BJU Press Blog

technology

How Should I Teach My Son to Use Technology?

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Recently, my two-year-old son has developed a fascination with devices that glow and beep. And I’ve suddenly realized that I have to decide how I’m going to teach him to use the world of electronic devices that are at his fingertips. My own enjoyment of technology makes this an exciting task, but my knowledge of the pitfalls of using these tools has resulted in careful consideration of how to approach this aspect of parenting. Several ideas come to mind as I think about training my son to use technology wisely.

1. Treating People as More Important

First, I need to teach him that the people he is with are more important than whatever he can do on a screen. Christ taught the importance of other people in Luke 10. After a lawyer confirmed the law’s demand to love one’s neighbor, he asked Christ who his neighbor was. Christ clarified by telling the story of the good Samaritan, showing that our neighbors are those around us. In this area, I need to lead by example.

When I go to the park, I often see parents sitting on a bench, absorbed in their phones, while their young kids yell out, “Hey, Dad, look at me!” or “Hey, Mom, watch this!” The temptation to check my e-mail or even try to get things done just because I always have my phone with me could ruin opportunities to interact with my son or others. If he sees me focused on him or the other people around me instead of my phone, he will learn that the people around him are important.

2. Observing the Real World

I also need to teach him to learn by observing the world around him. Technology can aid in this observation. There’s an abundance of apps that allow us to learn details about the night sky and videos about fascinating aspects of nature. I can use these to assist, but I should also point him to nature off the screen as well. We could go on a nature walk or a hike. I can point out the little details I notice as we’re walking around outside or working in the yard. I can help him develop a lifelong habit of seeing God’s handiwork all around him and praising God for His great creation.

3. Using Time Wisely

Finally, I need to teach him to use his time wisely. Because he’s only two now, that probably means my regulating how much time he spends in front of a screen in comparison to playing with toys that build developmental skills or sitting in my lap reading books. As he gets older and has the ability to choose whether to read or play or use an electronic device, I plan to set some limits on how much time he spends in front of a screen. One good suggestion I’ve heard is to allow him to earn screen time by reading for a period of time; this will help him balance how he spends his free time.

I’m excited about the opportunity to teach my son how to wisely use the fascinating tools available to him. Each of us who works with children has the responsibility to help train them to use technology for the glory of God.

In your experience, what’s another lesson that’s important to teach children about using technology?

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Andrew enjoys helping others use technology in a way that glorifies God. He and his wife help with the children’s ministries at their church. Along with their three sons, they like to read together about other people’s adventures and then go out and have their own.

Don’t Just Google It: Seeking Counsel Mom-to-Mom

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Image of two moms drinking hot chocolate and having a conversation at the table.

It was our first house, and it needed some work. One of our first projects was tearing out the old stained carpet in the master bedroom. At a carpet store, we browsed the rolls of discounted carpet pieces, and the salesman convinced us to purchase a lonely roll that was supposedly of much higher plush quality than the other colors. The only problem—the color was white. At the time, we didn’t think having white carpet was a big deal, but we didn’t realize it would spotlight every speck of black sock fuzz and every minor stain.

We have all made major or minor decisions that we now regret. We might have avoided them had we taken the time to ask those with more experience for advice. Proverbs is full of instructions about seeking counsel from others, as in Proverbs 15:22 (NKJV): “Without counsel, plans go awry, but in the multitude of counselors they are established.”

As I begin homeschooling, I want to intentionally seek out advice from wise mothers. Whether they’ve homeschooled their children or guided them through traditional school, they can lead me down a time-tested route and warn me about detours or potholes.

When I have a question about homeschooling, my first inclination, as a child of the digital age, is to Google it. While I’m thankful for the convenience and wealth of information online, I want to guard against the dangers of wasting time and having information overload. Before I realize it’s dinnertime, I have forty-six tabs open on my browser with opinions of people I don’t know from Adam.

If I lived fifty years ago and had a question on teaching or raising my children, the obvious course would have been to pray about it, talk with my husband, and call a trusted friend or relative. While the Internet brings the world together, it threatens to isolate us from true relationships. I know many wise, godly mothers that I can go to for counsel, and many of them happen to be homeschool moms as well. By approaching them, I’m going to sources I trust, and I’m building relationships with women who can encourage me and pray for me.

Seeking personal counsel is worth the extra effort, and integrating our lives with other believers’ lives is the biblical pattern. In Titus 2, the apostle Paul encourages the older women to mentor the younger women so that their lives might honor God’s Word. He told Titus to teach

the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things—that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. (Titus 2:3–5 NKJV)

So what about you? How have you found ways to balance the convenience of online information with the value of a trusted advisor? How do you balance social media with face-to-face relationships ?

Family Calendars

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A few weeks ago, I left my phone at home on a Sunday morning. I didn’t realize it until we were on the way to church. When I gasped and told my family, there was silence for a moment. Then my husband semi-facetiously said, “How will we know what to do today?”

Like most families, our calendar is jam-packed with soccer practices, music lessons, youth group activities, school projects, orthodontist appointments, and more. Meeting those obligations in a timely manner is an important life skill that I’d like my children to learn. Another goal of mine is to help them meet their obligations without any of us having to endure my endless nagging! Something that I’ve incorporated recently is the Google Calendar™ tool. My kids are in or near their teens now, so each of them has a mobile device or tablet.

 

In the Google Calendar™ tool, I’ve set up four different calendars—one master family calendar plus a calendar for each child. The master family calendar is for activities that the whole family needs to know about—church events, my husband’s business trips, and so forth. The individual calendars are tailored for each child (the other siblings don’t necessarily have access) and include soccer practices, homework milestones or due dates, doctor appointments, music lessons, and so on. I’ve set up alarms or reminders as needed. I’ve encouraged my kids to add their own events (and to-do items like chores and music practice) to their calendars. The various calendars have been helpful for me and for my husband too.

My two older children have done very well with the family calendar and refer to their own calendars regularly to make sure they’re prepared. My youngest still likes Mom’s personal reminders better.

What do you do to keep your schedule organized?

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Jennifer has worked at BJU Press for over twenty years. A favorite aspect of her job is talking with home educators and teachers about their experiences. Jennifer is married, with three children. She enjoys cooking for her family, and is always ready to try a new recipe.