Technology Shabbat

For my clients:  Here's some ideas from Sunset Magazine.

For the complete article go to:   http://www.sunset.com/home/natural-home/unplugging-lifestyle-00418000080483/

LOOKING TO UNPLUG?
Here’s what others are doing––and what you can try––from easy to hard-core.
National Day of Unplugging. Who’s behind it: Reboot, a Jewish arts organization based in New York. What it is: Unplug all your devices from sunset to sunset on March 1–2, 2013. Insight: In its fourth year, the National Day of Unplugging has participants from around the world turning off their TVs, phones, and computers for 24 hours. “This is the zeitgeist of the moment,” says NDU spokeswoman Tanya Schevitz. Reboot also wrote the Sabbath Manifesto’s 10 principles. nationaldayofunplugging.com
Walden Zones. Who’s behind it: William Powers, author of Hamlet’s BlackBerry: Building a Good Life in the Digital Age (Harper Perennial, 2011; $15). What it is: Designate space in your house as a tech-free zone. Put a basket at the door for cell phones. Insight: “In the beginning, we had total withdrawal, which made us realize how addicted we were,” recalls Powers.  “After a few months, we began to realize all these incredible benefits. It’s like adding a room to your house—a space where you can live differently.” williampowers.com
The Digital Detox. Who’s behind it: S.F. Bay Area residents Levi Felix and Brooke Dean. What it is: Retreats in remote Northern California locales without any devices. Insight: Former tech and social entrepreneur Felix launched the Digital Detox after he ended up in the hospital due to a stress-related condition. “When I got out, I started reevaluating everything,” he says. At his monthly Detox, participants ditch all gadgets for long weekends of activities like cooking and hiking. He also holds device-free gatherings in San Francisco. thedigitaldetox.org
Technology Shabbats. Who’s behind it: Tiffany Shlain. What it is: Powering down, usually from sundown Friday until sundown Saturday. Insight: “It’s definitely harder to make plans, and we have to print out our schedules the day before,” Shlain says, laughing. “Instead of sending 10 texts to coordinate, we just show up. If we’re late, there will be no cell phone call. It’s the way everyone used to do things.” tiffanyshlain.com
Unplug your house. Who’s tried it: The Wegman/Corliss family. What it is: Keep technology at a minimum in your home. Insight: People have visited the house, Wegman says, and talked about how “they should” do this. But she doesn’t know anyone else who has tried it yet.
Give up your smartphone. Who’s tried it: Northern Californian Andrew Tyree. What it is: Give up your app-filled smartphone for something simpler. Insight: As a restaurant worker, Tyree was irked by people’s preoccupation of texting and tweeting during meals. He realized he was no better and switched from his smartphone to an app-less flip phone. He finds that he’s more engaged in the moment and now knows his city, San Francisco, better since he no longer has Google Maps.
RESOURCES
Read these books: Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other (Basic Books, 2011; $17) by Sherry Turkle. Explores how excessive digital connection leads to solitude. Also, Hamlet’s BlackBerry by William Powers (see “Walden Zones,” above). Through technological history and the likes of Shakespeare and Thoreau, discover why it’s so important to disconnect regularly.
Watch this DVD: Connected, directed by Tiffany Shlain. A film about what it means to be connected in the 21st century. $25; connectedthefilm.com
Download these apps: Freedom (for Macs and PCs) temporarily disables your Internet access. $10; macfreedom.com; Anti-Social (for Macs) temporarily disables all social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, etc. $15; anti-social.cc
Change settings: Do Not Disturb (on iPhones) blocks all calls, texts, and notifications from coming through. You can schedule the setting for certain times too.

Gender Differences: Leonard Sax

This weekend at Powell's books in Portland, I bought two books y Leonard Sax.  Having read the first, well researched chapter, in each one,  I am very excited to dig in!

The first one is called Boys Adrift:  The Five Factors Driving the Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underachieving Young Men.

The second one is called  Girls on the Edge:  The Four Factors Driving the New Crisis for Girls.

Both books are written by Dr. Sax who is a huge advocate of single sex schools.   http://www.singlesexschools.org/  I don't have a strong opinion on this topic (though I may after I read his books), but here's what has gotten me so interested in this pair of books.

On the boys side, the decline in achievement is attributed to video games, teaching methods, prescription drugs, environmental toxins and devaluation of masculinity.    As many of us know, there is a lot of over medication of young boys who have ADHD.   

Being on the front lines of this, having participated in MANY staffing meetings over the years, I have seen that there are some boys who have been diagnosed with ADHD and have a very difficult time making friends and learning.  For some of these boys medicine has been  a life saver.

 On the other hand, I have seen many a teacher "complaining" about a child who is very hands on or learning in a different way.  Kids that are very curious, talk out, or fidget are often brought up at a staffing meeting.  If the parent is not interested in going to a doctor and looking into the possibility of meds, the teacher leaves the meeting very disgruntled.    I can understand why.   I have taught in some classes where one challenging kid makes me thank my lucky stars that I am not the full time teacher in that classroom.    Sometimes, after a half hour lesson with a particular class, I am exhausted beyond belief.   

This bespeaks to the fact that somehow the way we teach is not perfect for some of the little curious boys who want to move and explore.  

But I also love the way he weaves in media and nutrition/environmental toxins.   Because these are the modern ills of society I believe and may be contributing to the decreased attention span.   

On the girls side, he talks about sexual identity, the cyberbubble, obsessions and environmental toxins.   I have read many a book on the sexual identity of girls and cyber-bullying, but adding the nutrition/environmental/early puberty  piece is very intriguing to me.    And putting these two works together, points to my belief that two of the things we really need to focus on right now in helping our children are:

1.  Nutrition
2.  Our relationship to the screen