Meg Ferrante asked Pamela Paul:

As your kids have gotten older, are they still voracious readers? How do you keep them off devices & keep their noses in the books? (I used to count among my biggest parenting accomplishments that long car rides were peaceful because I'd encouraged three readers, but now they're peaceful because no one will get off their phones. I set a 30min trip-launching read-a-thon and at minute 31, they're done! Waahhhh... )

Pamela Paul I have an easy answer to this though I realize it's not for everyone. My kids do not have devices. My husband has an iPad that he will let them use most weekends for 30 minutes each. But I've told my kids they are not allowed to have phones until high school and only then if they purchase them and pay for them on their own. I realize this is not easy to do against the pro-tech tide, but I think in the long run, the better kids are able to learn to navigate the world without technology, the more creative and balanced their approach to technology will be should they choose to use it in the future, whether to work in tech or to use it recreationally. I answer this knowing that some people will consider this an extreme choice and that it's not for everyone. But just the way we've chosen to handle tech in my family.

flag