Tech Bytes: Tips for summer

Middle School Educational Technologist Kari Luecke shares must-read articles and suggests options to declutter your smartphone and reduce screen time this summer.
By Kari Luecke, Middle School  Educational Technologist

Summer offers a valuable pause — a natural opportunity to recalibrate expectations around how our children engage with social media, group chats, and other digital platforms. As we wind down another school year and head into a highly anticipated summer vacation, consider where you might adjust your family’s agreements around technology. 

While we may not be able to conquer the ever-expanding landscape of apps, we can thoughtfully evaluate how our children are interacting with them beyond the walls of school. In a former publication, I explored the surprising intersection between constant online connection and rising feelings of loneliness in adolescents.

Whether you plan to staycation or travel, a good way to ensure quality time together is to plan ahead.

Declutter your smartphone for summer:
  • Remove social media apps from your phone. If you really want to access these apps, force yourself to use another device, such as a laptop or desktop, using a web browser like Chrome or Microsoft Edge.
  • Remove notifications from your phone ( Settings > Notifications) Notifications are red on purpose, creating an urgency signal for your brain to check it now.
  • Resist the pic! You’ll have plenty of photo ops this summer, but remember that it’s okay to have special moments or downtime without a constant need to document.
  • Use your smartphone only for calling, texting, navigating, and listening to music, podcasts, and audiobooks.
  • When able, keep your phone in airplane mode and/or turn off Wi-Fi.
Make the most of your #analog family time:
  • Shower your kids with attention! Yes, your attention and engagement are a power that cannot be underestimated and pave the way to your child’s healthy esteem and confidence. 
  • Encourage imagination and conversation on road trips here and here!
  • Solve a puzzle together to enhance problem-solving skills and work as a team to reach a goal.
  • Read aloud together — anything and everything!
  • Try some Mad Libs for laughs while secretly enriching those writing and grammar skills!
  • Play in the rain, go on a bike ride, take a hike, go for a swim, bake a sweet treat, pick wildflowers … the list of possible activities goes on.
While you find a tech plan that works best for your family, remember that building a healthy relationship with tech is a delicate balance that must be revisited often — and that no two families’ plans or approaches will be identical, which is just fine!

Mini-Bytes & Tips for the Tech Enthusiasts:

Recommended Reads:
Happy summer!

Check out the newly released and aesthetically enhanced MS Tech Resources, which is now a Group! Simply sign into usn.org, hover over “Groups” and select “MS Technology Resources.” The Bulletin Board will reference “Topics,” which you can also select as a tab.

As always, feel free to reach out to me.
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