It drives me wacko sometimes—being surrounded by people who choose to tap at their little screen rather than engage in the world (and people!) around them. But this article asserts the upside: communication, especially with teens. After all, getting your kids to connect is a timeless challenge. So we need every tool we can muster.

Psychologist Thomas W. Whelan, author of “Surviving Your Adolescents: How to Manage and Let Go of Your 13-18 Year Olds,” offers this practical advice about becoming one with your kids via textology…

Instead of seeing the whole text thing as an enemy, see it as an ally.”

My philosophy is, `Stay in touch.’ E-mail, cell phone or text — it makes no difference to me”

One way to strengthen your relationship is to let the kids show you how to do it.”

As for me, unplugging—or at least setting some parameters and periods that are tech-lite and human/nature heavy—remains a worthwhile approach too. But as the people (of all ages) in MY life text ME more and more and I contemplate staying close with my kids as they mature, adapting will also be worthwhile.

And I must admit, watching one Mom get all giddy when she received a text from her daughter who had just bowled her first strike, well, that was pretty sweet and made us all LOL.

If you are still sitting in front of your computer, postponing joy, here’s the entire piece.

One of the best benefits of our 69-day BreakAway was that it forced my family into a less digi-centric lifestyle.  And with fresh stimuli and waves surrounding us, nobody seemed to mind.  In fact, they were happier.  But back home, we’re back to tapping and texting and remoting away the day.  But I don’t give in—or up. 

So here are 11 new & improved ways to reduce digi-drain and feel more free. 

• Avoid going to your computer or device first thing in the morning, and last thing at night. 
• Ritualize some prioritized activities, like yoga, meditation, reading, or gardening. 
• Leave ALL tech toys out of your bedroom, and make it a sacred, soothing space. 
• Don’t text and drive.
• Minimize cell-phone driving. 
• Focus on what matters (and manners):  Intentionally leave your cell phone elsewhere when at church, with friends, or having any good conversation. 
• Play games—cards, backgammon, horseshoes—and do puzzles, crosswords, and real stuff with real things you can touch. 
• Create family digi-free zones, times, days, and places. 
• Maintain guidelines for the kids:  Texting the new GF comes after reading, cleaning, and helping out. 
• Avoid giving all your numbers to anyone and everyone; use your different numbers for different people and “time zones” (friends vs. clients, etc.).
• Get outside daily, dammit; it’s so much better than any electro-thrill around. 

Time with families is down.  Way down.  28% down from a year ago—about the same period of time that FaceBook doubled its members from 100 million to 200 million. 

I remember a broken TV with a sign stuck on the screen.  The sign said:

The TV is broken.  Please talk to one another.” 

Now we have TV, FB, iPhones, and endless other digitalia to keep us from connecting face-to-face.  It’s a miracle of sorts, this Global Village.  But the real miracles and connections are more fleshy:  Families, friends, meeting a stranger. 

Still with me?  Hmmm.  Maybe you should unplug and go hug your mom, dad, sister, or brother. 

Reach out an touch someone.  For real.  

I LOVE this ranty post…  Not only does doubleX’s Samantha Henig nail it with her comments on how digi-devices detour us from driving and decorum, she articulates how they’re killing the art of the conversation, beyond just the incessant interruptions.  It happens all the time:  You’re debating when the Beatles broke up, and some Crackberry starts reciting the history of British rock.  Get a life! 

As she points out: 

Good conversations depend, at times, on some degree of ignorance and mutual discovery—piecing together theories and ideas from conversants’ collective knowledge. When the person with the fanciest phone suddenly puts all the answers on the table, it strips away much of the art—and fun—of the activity.”

Amen, sister.  Can we talk?  Just talk?  Get real and get to know each other?  Knowing factoids just cuz Wikipedia is at your fingertips does not make you smart.  Just geeky (and insecure?). 

Long live the eye-to-eye, rather than the iPhone-to-iPhone!

Carleton College resides in bucolic Northfield, Minnesota—where some of us went to St. Olaf, the college on the OTHER side of the river.  Back “in the day,” we didn’t have to worry about unplugging (unless someone unplugged the fridge—horrors!).  Recently, though, three students tried life without computers.  Give them an A for effort! 

Believe it or not, they survived.  Their challenge became a one-hour documentary.  And probably an experience they’ll never forget—or repeat.  Here’s the blurb from their website…

Three college students take on the challenge of giving up their computers to see how their academic, social, and work lives are affected. No Facebook. No YouTube. No e-mail. How will they get their work done? Will they cheat? Who will survive the longest? This one-hour documentary follows Carleton College students Andrew, Caitlin, and Chel as they go through “digital detox” and learn to interact with themselves and with others in ways we have largely forgotten.” 

Do you dare to unplug? How would you fare through digital detox? Might it be time to take a tiny little tech BreakAway and find out?

Think everyone who’s anyone is blogging, tweeting, and FBing for the whole world to see?  Think again.  Fast Company follows their “100 Most Creative People in Business” list, and finds that only roughly a quarter embrace social networking stuff. 

Hey now! 

Privacy?  Unplugging?  Got better things to do?  How about:  All the above.  If you’re not yet obsessed with online “living,” you may be more creative than you think.  

This brilliant, short commentary by Jim Shea suggests that Unplugging (one of this blog’s favorite recommendations) is not alive and well.  Rather, work trends continue to move toward the 24/7 model, thanks to technology.  We now have a culture of “Crackberries”—worker bees who never let the work buzz stop. 

Hence, “weisure time.”  That’s when your work and leisure time merge into a sort of purgatory. Symptoms include…

• People with BlueTeeth.  
• Dinner dates who text while they talk to you.  
• Laptops on the beach. 

“They” say this is the future.  And it’s already here. 

Hey, if this is what it takes to succeed at your job, do what you gotta do.  But if you can possibly take temporary retirement—and I’m talking, like, going to a baseball game and spending an evening with your kids—then dare yourself to Unplug now and then.

You may work better.  And you’ll feel better too.  

Isn’t the internet great?  Isn’t it cool having Blackberries and iPhones and being able to get any and/or all information anywhere and everywhere all the time? 

Maybe.  But at a cost.  Never mind the loss of free time and thought and spirit. 

$900 billion.  Annual cost to the U.S. economy – in lower productivity and throttled innovation  — in organizations of all shapes and sizes caused by information overload.

According to the research, the REAL cost is even more outrageous:  Nearly a trillion dollars! 

‘Nuff said.