As we raise our child in this digital world, we often discuss what rules to bend and break in order to have best of technology and healthier habits.

Technology should work for us and within our family values and parenting style. When used thoughtfully and appropriately, media can enhance our daily life. But when used inappropriately or without thought, media can displace many important activities such as face-to-face interaction, family-time, outdoor-play, exercise, unplugged downtime and sleep.

So, from early on, for our daughter, we started to have only Friday as ‘ipad time’. It was the only time for her to watch some cartoon we would select. This time grew to weekly 30 minutes to research something interesting as she grew. 

Many years back, we chose not have cable TV in our home so we can choose the quality and quantity of media we see or show at home. It lead to funny incident few years back. We were visiting a resort for vacation. It has television on and we started watching a cartoon. Our 4 year old wanted to visit washroom and she got up and said, ‘Can you please pause it!’ We all broke into laughter to realise the she does not know that this is television and it cannot be paused and you cannot select the next video. 

Since her childhood, our daughter has seen us practise the rules for engaging with technology while with family. No phone on dinner table, 45 minutes of media for research work and Friday family movie night. Evenings we all step out and play a sport and interact. Our daughter started mimicking us.

Talk time within family and with friends was critical way of communication. She learnt language skills and also realised that one way interaction with screen is passive and lonely. She liked to make real friends whom she can play with, hug, run and share her feeling with. 

When she used to say she is bored, what should I do, she was introduced to the book ’7 habits of happy kids’ to learn how to make your own fun and find interesting things to do. 
Whenever there is free time, she would pick a book and read even though we have numerous digital gadgets available. We feel happy when we know she is making the right choice along with us. 

We have gone through the evolution of technology and series of new mobile phone every year. But book will always be books and the healthier habit to follow for yourself and your children.