Screen Sanity to help put things into perspective

By Jim Bradford, Chapter Co-Chair at Mission Trail Middle School for Father’s Club

A little over a year ago, I took a chance at learning a little bit about how to help with the screen dependance in our household. There were no real problems, but we were preparing for a time when three soon-to-be teenagers would be getting their hands on their first cell phones.

We had family tablets and gaming consoles, but taking the plunge and allowing our children to stay connected 24-7 was a big step, a necessary step. As they got older we decided that we needed to be able to stay in touch.

This isn’t about telling anyone when the best time is to get a cellphone for their children. We discussed it at length and decided that middle school was a good time to get our children cell phones. Our call. Others may look at it differently, and that’s fine, but we made our decision and we’re comfortable with it.

But that’s just one of the screens we have to deal with as a family. Whether it’s the cell phone, tablet or television, there are screens that we have to contend with on a daily basis.

Enter Screen Sanity.

Screen Sanity

There are plenty of options. The more information you can arm yourself with, the easier it can be to regulate, monitor and stay in touch.

Take some time to learn more about Screen Sanity program to see if it’s right for your family, organization or Father’s Club chapter. As they say on their website, “We believe true cultural change happens in community, when parents and leaders come together, find common ground and discuss what matters most. Our highly acclaimed trainings feature expert-informed content, thought-provoking discussion questions, and a scalable model that can be formatted for small groups, schools and organizations.”

So very true.

I took advantage of an opportunity to take in the Screen Sanity presentation and it was eye opening. While the entire presentation was worth the time, one of the pieces that I pulled out and took home to my family was an exercise that helped connect us after a long day of running in several directions. It’s called, “High Low Buffalo,” and it offers the whole family a chance to talk about the high point of their day, the low point and something random from the day.

While we didn’t lack opportunities to engage, it helped our family create a new way to connect and talk about some things that would otherwise be lost in the shuffle. It’s become a staple at our dinner table. It’s not much, but has become a family favorite.

If you’re interested, reach out, it’s well worth your time. Even if you’re only able to take away bits and pieces from the presentation, every little bit helps.