“We are meant for so much more than technology can ever give us – above all, for the wisdom and courage that it will never give us. We are meant to spur on another along on the way to a better life, the life that really is life.”

Technology is invading every aspect of our lives. Smart phones, smart watches, exercise trackers, Wi-fi and Internet are everywhere you go. However, life isn’t meant to be lived in front of a screen all of the time. Families today must be on guard with how they use technology.

The Tech-Wise Family was available to me through Baker Book Bloggers in exchange for a fair review. I was interested in reading it because as a mother to young children, we are just starting to navigate the technology craziness. I was hoping to pick up some new tips and insights for our family.

One of the most interesting parts of the book are the statistics that Crouch found through Barna about how families use technology today. Sixty-five percent of parents surveyed said technology and social media make is more difficult to raise kids today. The book is divided into three sections dealing with key family decisions, daily life and what matters most. Crouch shares his own family’s technology rules and gives his reasons behind them without insisting that they should be the same rules for every family. He suggests families need to decide what matters most and make that the priority in the family’s time, activities and space. His family decided not to have screens until their children reached double digits; therefore, there was no TV as the main attraction in the living room. He also suggests that rules regarding technology and cell phones should apply to the whole family and not just children.

I found the book very helpful. I don’t think all his rules are ones my family needs, but it gives a good framework and food for thought for families. Families should be intentional about how they use technology and think before they leap into a world where everyone is on their phones at dinner. I would recommend this book to parents of children who are still living at home.

Buy the book here (affiliate link).