Kudos to the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens for giving families cell phone sleeping bags and free admission this weekend! It can be hard for families to find time to unplug, explore, and make fun memories…but these little green bags are a simple way the City of Overland Park is encouraging the next generation of kids to get curious about the world…and their contributions to it. Thanks, OP, for helping families remember that screens are small, but life is big!

What exactly does it mean to be a START family? We’re glad you asked! Here are our top five rules of thumb for digital parenting. We hope these pillars are a helpful tool as you navigate your family’s tech life.

A recent study of romantic relationships among college students found that “smartphone dependency is significantly linked to relationship uncertainty.” This Valentine’s week, join Brenda Walden, Marriage + Family Therapist, to learn more about “phubbing”…and ways it might be impacting your romantic relationship.

It’s the story of a young dad chasing big dreams who gets…wait for it…distracted…by a glittery, sparkly, unattainable opera singer named Jenny Lind. He gives his full attention to a person he has barely even met, ignoring the people who love him deeply. And yet, at the end of the day, he realizes that this was not time well spent…and returns home to rediscover the greatest show: being present with his family and friends.

So often when we talk about social media, mental health, and kids, we tend to think the only thing affecting today’s teens is how they interact with other teens.  But Lauri, a START parent, recently shared with her community, “I’m learning from my little guys that the pressures don’t only come from their friends; it can also come from me as a parent. And it starts way earlier than I was hoping.” To learn more about the trend of sharenting, check out this this article

Two weeks ago, we shared the story of a family who put their daughter’s phone to bed, and it lifted a huge weight off of her shoulders. It turns out, her story resonated with hearts around the globe. In two weeks, nearly two million people have read it, in more than 160 countries. Parents around the world are struggling, wanting to give their kids healthier, happier lives.

Tim DeWeese, Mental Health Director for Johnson County, weighs in about the importance of developing a healhty tech-life balance for ourselves, and then modeling those healthy tech habits for young people.

When I find them in the morning, still asleep, with a device in their hands, the truth is, I have no idea where they have been or who they have been with all night.  It is like I am inviting the darkness of the streets into their own room—and the darkness is actually more aggressive than it has ever been.  All of the things my parents worried I might be exposed to if they let me stay out past 10 p.m. are a reality, and they are at my child’s fingertips. 

My husband and I have four kids – elementary and middle school age – who love screens. Not a book worm in the crowd. Like many families, they watched their fair share of Baby Einstein and The Wiggles in the baby and toddler years…sometimes over and over again – so I could make dinner, or nurse the baby, or heaven forbid sit down with the neighbor to have a glass of wine. These days, our kids love to play app-based games, watch videos, and play on their Xbox.