12/18/2023

Why Even a Partial Digital Detox Is a Good Idea This Christmas

It's not just the kids who are too obsessed with their devices

This Christmas, I will leave the frigid state of Iowa to spend the holidays with my daughter, Kristil, in Paris. Despite my excitement at reuniting with her after a year apart, I'm also grappling with the unintended strain digital tools have put on our relationship during past visits.

Before the plane even touches down at Charles de Gaulle, I'll likely be taking pictures and posting to social media. As a freelance writer who lives in the digital world, I'm driven to document. As a mother to my only child, who has been living abroad for nearly six years, I am eager to seize every moment of our visits. My daughter is a digital minimalist and prefers to use technology with purpose. This contrast in our perspectives has become a source of conflict.

Growing up in a single-parent household, Kristil was determined to forge her own path early on. It didn't surprise me when my 12-year-old daughter, having read about the harmful effects of having technology in her bedroom, approached me with a determined look in her eyes. She requested my help moving her television and computer to another room in our apartment. She was already aware of the negative impact of being too connected.

Please select this link to read the complete article from WIRED.