In a world dominated by digital devices and media, the need for a digital detox has become more crucial than ever, especially for families striving to strike a balance between technology use and meaningful real-life experiences. Online safety has become a paramount concern, especially for families like mine that are navigating the vast and sometimes treacherous landscape of the internet.
As a mom of three and co-CEO of my household, my husband and I are hyper aware of the dangers of too much screen time, especially when kids are left to their own devices. Literally! The CDC recommends less than 1-2 hours of screen time a day for 8-10 year olds, when on average they rack up 6-10 hours using devices, phones, and sitting in front of the TV. My kids are young so they aren’t asking for phones or social media yet, but my mom friends have told me, it starts with gaming. This is precisely the time I can get educated about what’s to come. Thankfully, there’s AURA – a smart, simple way to stay safe online. The platform simplifies the process of storing and sharing digital profiles, passwords, and fraud alerts, ensuring that everyone in the family stays safely connected.
AURA allows me to feel empowered because I know it’s keeping my family members safe. I especially appreciate parental controls which lets us monitor, track, and limit our kids online activity across phones, tablets, and more. There are three main features:
- Content Filtering – I can block certain sites from search. For gaming, you’ll have 24/7 in-game voice and text monitoring. Amazing, right?
- Activity Tracking – I get to see what they’re actually doing when on their tablets.
- Time Limits – I can allocate a time for them to be online and “pause the internet” on their devices when the time is up. It’s brilliant!
These features enable parents to effortlessly monitor content, block dangerous sites, and prevent cyberbullying, creating a secure online environment for families.
Glorifying screen time is a thing of the past. There are so many downsides of excessive screen time, ranging from potential health issues to compromised family time. Sometimes you just need to step away from the screens to embrace outdoor adventures and quality time together. AURA helps enable this lifestyle shift, ensuring that online threats don’t overshadow the joys of real-life experiences. To ensure the best for your family, start with easy C’s:
CONVERSATION – Talk to your young ones about how the world wide web is a vast network of computers and devices and tell them that there are imposters or “bad guys” who steal others’ information and bully people through games, etc. Whenever they come across this kind of negative content, they should come to you and tell you about it. They’ll get even better at flagging the content than you!
CONTRACT – Together, write a family contract about screen time and being responsible on their devices. How much time is sufficient during the weekdays vs. weekends? What sites and games are allowed and which ones should they avoid? Figure out what a just consequence would be if they breach the guidelines. Bottom line: Get your kids buy-in and give them autonomy. The onus is on them to keep your trust.
We have a family contract that we’ve all signed. I purchased this template on Etsy, which you can customize. See here. With a personalized family contract, a commitment to less screen time, and the proactive protection offered by AURA, families like ours can embark on a digital detox journey that not only safeguards their online presence but also enhances their real-life experiences.
In addition, my husband and I put our phones and laptops away in the evenings/after school hours so we’re present with the kids. They get screen time after they’ve finished their homework and chores. This way, they learn time management and efficiency. Sure, I give them tablets when I need a break (!) but we want them to value other things in life more than screen time – like magical mama/papa time (1:1 time with one of us), earning points to save up for a gift they’ve been wanting, and playing outside. There’s no right way and believe me, I know interests change with tweens, but ultimately, you decide what works best for you and your family at every phase. 🙂
If you want to test it out, sign up for your very own FREE 14-day trial and, visit my exclusive link: www.aura.com/kanika.
