Communication is central in my practice. It is the corner stone to almost all of our conversations. So it is strange perhaps for me to be talking about not communicating! I work with many parents around how to manage technology in the home. Surprisingly often, parents are equally obsessed. There is a huge amount of research regarding the impact of us not having healthy boundaries around social media.
 Nottingham University has shown a direct link between excessive use of social media and insomnia and depression. This is amplified when other factors are introduced as well, like emotional, psychological or environmental factors. It is key to well being to be media-free for the last hour before going to bed.
 So how do we manage to have these boundaries? Depending on the age of your children and their personalities this may not be such a walk in the park. However, I have just come across an app called “Our Pact†which blocks the wifi and disables phones at certain times, yet the phones can still receive and make calls. So when you have your next family meeting (I am serious) put this on the agenda. Perhaps it may work for the whole family—not just the kids!
 Interestingly, by placing some healthy boundaries to communication outside of the family, the communication will improve within the family.
