think about the relationship we want our kids to have with technology and model it. o empower parents to guide their children through the balanced use of technology.To empower parents to guide their children through the balanced use of technology.