Guest post provided by Sponsor, Recovery Café
Technology can be used to enrich our lives, and it also creates challenges. For many children, cultivating healthy boundaries and limits to technology use at an early age will help prevent the development of addictive screen use.
Our increased reliance on and general integration of the internet has raised the risk of young people developing a process addiction. A process addiction is the compulsion to continually engage in an activity or behavior despite the negative impact on the person’s ability to remain mentally and/or physically healthy and functional in their home and community. Many of us associate addiction with substance use; however, other types, such as behavioral or process addictions can also be detrimental to our lives. Some examples of process addictions include excessive use of screens, online gaming, internet gambling, and pornography.
Many of us spend much of our days on screens, and the coronavirus pandemic has only exacerbated this issue. Process addictions are more common than public perception would have us believe: 1 in 8 Americans struggle with a form of internet addiction.
Children, in particular, are learning to cultivate their own sense of boundaries, time management, and self-control and are provided more freedom and opportunities as they grow up. We aim to support you and help your child learn how to find the right balance for themselves and your family.
At Recovery Café, we are a community committed to the holistic well-being of all people. One of the growing concerns for parents across the United States is the impact their child’s interaction with screens has on their lives. While the research is still developing, the majority suggests that forming healthy boundaries with technology at an early stage sets your child up for the most success. To this end, with the support of the Snoqualmie Tribe, we have created an initiative to help parents/caregivers navigate the world of kids and screens. In the fall of 2021, we will bring together experts and offer statewide webinars which will include helpful information, tools, and support for your family.
The goal of these sessions is to provide practical tools and strategies to support parents, rather than simply lamenting the challenges of technology. We aim to promote a non-judgemental approach that empowers parents and embraces a balance of technology use that can benefit both sides.
We invite all Washington State PTA leaders to share this with their PTA and broader parent/guardian communities. We hope to see you there.
Our Fall programming:
All events will take place virtually between 7:00-8:30 pm with time for Q+A
Grades 4-6:
- September 22, 7:00 pm – Introduction: Development+Tools with Kelly Tansing (Register HERE)
- October 20, 7:00 pm – Cognitive Development with Dr. Dimitri Christakis (Register HERE)
- November 17, 7:00 pm – Social Media with Delaney Ruston (Register HERE)
Grades 6-8:
- September 23, 7:00 pm – Introduction: Development, Tools with Kelly Tansing (Register HERE)
- October 21, 7:00 pm – Cognitive Development with Dr. Dimitri Christakis (Register HERE)
- November 18, 7:00 pm – Social Media with Delaney Ruston (Register HERE)
- December 16, 7:00 pm – Preventative Education with Jo Langford (Register HERE)
Check out our website to learn more: https://recoverycafe.org/supporting-your-child-in-their-internet-use/