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Reducing Multitasking Among Children

November 27, 2019/in Digital Parenting

The practice of multitasking with digital devices is rampant among children.  Children multitask in three basic ways: some use two or three devices at once, others use two or more apps on a single device, and yet others use a digital device while also performing another non-digital task, such as eating lunch.

Multitasking has become so routine that many children have lost any sense that it may be inappropriate at times.  For example, 35% of teens say they don’t think it’s rude or disrespectful to use their phones during class to play games, use social media, or stream video (Screen Education, 2018).

Unfortunately, multitasking is unhealthy.  Parents intuitively sense this — they sense that multitasking fragments children’s focus, shortens their attention span, prevents them from engaging deeply in the task at hand, and reduces their productivity.  Scientific research validates parents’ intuition. For example, researchers at the University of Sussex did MRI scans of the brains of people who frequently multitask and found they had a lower gray matter density in a region of the brain responsible for certain cognitive function than did those who don’t multitask.  Another study out of the University of London found that people who multitask while taking cognitive tests experienced a 15-point drop in IQ, which would be similar to the effect from smoking marijuana or staying up all night. Yet another study published in the American Journal of Experimental Psychiatry found that multitasking reduces productivity on each task by 40%.   

Given the ill health effects that result from multitasking it is incumbent upon parents to reduce multitasking among children.  Parents can accomplish this using both short-term and long-term strategies.  

In the short-term parents can limit the amount of time children spend multitasking simply by imposing limits.  For example, parents can forbid children from using more than one device at a time. Or, they can forbid them from using a device while doing other non-digital things, such as eating meals, talking to others, doing homework, or lying in bed trying to get to sleep. 

Over the long-term parents can help children develop the ability to independently self-limit their multitasking through a strategy of cognitive engagement.  Parents have a variety of tactics to use to accomplish this.

First, parents can educate children over time about the ill health effects of multitasking.  Parents can quickly and easily arm themselves with the knowledge they need to do this by conducting simple Google searches to generate articles and reports on these ill health effects. 

Second, parents can help children deeply internalize this knowledge about the ill-health effects of multitasking through active learning.  For example, parents can print an article on the latest research on the ill-health effects of multitasking, have their child read it, and then get them to articulate how they felt about the research findings, whether they feel the research findings are valid and accurate, and what they think the findings suggest people should do about their multitasking.

Third, parents can get children to reflect upon their own personal experience with multitasking.  For example, parents can ask children to verbalize how they feel when they aren’t permitted to use their phones during meals, versus how they feel when they do use their phone during meals.  How is the experience different? What is good about it? What is bad about it? How do they feel it helps them? What does it suggest for their future multitasking behavior? 

Finally, parents can turn the tables and challenge children to use their knowledge of the ill-health effects of multitasking, and their insights about their own multitasking behaviors, to independently develop their own rules for themselves to limit their own multitasking.  

If parents take this multi-pronged approach to addressing multitasking they will increase the likelihood of having a deeper, longer-term impact on children’s multitasking behavior, and, subsequently, on their cognitive health, productivity, and social intelligence.  For some children such an approach may be transformational and result in their developing much healthier screen habits. For others there might not be an immediate impact, but it will at least serve to raise their consciousness about the issue and serve as a touchstone experience that may inspire them at some later time to take the initiative reduce their multitasking on their own. 

Michael Mercier is President of Screen Education, a non-profit organization that conducts research and provides seminars to school administrators, teachers, parents, and students on tech addiction and how to address it.  Reach him at Michael.Mercier@ScreenEducation.org. 

https://blog.relaypro.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/cs_tn-2.jpg 300 695 Victoria Seng https://blog.relaypro.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/relay_blog.svg Victoria Seng2019-11-27 21:14:212021-04-02 11:18:00Reducing Multitasking Among Children
breakfast in bed for mom

The Best Mothers Day Gift from Kids: A Day Off

May 9, 2019/in Digital Parenting

stack of fluffy pancakes with whipped cream and strawberries just for mom

You might be here looking for cute craft ideas and maybe a printable Mother’s Day card template. That’s not quite what you’re going to get. Instead, we’re bringing you a guide to give Mom what she really wants this year: Mother’s Day off. Here’s everything you need to give the most special lady in your family an easy and relaxing day, plus tips on common pitfalls and how to avoid them.

Let her sleep in

Parents exist in a near-constant sleep deficit – especially if there are babies and toddlers running around. Making time for mom to catch up on beauty rest will mean the world to her, as well as let her stop getting by day-to-day in “low battery mode.” For more on what mom (and dad!) can do to improve sleep and reduce stress, check out this post.

Pro tip: Take any young kids out for an early walk in the neighborhood so your home stays nice and quiet.

Serve her breakfast in bed

One mom wakes up, let her call (or Relay!) you so you can start on breakfast. If your kids are old enough to try their hand at pancakes, let them try making cute shapes out of batter – they’ll be excited to make mom a delicious gift with a personal touch. In addition to being a sweet, homemade mother’s day idea, breakfast in bed eliminates the stress of venturing out into the crowded horde of brunch spots and then waiting an hour for a table.

Pro tip: If you aren’t confident in the kitchen or your kids are too little to help with breakfast, try a food delivery service – you can order from her favorite spots without needing a reservation or worrying about the kids behaving at the table.

Open Mother’s Day cards and gifts

Cards and presents make any day sweeter, and whether your kids’ gift for mom is a fancy bracelet or a bouquet of wildflowers and weeds picked in the back yard, mom will probably treasure it. If you’re having trouble deciding, here are some homemade gift ideas for mom:

  • A simple card with a message from your child written in their own words
  • Dried four leaf clovers hunted down and hand-picked by your kids
  • Paint a coffee mug if you want to get crafty
  • Fine art, handmade by the kids and framed by you
  • Have the kids compose a poem about all the things that make mom great

Pro tip: Many gifts your kids make will turn out looking like a big, beautiful mess. That doesn’t mean it won’t make a great gift.

Let her relax and unwind

She’s been mommin’ all year long, and she deserves a day off. Take the kids out and let her have the house to herself if she wants. Or get a sitter for the kids and spend the day together. Let her de-stress however she wants, because today (well, every day really,) she is the queen.

Pro Tip: Let her take a Relay with her so she can completely relax without worrying what the kids are up to.

Have a happy mother’s day!

 

See more parenting posts

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Relay with creative cutout leaves and flowers

Raising Creative Children is Easier than You Think

April 25, 2019/in Digital Parenting

Relay with creative cutout leaves and flowers

There’s a famous study in which kids are asked to come up with how many uses they can think of for a paper clip. How many uses can you think of for a simple paper clip?

Some kids say things like “fishing hook” or “back scratcher.”

Thousands of kids were involved in this study and based on how many ideas they could devise, they were ranked on how well they exemplified divergent thinking. That is, how well could they look at a problem with novel, creative solutions. Divergent thinking means the ability to find multiple solutions to a problem.

What percentage of  typical 5-year-olds score in “genius” level for divergent thinking?

The answer: 98%!

By the time they reach high school, only 12% were ranked as “genius” level on divergent thinking.

This study begs the question: what happens between kindergarten and high school that explains this dramatic decline in this type of creativity called divergent thinking? The children in this study, of course, experience many things in the intervening years. The authors point out, however, that the primary experience they all have is that they are taught over and over that there is just one right answer to every problem. In school, at home and most everywhere else, children are formed to believe there is one right answer, one right solution to a problem.

Of course, there is a need for this type of formation in life. We wouldn’t get very far with formal education of our children if we taught them that all answers were right. We know that children have to understand that in some situations (e.g., math, writing, etc.) that there is just one right answer.

But what about creativity and this ability to think divergently about solutions to problems? Should we care about this?

In the big picture of the world that our kids will inherit, I think clearly the answer is “yes.” Creative thinking is what solves big problems. Thinking outside the box, looking at multiple solutions–these are the thinking skills that kids will need to solve the complex problems of the future.

As parents, there are things we can do to help raise creative children, even as they experience formal education.

Foster Unstructured Play

So much of our kids’ days are structured, rule-driven and controlled by adults. While there is a need for structured activities and learning, kids also need plenty of time for unstructured play that is not managed by adults.

This doesn’t mean chaos, it means creativity. Left on their own, kids will often devise their own games, rules and ways to keep the play lively and fun. I have seen this with my own kids numerous times. When we have a group of friends over to play, we just allow space for the kids to run around and see what emerges. Usually they develop some game or play of their own, with their own rules.

Have you ever seen a group of kids playing “groundies” on the playground? This game seems to be a universal one that all kids learn from other kids at a young age. I have no idea where it developed, but most kids just inherently learn it on the playground. The rules are made by kids, but all kids usually know the terms. It’s sort of amazing to watch how kids regulate themselves and their behavior when given the space to do so.

This is the beauty of unstructured play. Research backs up the necessity and usefulness of unstructured play for our children and the development of creativity. Studies have shown that kids who spend more time in unstructured play tend to rank higher on measures of executive function skills. These are the skills like planning, self-control, attention and memory that help kids succeed in all areas of life. While these may sound “uncreative” and boring, these are the foundations of creativity. Without these basic skills, the imaginative, fun, risk-taking and problem-solving of creativity is not possible.

Limit Hovering

The term “helicopter parenting” has made the rounds in the media for the past few years and made parents feel guilty about yet another aspect of parenting. In reality, however, helicopter parenting can be a real deterrent to fostering creative children, if it’s taken too far.

Parents often joke about being a “helicopter parent” when they bring their child’s forgotten lunchbox to school in time for lunch or similar scenarios. Helicopter parenting becomes problematic when it involves rescuing kids from failure or disappointment.

Allowing children to experience (some) failure really is a creative-building experience. Imagine if Thomas Edison had never experienced the hundreds of failures at creating the lightbulb? It may never had been invented, or at least not by him. Failure builds creativity in the most natural way. When one choice or solution doesn’t work, we are forced to think in a new way about another possible solution. Creativity in action!

In our everyday lives, we want to limit hovering or helicopter parenting our children, but many of us have real concerns about their safety and long-term well-being. That’s where Relay is so helpful. With a Relay in hand, we can feel confident allowing our kids more leeway in playing in the neighborhood or meeting up with friends on their own. We can stay in communication with them, without hovering over their every move. The sense of freedom and confidence that kids gain by having control of their decisions and actions only fosters their positive development.

Ultimately, raising creative children has a lot more do with what we don’t do, than what we do as parents. If we cut down on structured activities and allow for unstructured play, our kids’ creativity will bloom. If we allow for a little freedom in decision-making and perhaps even a little failure in our kids, they will gain resilience and confidence. With a little patience and guidance, our kids will develop into healthy, creative adults.

 

Amy Webb, PHD

Amy Webb, PhD is a scholar turned stay-at-home mom with two young sons.

With her blog, The Thoughtful Parent, she brings academic child development research into the lives of parents in the trenches of child-rearing.

She does not claim to be a parenting guru, but rather a translator of academic research into knowledge that parents can actually use.

 

 

 

 

 

https://blog.relaypro.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/thumbnail_flowers-1.jpg 300 695 Victoria Seng https://blog.relaypro.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/relay_blog.svg Victoria Seng2019-04-25 17:26:462021-04-02 11:19:29Raising Creative Children is Easier than You Think
girl sits with her brother on the couch. She ignores her parents, who observe her behavior.

Who is Teaching your Kid to Break the Family Tech Rules?

April 18, 2019/in Digital Parenting

girl sits with her brother on the couch. She ignores her parents, who observe her behavior.

How would you feel if someone told your kid they could do something that explicitly goes against the rules you created to keep them safe? You might feel hurt, angry, or annoyed. And your child might feel confused. Who should they believe? Who should they listen to?

When kids receive contradicting messages about what is and isn’t ok, your parental authority is undermined, making it more difficult for you to enforce rules at home. And for parents of Gen Alpha kids, it’s extremely common for other adults to have strong opinions about kids using technology (like screen time and what types of media your child consumes.) It’s already a touchy subject for parents—and it’s borderline addictive for kids born in the smartphone era. Compared to curbing screen time after it’s already out of control, enforcing bedtime seems easy.

So if someone in your life has told your child that they don’t have to play by your rules, what do you do? When faced with a situation like this, your response has to change depending on who is undermining your authority as your kid’s primary caregiver, rule-maker, and guardian. Here are the top tips from the Relay team.

Where do mixed messages come from?

Your kid can pick up on the differences between your rules and someone else’s from many different places. Here are some of the most common:

  • From your kids’ friends’ parents
  • From your co-parent or partner
  • From your parents, siblings, or in-laws

How to stop the contradictions and stick to the family rules

When faced with a case of undermining, your best weapon is a simple conversation. In many cases, the person teaching your kid things you don’t like has little to no idea that your rules are so different from theirs. And while there are some cases where a person might be deliberately undermining your parenting, talking it out is usually the best path towards compromise and repairing parent and child bond.

Family rules in other people’s homes

We all had that friend growing up. We loved to go to their house to play, in part because they got to eat that sugary cereal we weren’t allowed to have at home. Their parents let us watch PG-13 movies and we could stay up real late at sleepovers. And we knew that if our parents found out, they would not be happy at all.

House rules are different for every family, and we can’t assume our kids’ friends live by the same rules our kids do, especially when it comes to technology. Here are a few things that you can look for to tell if your child has been breaking technology rules at friends’ houses.

  • They are suddenly a big fan of a TV show, video game, or other digital media product that you have never seen or approved
  • They start asking for more screen time, arguing that their friend gets more than they do
  • They become increasingly irritable or upset when screen time is over
  • Their vocabulary starts to expand to include rude words you didn’t teach them
  • You find out about a secret social media account

If you think that your child’s bad behavior is caused by too much screen time or over-exposure to mature content at a friend’s house, there are a couple ways to approach a solution. First, you could simply have a conversation with the parent in question—not an accusatory conversation and not an argument. Just a friendly conversation about TV, internet, and app use at home.

Inform and observe

Find out what their family rules are and share your own. Usually, a parent will be more than happy to respect your wishes and respect your rules while your child is a guest in their home. How much you are willing to bend your rules out of respect to the other parent is up to you.

If you’ve already had that conversation and your rules are still undermined, make sure the playdates start happening at your house, not theirs. You can’t force someone to adopt your rules, especially not in their own home. The only certain solution is to stop sending your child there.

Different rules with a partner or co-parent

Maybe you have an authoritative parenting style and your partner or co-parent is a bit more permissive. Usually, that’s great. Many parents have different parenting styles and work together wonderfully. With the right communication, multiple different views in a household can help to create a cohesive and balanced set of rules at home, even if you are living separately.

But issues can and will arise when one parent starts undermining the others’ rules. Here are some examples of what that can look like:

  • They don’t enforce technology rules when you aren’t around
  • They reduce or negate consequences you set for rule-breaking
  • They disagree with or negate your rules in front of your child
  • They don’t set an example by following the rules themselves
  • They frequently “pass the buck” to you to avoid being the bad guy

All of these behaviors tell your child the same thing: as long as they appeal to the other parent, your rules don’t apply. This can lead to situations where your child acts different with one parent or cause your child to develop a habit of manipulating you against each other. Not an environment you want to live in.

Putting a stop to undermining behavior from a partner is both the simplest and most difficult situation on this list. On the positive side, you can usually feel safe bringing up the topic directly with little to no beating around the bush. On the other side, your partner’s reasoning for their actions could be coming from many different places. And as well, as an equal parent, their parenting concerns and wishes are just as valid as yours.

Educate and compromise

When you are working with your child’s other parent, the best way to proceed is to educate and compromise. This means explaining exactly why you feel your rules are necessary, and supporting with facts, like the screen time age recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics. It also means listening to your partner’s reasoning for the way they feel.

Maybe your opinions are more similar than you think. When all is said and done, you might have to bend your rules a bit to get your partner or co-parent on board. And that’s ok. Every family is different, and rules work better with both parents on board, even if they’re a little bit more strict or relaxed than you’d prefer.

“Spoiled” by a family member

It’s not uncommon for a family member to have a more permissive or authoritarian parenting style than you or your partner/co-parent. In most cases, it isn’t a problem if the person respects your parental authority. As with the other cases here, the issue isn’t so much different ideology as it is a lack of respect. If a grandparent, aunt, or uncle does the following, you might have to step in:

  • Openly undermines your technology rules despite knowing about them
  • Disagrees with or questions your rules in front of your child
  • Tries to help your child sneak more tech time without your knowledge

A family member, while not your child’s primary guardian, is an authority figure and usually one that a child respects and looks up to. Being undermined by a family member can cause kids to act out, using the family member’s opposing viewpoint on technology as an excuse.

This kind of behavior can stir up family drama. Often, things can be settled with a simple conversation, but all families are different. Make sure you have support from your partner or co-parent while setting things right—it’s always good to have someone in your corner.

Explain and enforce

Depending on your current relationship with family, you might go about fixing this issue in a few different ways. First, you can make sure that the family member is aware of your rules. If they weren’t aware or had forgotten, remind them. Sometimes that’s all it takes.

If that doesn’t work, simply lay down the law. You are the parent and they are not. Let them know it is inappropriate to contradict your rules, especially in front of your kid. You can explain that it has a negative effect on your child, even if the family member believes what they’re doing is kind or nice.

pinterest image, little girl sullenly ignores her parents. Image text: Who is teaching your kid to break the rules? ...and how do you stop them?

The bottom line: this is for your child

It’s not about rules for the sake of rules. Eliminating contradictions, undermining, and mixed messages helps kids grow up less stressed and in a technologically healthy way. In the end, hearing different rules from different authority figures confuses kids and can cause defiant behavior.

Inevitably, the parent with the rules almost always ends up as the “bad guy.” That’s not fair, and it’s not ideal for kids to harbor resentment towards the people trying to keep them healthy and safe—even less ideal for adults in your life to cultivate that behavior. Timely communication is the best way to make sure all the authority figures in your child’s life are on the same page. Good luck! 

Want more insight into Gen Alpha parenting? Find more posts here.

https://blog.relaypro.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Tech-Rules-Post-1.jpg 300 695 Victoria Seng https://blog.relaypro.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/relay_blog.svg Victoria Seng2019-04-18 13:56:042021-04-02 11:19:35Who is Teaching your Kid to Break the Family Tech Rules?
small child using a tablet

Book Review: Raising Humans in a Digital World

April 4, 2019/in Digital Parenting

Small child using a tablet

Welcome to Relay’s reading list for parents. We’ll give you the TL;DR of the book—short enough to be convenient, and long enough to let you know why we love it. This is Raising Humans in a Digital World: Helping Kids Build a Healthy Relationship with Technology by Diana Graber.

Before we start, here’s a quick rundown on Ms. Graber.

  • 1. She is a fellow mom.
  • 2. She has received awards for her work in media literacy education.
  • 3. She co-founded a program called Cyber Civics, which teaches
  • 4. digital citizenship in middle schools in many nations across the world.
  • 5. She is the real deal.

 

What you’ll get if you read this book:

1. Scientific facts about how digital media affects kids from experts in the field

2. Realistic plans and activities that you can do at home

3. The “why” behind every recommendation and piece of advice

4. Heartwarming, powerful anecdotes about real kids navigating this path

5. Multiple points of view from the screen time argument—how tech hurts and how it helps

Raising humans in a digital world: Helping kids build a healthy relationship with technology by diana graber book cover

Top 5 takeaways for parents

Raising Humans in a Digital World is organized into three sections: A Solid Foundation, A Sturdy Structure, and A Vibrant Community. It won’t surprise you that the metaphor here compares preparing your child for the digital world with building a house. Through the book, Graber guides you through each phase of building your child’s tech skills and responsibilities with facts, anecdotes, fun activities, and sound advice.

Instead of breaking down the book section-by-section (Diana Graber does that beautifully,) here are the top 5 lessons I learned while reading.

1. Fear is not our friend—media literacy is

Many parents have heard horror stories about kids and the internet. And it seems easy to keep kids safe online by scaring them away from social media, YouTube, and gaming altogether. But easy doesn’t always mean effective. And in this case, using scare tactics with kids usually backfires.

Not only will fear tactics stop kids from learning the media literacy skills to help them avoid scary experiences, it also fails to stop them from using the internet—instead, they learn to be sneakier online. They may hide their activity from you or lie about what they do at friends’ houses. When parents (and teachers, and any adult mentors) use fear as a way to control behavior, kids won’t be afraid to keep using digital media—they’ll just be afraid to ask for help when they need it, which can compromise their online safety.

Rules about digital media aren’t that different from any other rule at home—we ask our kids not to talk to strangers in real life. Asking them not to give out personal information online isn’t much different. We don’t have to treat digital media like the boogeyman, but we can’t let kids run wild with it any more than we would let them with any other non-digital behavior.

2. You are your child’s primary role model and teacher

But you knew that already. The lessons you teach can be intentional, but many times they’re not. From infancy, the amount of time parents spend looking at screens (and not at their kids) has a real and measurable impact on children. And as kids get older, your technology habits are an example of what normal internet and screen use look like. So healthy screen habits, like screen-free meals and binge-free weekends rub off—and so do their opposites.

In addition to your own habits, you can help your kid navigate the digital world in age-appropriate ways. Diana Graber calls this creating “digital on-ramps,” where you can co-view media, learn how to use the internet for research, and build a strong foundation of knowledge for your child and trust within the parent-child relationship.

When you’re a digital mentor, your child knows that you won’t get mad if they come to you with questions, admit that they made a mistake, or encountered something disturbing online. Cultivating that trust is special and if maintained, can help your child avoid some of the more negative online experiences kids can encounter.

3. Keep in mind your child’s developmental stage

The human brain doesn’t finish developing until we’re 25 years old, and screens can shape the way kids’ brains develop from an early age. From ADHD to anxiety and depression, screen time and internet use can be impactful in all the wrong ways if used too early, too often, and without proper training and supervision. For young children, the ADA had written guidelines to guide parents. But for tweens and teens, the rules are muddy.

Teens (and kids, too) aren’t fully able to think through consequences before making decisions—their frontal cortex, the part of the brain that would usually help them think about that stuff, is still a construction zone. They aren’t able to fully understand how their actions could make other people feel, and that means they are likely to post something on a social network that makes another person feel bad or something that could impact the online reputation important to college admissions and job opportunities for the rest of their lives.

Diana Graber describes it this way: teens are able to understand and respect right and wrong as rules to follow, but don’t necessarily have the empathy necessary to comprehend the morality behind those rules—so it’s important to make sure kids have strong media literacy skills before you ease off the parental controls (and ideally before they own their own smartphone.)

4. Balance quality media with offline fun

When you look online, you often see a couple of parental camps when it comes to technology. There are the screen free parents and the techie parents. One tries to keep kids away from screens almost entirely, while the other has no issue with TV, tablets, phones, etc.

You often see parents in each camp disagreeing with each other. Most of us actually fall somewhere in the middle, and that’s a good thing. As a middle school Cyber Civics teacher, Diana Graber has seen a lot of parenting styles and is able to point out the merits and flaws in both screen time extremes.

Like most absolutist rules in parenting, denying kids screen time altogether often leads to rebellion, sneaking around, and secret-keeping. On the other hand, giving your child a device and letting them “go nuts” is a risky move. Both extreme ends of the spectrum actually lead to similar results: unsupervised screen time with no room for parents to teach kids about safety, privacy, and online etiquette.

Graber recommends taking a balanced approach: you can’t pretend that your kid will be willing or able to avoid the internet until their teen years, and even if they do, they’ll be walking into their digital lives completely unprepared. Introducing technology and online platforms gradually and with supervision is key. That way your child feels included socially—or included enough not to go behind your back—and has a digital mentor to teach them how to stay safe.

On the other side of the equation, offline activities are valuable for their own sake. Unstructured play and outdoor activities help kids’ brains develop in ways that digital media can’t. If your child gets a healthy mix of both, you’re generally on the right track.

5. Technology can be a good thing

It’s easy to mistake books like this for “screens are bad” books, or “you’re parenting wrong” books. Well, this one is different. Yes, some of the anecdotes and statistics you’ll find in this book are sad and a little scary. But for every scary stat, there is a solution your family can enact. For every kid thrown into the spin cycle of social media, there is a considerate and kind young person creating media to make life better for their community and peers. You may walk away from this book shocked, but you won’t walk away sad or hopeless. It’s full of positive content that’s actionable and versatile enough to enact for your unique family.

Diana Graber is not afraid to say that technology itself isn’t a bad thing, that it can be useful and fun and helpful. That it can even be healthy if use is balanced with other healthy offline activities. This isn’t just another scary warning book. It’s not a book that shames parents who are just doing their best. It’s a guide to empower parents, informed by science and realistic about the fact that technology and the internet are unavoidable and are pretty important for functioning adults to understand.

That’s why we love this book. We hope you love it too.

https://blog.relaypro.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/My-Post-7-1.jpg 300 695 Victoria Seng https://blog.relaypro.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/relay_blog.svg Victoria Seng2019-04-04 21:06:262021-04-02 11:19:40Book Review: Raising Humans in a Digital World
A tired mother, or mombie, sitting on the floor with her face in her hands

Mombie Self Care: Spring Cleaning for Your Routine

March 21, 2019/in Digital Parenting


Stressed out mom

You shuffle around the kitchen on a Monday morning, putting on a pot of coffee—only to realize you forgot to add the grounds. Or the water, or even the coffee pot. You might just be a mombie (mom + zombie,) and unless you like drinking plain hot water, something needs to change.

Though it’s not the kind of term a doctor would use, we mamas here at Relay have turned into full-blown mombies ourselves more than once. Some of us have new babies and toddlers (bye, sleep schedule!) Some of us have big kids involved in so many extracurriculars, sports, and clubs that we can’t keep our schedules straight. And some of us have both going on at once. So we try to be super mom, being attentive and supportive every minute of the day, no matter how much we need to sleep or relax. And, while it seems like we’re doing good, we’re only hurting ourselves and our kids by ignoring our own needs.

It’s not easy to get back up when you feel like you’re in a slump, and no single tip or trick will work for everybody, but it’s the season of change and new beginnings—and our self care routines could use some spring cleaning. So from us to you, here are some of the self care strategies that help keep us sane while momming.

How do you know if you’re a mombie? Look for these 5 signs

mombie definition

1. You’re so tired. All the time.

2. You often find it difficult to concentrate—your mind tends to wander.

3. Commitments, responsibilities, and even simple tasks keep slipping your mind.

4. You’re more irritable than you normally are.

5. This has been happening for a while now and it’s not getting better on its own.

 

These symptoms do NOT mean that anything is wrong with you. And being a mombie is not something to poke fun at. We’ve all been there, and it feels terrible. A lot of the symptoms mombies show boil down to two big causes: exhaustion and chronic stress.

Should you just power through it?

Please don’t. Pushing yourself when you’re mentally and physically exhausted leads to way more negative outcomes than positive ones. Here are some of the reasons why:

Sleep deprivation is unhealthy for you and your family

It makes everything from chopping vegetables to driving a car more dangerous. And it’s not just because you’re at risk of dozing off. Here are some other side effects of not getting your rest.

  • Exhaustion impairs your memory. You’re more likely to forget about items on your to-do list, work tasks, and even basic things like paying a bill or bringing the grocery list to the store. And with kids to care for, that’s far from ideal.
  • Your brain power is on low-battery mode. That means it’s difficult or impossible to make quick judgement calls and use critical thinking skills. It also means your physical reaction time is delayed. And that can be dangerous.

Some people also experience mood changes and decreased tolerance for BS when they’re tired. We get it, us too. We’ll get into strategies for more sleep later.

Chronic stress is unhealthy—even more than you’d expect

Maybe all the things slipping through the cracks these days makes you a stressed out mom. Maybe the responsibility of guiding your child on the path towards independent, functioning adulthood is daunting. Whatever the case, chronic stress leads to all sorts of undesirable outcomes.

  • Chronic stress is different than normal bad stress. When we’re stressed, our bodies produce cortisol. It’s a hormone that helps us get out of a bad situation in the short term, but kind of makes a mess of things when the cause of our stress (and the cortisol) stick around long-term. Everything from our mental state to the quality of our sleep to our blood pressure is fair game, so for the sake of your personal health, it’s best to find a way to deal with stress.
  • When you’re stressed, you are unable to be as empathetic or patient as you would normally be. And as moms, that’s pretty much what we’re expected to do day-in, day-out. Maybe it manifests in yelling when the kids are out of control. Maybe you are unkind to yourself when you are truly doing the best you can under the circumstances.

If reading about stress is stressing you out, don’t worry. We’re done talking about problems. Now, let’s talk solutions.

Have we convinced you that self-care is important yet?

We’ve covered all the reasons you should take care of yourself, so here are some ideas of how to actually get it done in between working and momming and the rest of your schedule. Every situation is different, but here are some strategies that have worked for the moms around here.

1. Ask for help. You have every right to

Your partner is just as responsible for watching the kids as you are, so if you don’t usually take them up on it, start to. If that’s not an option, ask a family member or a sitter. Have a spa day at home or enjoy an activity you find relaxing while they take the reigns for a few hours.

2. Practice good sleep hygiene

If your kids are making it through the night but you are still unable to get your 8 hours, try taking a look at your bedtime routine. Quick tips include limiting naps to 30 minutes, limiting caffeine in the evening, keeping your bedroom a quiet peaceful place that is for sleeping (and nothing else!) and sticking to a wind-down routine in the evenings. Cortisol, the stress hormone we talked about earlier, will keep you awake and give your mind plenty of opportunity to race while you should be sleeping—so winding down and de-stressing after a long day is essential.

3. With babies, take naps to keep up

If you’re losing sleep at night for reasons that can’t be avoided with sleep hygiene alone (like a new baby,) make up for it during the day. Try to nap while they nap until they can make it through the night. Exhaustion is no joke, and it’s way easier to be your best self when you get enough sleep.

4. Keep up with friends, family, hobbies, and relationships

You are everything you were before you became “mom,” and forgetting to make time for things you like to do can be distressing. So, with babysitter, partner, or grandparent on retainer, go out and do things you love doing. As well, having the love and support of important people in your life can significantly help with stress.

5. Take some time to think about the things that stress you out

Sometimes we are stressed out and can’t even put our finger on why. We can’t solve anything without knowing what to fix. And once you know what, if anything, is stressing you out, you will have way more power to fix it. Even little things like picking out clothes and planning meals in advance can take so much weight off your shoulders. Pro Tip: do your contemplating during the day—don’t let it keep you up at night!

It’s worth mentioning that if you are getting adequate sleep, dealing with your stress in positive ways and still feel zombie-like, don’t hesitate to ask your doctor for help.

What do you do when you feel like a mombie? Tell us in the comments!

 

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little girl with pigtails making a grumpy bored face

Top 5 Tips: What to Do When Your Kids are Bored

February 28, 2019/in Digital Parenting

The kids are bored again—and they want to make sure you know it. Sure, you have a few crafty ideas and jaunty outings up your sleeve, but you also have to make dinner, finish up your work, get groceries… and let’s be real, you’re not going to be able to get all that done if you break out the slime kit and have to spend all evening trying to get it out of the carpet.

When your kids are bored, you don’t have to hop in to save the day every time with an ingenious new game, craft, or activity—but you can use these Relay super-parent strategies to respond to their cries of “I’m booored!” in a way that helps them beat boredom all by themselves.

bored girl

What does “bored” mean for your kid?

Before deciding how to help your kids with their boredom, it’s worth asking yourself why they can’t find something to entertain them. Boredom means different things to different kids—here are a few causes of kids’ boredom and what to do about them.

Type 1: Too many options

Also known as analysis paralysis. If your kid has trouble making decisions, they may get bored after being unable to choose what they’d like to do. Kids are surrounded by toys and activities. They have vast imaginations full of ideas. And sometimes it’s hard to choose the best, most fun activity. Fearful of missing out on something fun by choosing “wrong,” some children prefer to defer a decision and end up doing nothing.

How to help: Use a tool to help them narrow down their options.

Type 2: Eyes on the prize

If your kid has a very specific game or activity in mind (like going to the pool) but can’t act on it (because there’s thunder and lighting out there!) sometimes they can ignore other options and stubbornly choose to be bored rather than accept another activity. And giving them alternative play suggestions only feeds the fire!

How to help: They’ll get bored of being bored soon enough. Just ride it out.

Type 3: Tricky language

Is “I’m bored” code for something else? For many kids, it’s actually code for “give me your smartphone so I can watch YouTube videos.” If your kid is angling to wear you down for screen time, you can still redirect them without assigning them an activity.

How to help: Don’t hand over your phone, tablet, or TV remote!

the face you make when you're bored

The 5 best games to play when the kids are bored

Games, parenting strategies, call them what you want. But these decision-making exercises help boredom while still enabling kids to think and be creative.

Play “ask the bored box”

This can be a box, jar, vase, bowl, or any vessel you don’t mind sitting out and being full of paper scraps. Your child can fill it with fun ideas and activities they come up with. Then, when they’re bored, they can reach in the box and take a look at their options. No need for parental intervention. The best part is that as your child grows, gaining new interests and hobbies, they can add ideas to the bored box. They can also toss old ideas that no longer appeal to them.

Play the “Sherlock” game

Once you eliminate the things you don’t want to do, the remaining thing, however unlikely, must be the the cure for your boredom. If your kid likes telling you all the things they don’t feel like doing, have them practice process of elimination by filling a page with ideas. They can then then cross off the ones they don’t want to do right now. The last idea left is the winner. It helps to give guidelines here, like whether they should write down inside games, outside games, games to play by themselves, or games to play with friend.

Play the “do your chores” game

This is the only “game” on this list that involves the parent suggesting or creating activities for kids. If your kid helps around the house, you can find fun ways to get them engaged in their chores with a chore chart and a positive attitude. You can even offer to work on your own chores at the same time or make a real game out of emptying the dishwasher. And who knows: maybe spending some time working will give them the inspiration they need to have some fun afterwards. Or more likely the suggestion of mowing the lawn will spontaneously cure their boredom! Check out this post to get more chore ideas and a free chore chart template.

Play outside

Sometimes a change of scenery can make all the difference in the world. There’s a lot to do and see outside. So send your kid out the door to seek adventure. Make sure you have a pack of go-to supplies your kid can grab for toys, a snack, and a safe, distraction-free way to get in contact with you, like Relay. This game still lets your kid decide how to beat boredom independently, but allows you to give them a hand narrowing down their options.

Play the creative thinking game

This is a game where you don’t help your kids when they’re bored. And it’s actually good for both of you. You’re not responsible for keeping your child entertained 100% of the time—wish them luck in solving their boredom and carry on with what you’re doing. They’ll find something to do eventually, and they’ll find their own way to narrow down their options. And figuring out how to pick an activity helps them become decisive, creative, and well-adjusted people. You can even make it easier for them to bump into activities around the house by setting up little play areas. Check out this post to learn how. Of course, if your kid settles on a game that requires your participation and comes to that decision all by themselves, feel free to join in!

 

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chore chart on refrigerator

Essential Age Appropriate Chores for Raising Tidy Kids

February 21, 2019/in Digital Parenting

chore chart on refrigerator

Keeping a tidy house involves a lot more than occasional dusting. And the more kids you have, the bigger the mess you have on your hands. The only way to pick up after your family and the clutter gremlins that must be running through the rafters without losing your mind is to have each family member pull their own weight through chores.

Now, kids don’t weigh that much, so we’re not asking you to become Cinderella’s wicked stepmother—instead, assign age appropriate chores that increase in frequency and skill level as kids mature. Not only does this train kids to become capable humans once they leave home (shout out to all the college freshmen who still have no idea how to do laundry,) it also can be a valuable opportunity to work in some teachable moments, such as money and time management skills. In this post, we’ll walk through which chores to assign to your kids, how to keep them motivated, and the best ways to work in extra lessons.

How to get kids to do their chores

Look back to your childhood and picture the following: you are playing. Your parent storms into the room, arms crossed. They say, “I thought I told you to empty the dishwasher! You can’t play until you do it.” Maybe you complied, maybe you negotiated. Either way, you probably would have a negative association with doing chores.

Now picture the scenario this way: you are playing. Your parent walks into the room smiling. They say “Wow, that looks fun! Would you mind taking a quick break to help me in the kitchen? If you empty the dishwasher while I clean out the fridge, we’ll get done really fast. We’ll even have enough time to play outside before it gets dark.” Well, you still might not be thrilled to stop playing, but there are a few key differences that make this method easier for a child to accept.

When asking a small child to do their chores, there are five guidelines to minimize protests:

  1. Frame the chore as a fun task, not a boring one
  2. Do your own chores at the same time, creating camaraderie and a chance to socialize
  3. Focus on getting the chore done instead of being upset it wasn’t done on time
  4. Offer rewards or fun opportunities after chores are done
  5. Praise play and chores, giving each equal importance

When families work together and turn chores into family time, it’s less “Cinderella” and more “Cinderella’s mice having a blast while making a dress.” And if chores are part of family fun, then playtime should be praised just as much. Keep in mind, if you won’t let kids play until chores are done, or disapprove of playtime before chore time, it introduces a couple of powerful messages.

First, it tells kids that chores are the price they have to pay for play (which makes helping around the house less desirable.) Second, it tells kids that playtime is unproductive, or a waste of time compared to chores (when it’s actually crucial for their growing minds and bodies!) With that in mind, even if a child forgets or shirks a chore the first time around, asking for their help usually results in fewer complaints than a reminder of their tardiness.

Chores for kids by age group

Generally, as kids grow, they can handle a greater number of tasks as well as more advanced tasks. You and your child are the only ones who can truly tell when they are ready to take on new chores. So if you aren’t ready to let your child chop veggies or use household cleaners, there’s no harm in waiting for the right time. Safety first! And always make sure to supervise when your child is doing their chores, both for safety and quality. Here are some general guidelines for when to introduce household chores:

Chores for toddlers (ages 2-4)

Toddlers haven’t yet learned from experience or from the media that chores aren’t fun, so it’s the perfect time to get them helping! All of these chores should be supervised, and chances are, you’ll have to re-do them. The focus here should not be on quality, just on praising them for their help. Turn it into a game or sing a silly song while you work. Toddlers shouldn’t be responsible for too many chores at once, and keeping a rotating list of responsibilities adds variety so they won’t get bored! Here are some toddler-friendly duties:

  • Pick up their toys and put them back where they belong
  • Put their dirty laundry in a hamper
  • Help with laundry (loading/unloading, basic folding)
  • Sweeping (with a little broom!)
  • Put dirty dishes in the dishwasher (only non-breakable/plastic items)

Chores for little kids (ages 5-7)

At this age, chore charts become more useful. You might see some pushback on chores as they start stretching and testing the limits of their independence (and your patience.) But that’s where rewards come in handy! Generally, little kids can perform all the chores they could as toddlers (and to a higher standard!) plus the following:

  • Cleaning/dusting (with a duster or a damp rag)
  • Simple, supervised meal prep (sandwiches, scrambled eggs, etc.)
  • Set/clear the table
  • Load/empty the dishwasher
  • Fold and put away clean clothes

Chores for big kids (ages 8-10)

If your child has been doing chores all their life, you’ll encounter less resistance from your big kid when it comes to chores. But when introducing a brand new set of responsibilities, there are 3 crucial elements: a regular schedule, a reward system, and variety. Big kids might appreciate being paid for chores more than they did when they were younger. In addition to their previous chores, here are some tasks your big kid can help with:

  • Collect/take out the trash/recycling
  • Kitchen cleanup (pots, pans, dishes, countertops)
  • Make simple meals
  • Vacuuming
  • Pack their own school lunch

Chores for tweens (ages 11-13)

When your child enters their tween/teen years, strategies have to change. Their minds, personal identities, and individuality are developing quickly. You certainly won’t be able to convince them that mopping the floor is fun if they believe differently. In middle school, your tween’s social life can both help and hurt their willingness to help around the house. On one hand, they want to hang out with friends instead of staying at home. On the other, pocket money increases in perceived value as kids get older. So if your tween has big purchases in mind, they might even be willing to take on extra responsibility to make it happen. Here are some additional chores your tween can tackle:

  • Doing their own laundry and linens
  • Making dinner a couple times a week
  • Deep cleaning bathroom, kitchen (safely using household cleaners)
  • Watching younger siblings for short durations
  • Teach and supervise younger siblings as they learn new chores

Teaching kids responsibility

When grownups do chores, we don’t get gold stars or pocket money. You have intrinsic motivation (that’s motivation that comes from within) to clean up from time to time.

Most kids don’t have intrinsic motivation to clean up after themselves—not many people are born tidy. So we, as parents, offer extrinsic motivation (that’s motivation that comes from external factors) to encourage our kids to behave the way we want them to. That’s gold stars, cash, treats, and all the other rewards kids get for being good.

Here’s the trick: if we want to teach our kids responsibility, we have to keep their external rewards desirable enough that they continue to do their chores. And at the same time, we have to cultivate their intrinsic motivation to do their chores as they grow up.

Now, what motivates one child can be entirely different from what motivates another. Smaller kids might have intrinsic motivation to spend time with you and to make you happy. As this gets them helping around the house, you can start to point out things that make you happy and get your child thinking about how they feel in a clean space.

  • Isn’t it nice that you always know where to find all of your toys?
  • Look at all the space you have to play now!
  • Being in a clean room helps me relax. How about you?
  • How do you feel when your room is messy? Does it feel nicer to play in when it’s clean?

Your child won’t clean for the sake of cleaning overnight—it takes time. In the meantime, using age-appropriate rewards can help keep kids motivated. For younger kids, activities and symbolic rewards work pretty well. As they get old enough to count, introducing a paid system can help teach kids the value of money. Cash increases in motivational power as kids get older, so introducing it early and in conjunction with other, more age-appropriate rewards, is a good idea for parents who want to teach kids about counting, saving, and other financial basics.

Free printable chore chart templates

Ready to get started? A chore chart on the fridge is a great way to set a regular schedule so your kids know what’s expected of them. You can fill in daily, weekly, and monthly chores to keep organized. Bonus: a chore can’t slip your mind if it’s written down!

 

Get your free chore chart template

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romantic date night ideas

Date Night Ideas: The Ultimate Survival Guide for Parents

February 14, 2019/in Digital Parenting

Imagine a relaxing evening—well, try to imagine. It’s hard when you have little kids running around. Finding time for date night is near impossible for parents with young kids. Finding a sitter, making plans, worrying about what’s happening at home even when you’re out at dinner… Sound familiar? If you want to press pause on parenting for a few hours this Valentine’s Day to enjoy a relaxing, romantic evening, you’re in luck. Here is everything you’ll need to make your dreams come true: meet your date night survival guide.

Make a plan

Yes, logistics are boring. We’re all suckers for spontaneous romantic gestures, but with kids to worry about, who has time for it? For an uninterrupted evening enjoying each other’s company, you need to know in advance:

  • What is your itinerary?
  • Where will the kids be?
  • What constitutes a “call me” emergency?

Whether you bring a sitter into your home or drop the kids off at their grandparents’ house, you need to know where they are and vice versa. The caregiver needs to know when you’ll be back or what time your movie is. They need to know that your kid’s bedtime protests aren’t anything to worry about and will be over soon. They need to know that screens go away an hour before bedtime. Usually a list will do the trick. And if this sitter or family member already knows the drill, even better!

Gather your supplies

Picture it in your head: what is your perfect, romantic evening? It doesn’t have to be a movie moment, just something fun or relaxing—whatever your ideal date night, you need the right supplies to pull it off with a minimum of “I miss mommy” tantrums from the kids and “I need to check on the kids” panic moments from you. While every family and every date will be different, here are some of the supplies you’ll need to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible:

Night on the town ideas

Sure, you could do dinner and a movie. It’s classic! But there are so many other options out there to pursue similar interests, learn new things, and find adventure. For any out of the house date plans, take the following with you.

You’ll need:

  1. A sitter for the kids
  2. Your phone (set to “do not disturb” with the exception of your sitter)
  3. A rideshare app (just to be safe!)
  4. A way to record some memories (polaroids, anyone?)

Things to do for date night

Go online and check out your area. Find an activity or event that you both will love. Here are some ideas:

  • Find a music or comedy show in your area
  • Take a cooking or painting class together
  • Tour a museum, brewery, or other place that fascinates you

If you need to be home during the evening, you can always start early, dropping off the kids with the sitter and going straight to brunch or to a walk in the park.

At home date night ideas

You’ll need:

  1. A place for the kids to spend the night (sitter, friend, or relative)
  2. Your favorite grown up beverage
  3. A meal prep service or takeout
  4. A safe, out of sight place for your phone (check out this out-of sight charging box!)

Things to do for date night

Just because you’re staying home doesn’t mean your options are limited. Here are some ideas for your special night in.

  • Takeout, Netflix, chill. You do enough work, take a night off.
  • VIP dance party. No kids, no rules. Crank the tunes and dance.
  • Cook a fancy dinner together… And you don’t have to do the dishes till tomorrow.

You might see each other every day, but it might have been a while since you’ve actually had time to talk about something other than the basic stuff that keeps the household running. No matter what you end up doing, the most special part of your night is just catching up—simple, but special anyway.

Make the night tantrum-proof

Let’s nip the meltdowns in the bud by making sure the kids have everything they need for a fun, quiet night. No missing stuffed animals, no forgotten bedtime books—you’ve got this. Here’s a quick catch-all of things your kids will need to have handy while you’re on your romantic date:

  1. Favorite toys, security blankets/stuffed animals
  2. A dinner menu they can’t say “no” to (mac n’ cheese, anyone?)
  3. Fun activities at the ready (craft supplies, props for imaginative play)
  4. A way to get in touch (for saying good night!)
  5. Your secret weapon: the promise of a reward for good date night behavior

Yes, it is possible for parents to get away, have a night off, and enjoy just being in each other’s company again. And though it seems daunting, it’s actually a lot easier than it sounds. If you tend to get stressed out with your hectic schedule, plan a monthly—or even weekly—date night! With the right plan, it can be a win/win for you and the kids. Happy Valentine’s Day, parents!

 

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Can a Smarter Phone Help Your Family Connect?

January 30, 2019/in Digital Parenting

When tablets, smartphones, and mobile games have your child’s attention, it can be difficult to take it back, and you need to work even harder to connect on a deeper level. What’s even more disheartening is that studies show that too much screen time hurts the brain’s ability to develop key social functions like recognizing and understanding emotions. So even if we manage to take away their gadgets, they may not have the interest to bond with us… just yet.

Thankfully, there are still ways to help your child connect with others.


https://www.instagram.com/p/BsJiRpUg09p/?hl=en

What happens when we put the screens down?

When parents and children connect with each other, it also ensures that the kids are nourished emotionally. Emotional nourishment is essential in developing emotional intelligence (EI), which in turn will affect your child’s capacity to forge relationships as they grow.

Another wonderful thing about having good EI is that it can improve your child’s autonomy and self-awareness. In other words, your child will not become overly dependent on you. On top of all that, it will also allow them to grow with enough confidence to make their own decisions regardless of supervision.

Learn more about emotional intelligence in this Relay blog post.

Then comes the part where we need to put these concepts into action. And the first step in this approach is to initiate more and better communication.

How to build an emotional connection

We all know that nothing beats face-to-face communication. If you and your child are able to recognize each other’s facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language, you are more likely to know each other on a deeper level. These things, after all, make up over 90% of how we communicate, according to sociology expert Patricia Runcan.

Remain observant, and consider the reasons why kids talk in a lively/sad tone or why they make faces. As explained in a post by Maryville University about their psychology degree, understanding the thoughts behind actions can help in contextualizing behavior. How your child thinks is often expressed unconsciously through other means. Imagine it this way; a text message (just words) might express a meaningful message, but covers only about 7% of what you are trying to communicate. Without context or personality, a text message is just a bunch of words put together. You can fare a lot better with a phone call (words plus the sound of the voice) and relay 45% of what you really mean. So, if you want to say something to your child but can’t do it face to face, a voice call is a much better alternative to a text message.

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What about video calling?

Of course, video calling can be more intimate as you are able to communicate with facial expressions and body language. However, giving a child a smart device for video calling can have more downsides than upsides.

“I am very pleased with how [my daughter] is able to use it and understands that we are using it as a device not a toy. I was very excited to hear her say ‘Mommie, I love you’ from her bus on her way to school.” —Relay user via The Neighborhood

After all, video calls require internet-enabled devices with screens. You are already aware of the slippery slope between having these devices and screen addiction. We tend to picture device ownership as a balancing act between communication and distraction. But even adults will tell you that distraction often wins. If you can take out the distractions and maintain the communication aspect, then that would be perfect.

Communication skills for kids: phone versus walkie-talkie

Enter the PTT (push-to-talk) walkie talkie. While you may opt for a smartphone with parental controls or an old and unreliable flip phone from the 2000s, nothing beats just pushing a button to start a conversation. No menus to navigate, no distracting apps, just a simple and reliable device for easy, spontaneous connections.

After all, the best way to simulate face-to-face conversations is to minimize the steps you need to take to talk. It makes communication much more natural. To illustrate, have you ever felt that placing a call is much more ‘serious’ or important than a text? We have become too used to casual texting that verbal communication feels so out of the ordinary.

“My son talks to me over the Relay his whole walk from school to meet me […] There is something magical about it being a walkie talkie instead of a phone that gets him talking more.” — Relay user via The Neighborhood

However, if your family has become used to communicating with a walkie-talkie, calling to say “hello,” and “I love you mom,” or “on my way home now” can develop into a habit. With more open lines of communication and faster connection, communicating with such a device will improve your family’s emotional connection. Ultimately, this is the beauty of technologies like Relay.

A smarter solution

Relay is a smarter phone for your child. It has the nationwide 4G LTE range of a phone, but it works like a walkie-talkie. Relay does not have a screen and attention-grabbing apps. It has built-in privacy features and comes with a free app for parents. Parents can track their child’s GPS location, talk on a virtual walkie-talkie, and more. Want to learn more? Check out our main website at relaygo.com.

 

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