Putting the phone down creates opportunities for children to practice the skills that screens can’t teach.

The question isn’t just how much screen time your child gets, it’s what that screen time is replacing.

It's too easy for children to spend long periods of time without noticing how much time has actually passed. 

Screens are a part of our children's everyday lives. They can be educational, entertaining, and a meaningful way to connect with others. From my perspective, my focus isn’t on how much screen time, but rather, what is that screen replacing or what are our children avoiding? So, what is being replaced when our child has a phone in his or her face?

Social connection: We all know that when our face is inside a screen, we miss conversations, body language, and the appearance of being approachable. Our kids look down at the phone when they feel awkward or uncomfortable, but then they look unapproachable and unavailable, and the cycle continues. By putting down the phone, our kids can have those awkward face to face conversations that will ultimately become less awkward. They can read body language, have difficult........

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