Device Free Dinner Challenge

The 8th graders from KRMS were in Washington, D.C. this past week for their annual class trip.  On Thursday night, they experienced a dinner at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.  One of the chaperones decided to take action with the constant cell phone use.  She went around to each table and requested that all students place their cell phones in the middle of the table and enjoy the company of their classmates for a few minutes during this meal.  While it only lasted for a few short moments, students did comply with putting their phones down until they finished their meal.  

Could it be as easy as making this simple request to your kids at dinner time?  Probably not.  Don't fret, though, because Common Sense Media has a Family Guide for this challenge.  Common Sense Media links to a resource that has conversation starters, pickles & predicaments, challenging conversations, recipes for conversation shareables and conversation starter shareables.  

The Common Sense Media Family Guide on Device Free Dinners includes links to several articles.  One that I found particularly interesting was about Steve Jobs being a low tech parent despite being a high tech giant.  Another one that was helpful is from The Family Dinner Project and it's called Technology at the Table.  These are some of the questions asked in the article:

• Would you expect someone whose job revolves around technology to limit its use within their own home?  Why or why not?
• Should the same rules that apply to kids apply to parents?  Why or why not?
• Can you think of any reasons why it's sometimes good to take a break from screen time?

I hope that you will find the resources from Common Sense Media on Device Free Dinners helpful and that you will share your own advice on how you manage this in your home.

Check out this video about Device Free Dinners in the News.