Parenting with Purpose
Jody Lee Cates
Make time to power down to
Strengthen Family Bonds A family of four recently caught
my eye at the beach. Lying side by side on a blanket under a cloudless sky, with sand toys and a picnic basket carefully laid out, this family had the makings of a perfect San Diego day. But something was off. None of them were captivated by the beckoning waves or ideal sandcastle-building conditions. With heads bent and eyes glued to four individual smartphones, whatever was happening on their devices had hijacked their time together. The constant, steady presence of technology is everywhere and it’s here to stay. We tell ourselves it’s a tool for staying connected—and to some degree, it is. But if not managed properly, technology can have devastating long-term consequences, interrupting togetherness and disconnecting us from
24 • SanDiegofamily.com • January 2024
the people we care about most. Here’s how to keep technology from ruining family relationships.
How We Got Here The lines between work, school and home life continue to blur as technology powers everything from working remotely and retrieving homework assignments to scheduling family appointments. Constant connection is the new norm, so it makes sense that smartphones are rarely out of reach. It’s not uncommon to pick up a call or check messages right in the middle of a conversation. Who among us hasn’t said, “Sorry, this is important,” while holding up a finger to indicate you’ll make it quick? It’s true that using screens to entertain is easier for parents than
wrangling a toddler through the grocery store or asking her to sit quietly in a restaurant. It feels harmless— there’s plenty of great educational content kids can watch. And sometimes parents just need a minute to complete a task, a thought or (let’s face it) to check phones.
While there’s no denying that technology is valuable and necessary, it’s a mistake to believe that constant connection to everything and everyone doesn’t come at a cost to our relationships.
What’s Happening Behind the Screens Sitting side by side on the sofa plugged into our screens is not the kind of quality time that relationships need
