7 Healthy Tech Habits to Teach Kids this Year

The near-infinite web of information available online is a double-edged sword: it can be harnessed to help us learn and communicate, but it can swiftly degenerate into instant-gratification and isolation.

Technology has branched out from computers to tablets and smartphones and is being incorporated into the classroom in lessons and home assignments. As we enjoy more involvement with screens, kids (and adults) also gain increasingly direct access to less-than-educational and even blatantly harmful content. Covenant Eyes reports, for instance, 9 out of 10 boys and 6 out of 10 girls are exposed to pornography online before the age of 18.

Here are some healthy habits to keep usage in the green zone.

1. Keep it real. Technology is only a tool, a tool that should be connected to a real world goal or use. For instance, if your child has a paper to write about the Soviet Union, using the computer to check online encyclopedias makes sense. The problem comes when the digital life starts to replace actual life. Browsing the web is not an end in itself, even for curing boredom or playing games. Keep web use specific and purposeful.

2. Connect only with people you know in real life.  In keeping with number one, young people especially should never accept a friend request from an unknown person. Just as strangers can pose dangers in real life, they can also pose dangers online. Social media should be used to connect with real friends; it shouldn't become a tangle of clicks and "likes" that determine how we understand our own self-worth. Your identity does not come from a profile.

3. Find fulfilling activities and social outlets in real life. Over use of screens can distort our sense of self. Find engaging and creative activities in real life, from playing sports, to music, to crafts or simply reading. These activities help give us perspective and build meaningful ties and habits that will last a lifetime. They also help us learn to deal with boredom and entertain ourselves without turning to a screen at the slightest pause. It's good to realize that we need not be entertained all the time.

4. Keep the computer in a public space. Set up a family computer in a corner or side of a shared space such as a kitchen, dining room or living room. Avoid letting kids sit alone in their rooms with the screen. If other people can walk by and see what they are looking at, kids (and adults) are likely to be more conscious of their usage. Additionally, sharing a computer or device makes binges less likely; if the iPad is shared among siblings, they will have to share, limit time, and use the device for a specific reason.

5. Consider accountability software. To be honest, it isn't always so easy to share devices and keep computers in communal rooms. Many teenagers today have smartphones that go with them everywhere. One way to help the whole family is to use accountability software, such as Covenant Eyes. These programs can be installed on all devices from phones to tablets and computers and provide detailed, user-based feedback of all websites visited; they can also be used to add filters that block content based on age-appropriate ratings.

6. Encourage sharing online topics offline. Tell people what you are working on. Got something to research? Tell mom and dad. This has two benefits: 1) parents or siblings might have useful knowledge about the topic and 2) you all will have something to talk about later, your progress, any interesting developments, etc. Even if the usage is just social, it's a good thing to have family members on the same page regarding what is going on in each other's lives.

7. Set limits and have off-zones. Create places to store devices and dedicated off-times such as dinnertime or bedtime. Remember to give each other real presence; it makes a difference. A clear boundary that applies to all family members will help keep things fair and enforceable. It won't be seen as a punishment if mom and dad put their phones away at dinner too. Be wary of the phone creeping into the bedroom. If you have to use an actual, dedicated alarm clock in order to avoid keeping your phone in the bedroom, that could be worth it. You won't have to worry about texts in the middle of the night, and research has shown that the blue glow of screen light before bed contributes to insomnia.

Let these ideas stimulate you into thinking about what is good for your family in terms of technology usage. Nothing has to be a hard and fast rule, but with some care and forethought, parents can go a long way to avoiding the less wholesome side of technology.

For more ideas about how to protect your children and establish healthy habit this year, visit: covenanteyes.com

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