While technology is an important part of our lives, it can also be too much of a good thing. Technology used in excess or incorrectly can have harmful effects on a child’s development.

The Austin School District is joining a national initiative to limit screen time for a week, from April 30-May 6.

During the week, staff members at the Community Learning Center are asking the community to find alternative activities.

The week is sponsored by Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood.

Some of them include:

Can you commit? If adults are committed, children will feel that everyone is sharing the experience and take it seriously.

What is Screen Time for you? Is it email and text messaging? Perhaps you Skype a lot. Whatever your favorite, make sure that you are clear with children that screen time will be limited for you, too.

Keep busy with activities: One goal of the week is to allow kids some unstructured time to generate their own screen-free play and activities. But, you’ll want to make sure that you schedule family activities in the early part of the week so everyone can adjust to being “screen free.” If you need ideas go to 101 Screen-Free Activities at www.screenfree.org

Reclaim the family meal as a time for talking and sharing stories.

At the end of the week, talk about how you feel, what all of you have accomplished, and what aspect of the week you would like to keep going.

For more, go to: www.screenfree.org