My Experience, My Way

Hi guys, it’s been a minute, and yeah, I kinda missed being here, so it feels really good to be back.

The prompt for this week or should I say the big question is “In what ways would you help your own kids have a healthier digital lifestyle?”

To be honest, as I try to answer this, I find myself creating a scenario in my head. I’m picturing my younger self, trying to figure out what exactly contributed to my own unhealthy digital habits. Truthfully, my approach to helping my kids would come straight from my own personal experiences, not just from what I’ve read, heard, or seen others do.

Growing up, I was raised by parents who were strong disciplinarians. My dad, especially, was strict when it came to screen time. He restricted us from watching TV so much that whenever he came back home, the first thing he did was touch the screen of the television to check if it was hot and that would mean we had turned it on behind his back.

It didn’t end with television. The same restrictions applied to mobile phones, gadgets, and even toy phones. It was literally like a taboo to be seen holding a phone, talk more of operating one. Looking back, I’ve come to realize that my unhealthy digital lifestyle started from those heavy restrictions.

The very moment I finished secondary school, I was so eager to get my own phone. It felt like an obsession. I got so engrossed in it that, at some point, I couldn’t differentiate between what was helpful and what was harmful in this digital space.

Now bringing it back to the question at hand-how would I help my kids have a healthier digital lifestyle? It’s simple: Balance. I believe in early exposure but with healthy boundaries. My kids would have access to the digital world, but it would be monitored carefully.

There’s nothing wrong with telling your children, “Hey, this is not okay to watch,” or “This website isn’t good for you.” But when they ask why, shutting them down isn’t the answer. I would rather explain patiently than kill their curiosity. The truth is, whether or not I answer them, they will still look for answers elsewhere and trust me, that “elsewhere” might not always be the best place.

One big lesson I’ve learned is that people don’t usually obsess over what they have; they obsess over what they’re denied. If I completely deprive my kids of gadgets, I’m only making them feel like there’s something mysterious they’re missing out on.

Another thing I strongly believe in is raising them with godly values. A child that grows with the fear of God naturally develops a sense of self-control that applies even in their digital life.

Lastly, I’ve learned that being profitably engaged online reduces the temptation to waste time on meaningless contents. This is something I will definitely teach my kids: how to use their devices for learning, growth, creativity, and productivity.

At the end of the day, it’s not to say they won’t make mistakes or stray sometimes, but with a solid foundation, I believe they’ll grow up knowing how to navigate the digital space in a healthy way.

Image is mine

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