This Is The Right Way To Use Technology To Bring Family Closer

Technology has made life easier for us. We have facilities available to us at our fingertips like we have never had before. From parents to children, everyone in a family has the use of technology and gadgets for work, education and even entertainment. With the latest applications facilitating everything from our schedules and appointments to active online learning, managing finances and even staying in touch with our friends and family, technology has become an integral part of our daily lives.

Although technology has helped us become well connected, one cannot argue that at times we do feel like we have lost touch with our family. It is impossible to not let technology come in between the family members and, if not addresses properly, it becomes a huge problem at times. However, you can help your family to manage this problem and to not let technology pull your family apart.

Here is how:

Put your phones away during dinner

Phones have practically become the most precious possession for everyone. Even unconsciously, we end up looking at the screen or fiddling with the phone if the phone is around us. While starting by docking away the phones as soon as you get home might seem to be a farfetched idea, you can start by getting your family into the habit of not bringing their phones to the dinner table. Dinner conversations can really knit the bonds between the family members, besides, they can always get back to their phones afterwards.

Schedule designated ‘unplugged’ days

You can regularly schedule an ‘unplugged’ day in a week. This will help revive the habit of doing things the old fashioned ‘offline’ things as a family. You can bring back the board games, do some cooking or baking together, take walks, etc. Once you start practicing this, you will realize that there are a lot of things which you can do with your family.

Pre-determine ‘tech day’ or ‘game time’ for your kids

This one is a practice solely focused on the children since they are very impressionable. It is important for the kids to have a guided exposure to technology and you can start the practice by designating the weekends as the days that they can use their gadgets or their games. This is a good way to start a disciplined use of technology and avoid over indulgence. This will also give you the opportunity to get more involved in your child’s learning experience.

Use technology together

As much as possible, try to use technology together. Whether it is for learning or for leisure, you can do it together. This will not only help you come closer as a family but as a parent, you will also be able to have an indirect supervision over how your children are using technology. You can also use this as an opportunity to educate your children about how to stay safe on social media and other online avenues.

Foster the habit of being off-screen when having face-to-face conversations

Face-to-face conversations should be given the due importance that they deserve. It is a good practice to keep your phone down and put it away for a while when someone from the family wants to speak to you. This not only ensures undivided attention but also active participation in the conversation.

While starting off with the above-mentioned practices is not going to be easy it is definitely worth your time and effort. It also goes a long way in setting a precedence of productive use of technology for yourself and your family members. Remember, technology is always designed to work on the command of the users and not vice-versa!