screen time

[[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1084", "attributes":{"class":"media-image alignleft size-full wp-image-2349", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"317", "height":"475", "alt":"GrowingUpSocial_RD3"}}]]Friends. Let me tell you, this book, Growing Up Social by Dr. Gary Chapman and Arlene Pellicane, is the best book for parents I've read in at least a year. It is NOT anti-technology, it does NOT impose unreasonable rules and principles. Instead, it acknowledges that we live in a screen-driven world, and makes the reader aware of what that means for children, and then shares what we can do to foster five key relational skills in our kids that screens do not cultivate. The following, from ArlenePellicane.com, describes the book very well: In our digital age, children are spending more and more time interacting with a screen rather than a real person. Technology has the potential to add value to our lives, but is it possible that too much screen time could be robbing our children of something much more valuable—namely, the emotional and social skills needed to succeed as they grow towards adulthood? In Growing Up Social, you’ll learn how to take back your home from an over-dependence on screens.  Discover the five A + skills needed to give your child the relational edge: The Skill of Affection – How do you show real love to another person? The Skill of Appreciation – How do you cultivate a grateful heart? The Skill of Attention – How do you focus and be a good listener? The Skill of Anger Management – How do you express anger in a productive way? The Skill of Apology – How do you mend a relationship after you make a mistake? Today’s screens aren’t just in our living rooms; they are in our pockets.  Now is the time to equip your child to live with screen time, not for screen time.  Constant entertainment is not the goal of childhood.  No phone, tablet, or gaming device can teach your child how to have healthy relationships; only you can.    Growing Up Social will help you: Equip your child to be relational rich in a digital world Replace mindless screen time with meaningful family time Establish simple boundaries that make a huge difference Read what’s working for the screen savvy family down the street Prepare your child to succeed down the road in relationships and life Learn healthy ways to occupy your child while you get things done For more, visit Arlene's Web page here. Let me also point out that there is a chapter dedicated to the challenges of single parenting. Military spouses, you can relate to this when your spouse is deployed. It's so easy to allow a screen to be a babysitter when the parent is already so drained. The authors understand that, and speak directly to this situation. Also, at no point did I feel "judged" or defensive by this book. Mostly, I was too busy underlining and dog-earing, and telling my husband that he'd really like to read this book when I'm done. :) I really appreciated the scientific studies the authors referenced. I found it fascinating and helpful to learn how our brains work--which sections are used for deep thinking, and which are used for skimming, how we rewire our brains based on our activities, and the implications of that in daily life and relationships. I'm going to be focusing on nurturing the five "A" skills (affection, appreciation, anger management, apology, and attention) in our family for sure. We have already started, and I'm already seeing positive results. Northfield Publishing is generously offering FIVE copies of Growing Up Social for readers of this blog! Please enter the drawing by using the Raffflecopter form below. I'm giving you several ways to enter--you need only choose one of them, but choosing more than one gives you more entries. Five winners will be notified by email when the drawing closes, and will have three days to respond with mailing addresses. a Rafflecopter giveaway