Disconnect[ed]: Confessions from the Zombified-Black-Hole

Our summer series Disconnect[ed] is a collection of blogs, articles, and videos examining what we’re not doing right with technology in school.  Less about what software or hardware a school should be using, Disconnect[ed] examines what constant exposure to media, apps, texting, etc, is doing to the way we think and interact with each other, and what schools can do about it.

Last week I came down pretty hard on how undisciplined technology use is rotting the soul of our society and especially our students and children.  Concluding that if only we could develop a Tech-Control curriculum for students and parents, we could successfully develop the well-rounded students we speak about it in our school mission and vision statements.

I still stand by those statements, but I have a confession, it’s really hard.  As a parent of an almost-2-year-old I’ve been amazed by how quickly our daughter has learned to love the all powerful iPad.  Truthfully, I think iPad was one of her first 5 words.  At the time it was cute, and seemed harmless to let her sit in our laps and scroll through the screen for a few minutes every other day.  Eventually she’d start demanding it, and looking in my bag for it.  I found myself hiding it, and placing it out of her reach.  When my wife or I needed it we’d ask each other questions like,

“Have you seen the i.p.a.d.?” or “Where’s the device?”

In a hope that speaking about it wouldn’t attract the attention of our perfectly content daughter.  We’d sneak around the house with it behind our backs, or hiding it behind pillows to avoid her noticing it.    We’re currently in iPad detox with our daughter as we recover from extensive screen time from traveling 30 hours across the Pacific in a confined space (by the way, in my book all rules are rightfully out the window when traveling in an airplane).

So last week as I published my thoughts on technology’s ability to erode the sacred in our daily interactions, I was coming from the perspective of an idealist.  Truthfully, the day-to-day battle of teaching our children to enjoy life without excessive screen time is really hard.  I’m not sure how to do it well, but believe it’s a skill worth developing in our families.  Think of it as the modern day version of teaching your child how to saddle a horse, use a hammer, paintbrush, or some other tool.