Common Sense Media cautions against using the word addicted to technology and prefers the term balance.
Technology offers many great tools. Technology isn't the problem per se. The problem lies with the human on the other end of the technology. So just like our technology policy that we refer to as a responsible use policy because we want to accentuate the positive and teach students to be responsible, Common Sense Media takes a similar approach with choosing to use the positive word of balance with media use.
On Blizzard Bag Day 3, students will look at some materials on Media Balance and jot down some notes on a worksheet about their own personal media habits. Then students will identify one way that they can work towards Media Balance. It's a small first step in seeking to find balance in media use.
Common Sense Media offers some Family Resources on this topic that I want to share with you here.
Kids definitely watch what the adults in their lives are doing so if you are using your phone during dinner, while driving, while waiting in line at the grocery store or you binge watch Netflix, then you might have a harder time having a conversation about their Media Balance until you look at your own Media Balance.
Maybe on the next Blizzard Bag Day, if you are able to be home with your child, you can go outside and build a snowman together.
It would be epic if the response from the students was that the one thing they could do to work on Media Balance was to play in the snow with a trusted adult.
