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~ A word from our founder, The HomeScholar Emeritus, Lee Binz ~

This is a chapter from my book, TechnoLogic: How to Set Logical Technology Boundaries and Stop the Zombie Apocalypse. You can purchase a copy in print or Kindle version on Amazon.

Chapter 1

It's a new world, with fast-moving changes unimaginable a few years ago. Experts are warning about a problem caused by overuse of technology called "digital dementia." The scope of this problem is huge, insidiously invading unsuspecting minds, like Alzheimer's disease. Children as young as four years old have become so addicted to digital devices that they require psychological treatment. Psychiatrist Dr. Keith Ablow warns that social media "may be considered the tobacco industry of our times - one day facing massive lawsuits for fueling anxiety disorders and mood disorders in millions of people."

In the 1960s, candy cigarettes were available at every corner store, reinforcing the notion to young children that cigarettes were "cool." Tobacco and cigarettes were widely available, including in vending machines. People smoked cigarettes everywhere, with few limitations. Public schools set aside areas for smoking students. Slowly, people learned about the ill effects of cigarettes, and sued the tobacco industry.

Knowing the negatives of technology, individual schools and the education industry continue to emphasize, promote, and encourage excessive online learning. Online classes, programs, and schools have proliferated. Classrooms are filled with computers and hand-held devices for every student, as children are forced to spend more of their day in front of screens.
You might wonder how children can effectively relate to one another and develop real, meaningful friendships and relationships when they are always facing screens instead of people. Children and adults find meaningful friendships by engaging in activities together, not by being glued to a screen. Messaging and texting are not the same as getting to know people in real life, with the nuances of interpersonal communication and non-verbal cues.

"Technology is changing the face of the world. You can go to any restaurant and see families all over the place where there are two children both on their devices during the course of a meal, with their parents on their phones. I think we're leaving meaningful relationships because meaningful relationships are hard. It's a lot easier to go onto social media and to talk to someone who's always smiling in their picture, and who is always saying happy things. We avoid real relationships in favor of virtual ones." ~Todd Wilson

The recent phenomenon of communicating only on devices has many parents floundering. Thankfully, you can determine boundaries for your own children. There are serious reasons for setting technology boundaries that demonstrate why guidelines are important.

Twelve Reasons for Setting Technology Boundaries

1. Personal Safety

The number one concern about time spent online is personal safety. Teach your children to consider personal safety and not reveal too much online. Children need to understand that everything online is forever - it's permanent, and it can be found. There are so many apps for devices that encourage you to share too much information. An app may promise that a post, photo, video, or text will disappear right after you share it, and be deleted forever, but that's not the case. What is online stays online forever. It leaves a fingerprint that can be traced, sometimes quite easily.

"I have told my kids never to post anything that they wouldn't want to see up on a billboard in the middle of town for everyone to see." ~Nancy, Parent

When your child is revealing a lot of personal information online, their personal safety can be at risk. Stalkers and predators are online, looking for vulnerable children, trying to find any piece of information they can. Thieves can also use information shared to find out you're not going to be home and use the opportunity to break in. When you digitally "check in" to a location, everyone can see where you are. Simply revealing where you are can be a threat to personal safety. A criminally minded person can find where you are, or steal your belongings, knowing you are gone.

Criminals keep tabs on social media. The police routinely remind people not to broadcast police activity on social media during police operations because the criminals are watching your posts. They follow posts about police activity, including photos showing where the police are located, to avoid police movement.

It's not only criminals who are tracking you. The Google Maps app tracks your every move on your smartphone, every day, at all times. If you check out the tracking history, you will see every place that Google has followed you using your phone.

What should you avoid sharing on social media? Netsecurity.com lists five posts you should never make on social media. Never share your own or a family member's full birthdate, your relationship status, your current location, the fact that you are home alone, or pictures of your kids that are tagged with their names.

Ill-advised social media posts are regularly visible to the public. Some of my online friends share examples they've witnessed. Lisa mentions seeing a kid posting a photo of their driver's license, which contains so much personal information. Kim notices that many people post about packing for vacation. Melinda thinks it's scary when she sees people post about their activities while on vacation. The worst thing Heather saw was a post by a girl stating she was about to take a nap in her car, giving the exact location on her college campus.

One of my social media friends has a serious medical issue requiring painkillers. She gleefully posted, "I'm going to be taking my narcotics now, so I feel better. I promise I won't wake up for 24 hours." This announcement is like putting a sign on your front door that says, "I've got drugs, and the door's wide open." There are real, potential dangers of sharing too much on social media. These are some of the reasons people choose not to make an account, or restrict their children from creating accounts.

Learn More

Would you like to learn more about the remaining 12 reasons for setting technology boundaries—and more?

2. Cyber Bullying
3. Pornography
4. Sleep Disorders
5. Situational Awareness
6. Technology Rewires the Brain
7. Limits Normal Growth and Development
8. Violent Video Games are Linked to Aggression
9. Less Social Interaction
10. Fidgety Inattention Imitating ADHD
11. Mental Disorders and Stress-related Illnesses
12. Video Games are Designed to be Addictive

TechnoLogic will cover all these topics—and many more—to help you set healthy limits for your children. This eye-opening book offers hope for parents battling the technology monster. Learn how to deal with the harsh reality of technology in your home and how to set technology boundaries for healthy and happy children and teens!

Learn more about TechnoLogic in my video review below!

This is a chapter from my book, TechnoLogic: How to Set Logical Technology Boundaries and Stop the Zombie Apocalypse. You can purchase a copy in print or Kindle version on Amazon.