[3-36] Managing Media and Tech with Multiple Ages Under One Roof

It’s tricky enough managing media and tech with one child, right? What do you do when you have a whole crew of kids? A lot of well-meaning parenting advice tends to gloss over the reality that most families are navigating multiple ages and stages of development simultaneously. How do you shelter the youngest while giving your older children the autonomy they need?

This week I am excited to chat with Candance Larson, mother of eight children and host of the Thriving with 8 Podcast. Candace is an advocate for recognizing motherhood as the best profession in the world and is passionate about educating on media safety and technology. 

Managing media and tech for different ages

Candance admits that part of the secret to managing media with so many kids is simply that they love being together, hanging out, and having fun! She says, start with the relationship and important conversations will follow. 

In this episode:

• Raising critical thinkers. What questions can be answered without Siri or Google?
• Consider the individual. Tech rules can look a little different from one child to the next. 
• Grab the precious moments. Pause and listen when kids are ready to talk. 
• Stay consistent. Set boundaries early. You kids will thank you … eventually!
• Give yourself grace. Wisdom grows as we learn from our former selves.  

Episode challenge

This is a relationship-building exercise. Set aside 30 minutes for one-on-one time this week for each of your children to do an activity of their choosing. Maybe it’s putting a puzzle together, playing a game, or going for ice cream. It’ll look different depending on the age of your child. When you are together, make a conscious effort to listen more than you talk. 

Download our FREE guide

Want help creating healthy boundaries around screen time and devices in your home? Download your FREE Quick Guide to Safer Screen Habits in this week’s show notes. Click here. https://bit.ly/Quick-Guide-to-Safer-Screen-Habits

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed the show, please leave a positive review or tell a friend!

More about today’s guest

Candace is first and foremost, a wife and a mother. She and her husband met on the first day of Junior High. They are the parents of 8 children. Seven boys and one girl. The kids range in age from kindergarten to college. Candace loves helping other moms navigate this amazing profession called motherhood. She hosts a parenting podcast called “Thriving With 8” which focuses on progression, rather than perfection. She is passionate about educating students and families about media safety and technology and has chaired White Ribbon Week at her children’s schools for the past 8 years. Recently, she has become an educational consultant for Screen Time Clinic, a resource that empowers parents to create healthy tech habits. 

Links/Resources

NEW COURSE – Get Off the Fence: Confidently Talk to Your Child or Teen About Pornography

THRIVING WITH 8 – Podcast, Instagram, Facebook

SCREEN TIME CLINIC – Digital wellness education

FORTIFY – Is your teen struggling with pornography? Click here to check out Fortify – FREE for youth!

BARK – Want help monitoring your kids’ apps and social media? Click here for a FREE 30-day trial of the Bark App or download it at the app store and use our promo code: MEDIASAVVY

COVENANT EYES – Need great filtering software for your internet and devices? Click here to check out Covenant Eyes.

*Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means, at no additional cost to you, Parents Aware/Media Savvy Moms receives a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Thanks for helping to support us in our mission to protect families from the harms of pornography.

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Media Savvy Moms Podcast

Who knew honest conversations about parenting and pornography could be so approachable? Join Marilyn for a series of contemplations, chats, and interviews as she helps fellow parents tackle this challenging topic with their kids.

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