Technology is the largest topic in modern parenting, especially during the young adult years. When our children were little, before smartphones or iPads, screen time was based on the time a child spent in front of a TV, a relatively easy metric to govern or even eliminate. Now, screens and digital interfaces are everywhere—cars, coffee shops, banking, schools, etc. Even if a family decides to abstain from tech or personal devices in the home, they still must decide on the boundaries of how they will interact with the world through tech, which can create extra pressure and decision fatigue as parents. Today, Mark and I share some thoughts about tech and how we have set boundaries for it in our home. While this topic can create a lot of room for shame and judgment between parents and peers, we hope this opens the conversation and gives you agency in the decisions you make in your home. All resources mentioned (with some additional thoughts) are linked in the episode show notes at cloisteredaway.substack.com.
The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt—a must-read for all.
Freya India’s Substack, GIRLS —Freja is a sharp, young writer advocating for the girls in her generation (and younger). I highly recommend it to all women and those raising daughters.
Paul Kingsnorth’s Substack, Abbey of Misrule— I recommend his writings on “The Machine.” Begin with this essay, “The Tale of the Machine,” as a catalog of his work.
Digital Minimalism, Cal Newport—a reminder of our agency in the digital world.
The Shallows, Nicholas Carr—The first book on tech I read as a parent over a decade ago. I still reference it.
The Viceroy Project—Training for Christian men who want to lead their homes well, including how they manage tech and avoid/protect against pornography.
The Greta Eskridge Podcast—I recommend these episodes for help in navigating the pornography conversation at home and learning how to protect your children from it:
“Parenting in the Digital Age and Protecting Your Kids from Pornography, part one and part two,”
“We Have a Good Story to Tell! Talking to Your Kids about Sex”
Image: Ship in a Storm, Ivan Aivazovsky, 1887
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