It’s the end of the summer, which means back-to-school time is upon us once again. And according to the National Retail Federation, which has been conducting its annual Back-to-School and Back-to-College surveys since 2003, 2016 back-to-school spending is set to reach $76 BILLION dollars, up from $68 billion in 2015. Shoppers will be spending an average of $674 per household of which 65% will be spent on apparel and electronics, which means $18.5 billion will be spent on tech products and accessories alone— a 6.2 percent increase over the past year. With more tech in the classroom and at home, how can students and family reconnect, what apps are best for back-to-school related events, and what digital etiquette should kids adhere to?
Today Randi sat down with digital expert Holland Haiis, author of Consciously Connecting, to discuss just this:
“Set your phone to 27 seconds to re-engage after you’ve texted or taking a selfie. So if you’re driving, 27 seconds can save a life.”
“Australia is going to have red and green curbs to let pedestrians know it’s safe to walk or not while texting.”
“Make sure you’ve got that dictionary app on your phone when you’re getting a tattoo.”
“I am not anti-tech even though the media promotes me as a digital detox expert.”
“Tech is here to stay. It’s wonderful on so many levels.”
“The shiny newness of tech has worn off. We’re exhausted. We have to be clear to set perimeters and boundaries.”
“Roughly 53% of all 6-year-olds have their own cell phone.”
“Children’s brains are not fully formed and they don’t understand boundaries.”
“75% and up 8-12 year olds have cell phones. Parents are onboard with having children have devices.”
“If you’re a parent and you’re on the borderline of getting your kid a phone, the minuses are kids can cheat on tests, the temptation to find things they shouldn’t.”
“Say, ‘This is not a toy, use it for emergencies only.’ Practice what you preach. Don’t text your kids random texts.”
“There are more split families than what we would like. But that requires a phone.”
“No devices at the table. Even the phone stack. Psychologists say that when we see our phone we’re still disengaging.”
“If you’re out, phones go in pockets. Off, no vibration.”
“When devices are down, you’re creating eye-to-eye contact that so many children have trouble with.”
“Consciously connecting is about being and less about doing.”
“When we’re conscious we find our power and follow our goals.”
“You have take a time out everyday, regardless of how long it’s for, and steep in the silence.”
“Creativity, ideas, and problem solving comes from steeping in silence.”
“Parents want to be aware of the surroundings of their kids. Have passwords, monitor their friends, what they’re liking. Pay attention, connect the dots.”
“There is fun to be had on devices. If you’re having a hard time getting your child to exercise, Pokémon Go is great.
“Remember our parents punished us with our Achilles heel—TV.”
“We need to go back to our vocabulary. We make words up, we slip with tenses.”
“There are two great apps, “Word of the Day” and the dictionary app to help us use words again.”
“Learn with your children, use different words.”
“If you’re a parent, don’t assume cellphones and iPads can come to school this year. Reach out to see if policies have changed.”
“Some schools allow kids to be friends with their teachers on social media. Some don’t.”
“Schools are embracing technology and certain apps and games to help children face differences in learning skills.”
“We know that allowing your child to game incessantly leads to tech addiction. They isolate themselves, they have insomnia, outbursts.”
“It is important to physically hold a book. What happens with our imaginations when we hold a book is we go deeper.”
“If I’m waiting for someone I have to stop myself from looking down at my phone.”
“If during off-school season if your child reads 20 min. a day, you’re child’s vocabulary will grow. Give the gift!”
Connect with Holland Haiis HERE
Join ‘Dot Complicated with Randi Zuckerberg’ next Wednesday, August 31 when Randi sits down with fashion tech designer, Andrea Lauer. Only on SiriusXM Business Channel 111.
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