Breaking the cell phone and PDA addiction Part II

Rob Naddelman: Through a Parent’s Eyes

I heard from a number of parents after my last blog (Breaking the cell phone and PDA addiction) that their cell phone and PDA use doesn’t come close to how much time their high school students spend texting, calling their friends, checking emails, or using the other applications available on their devices. The cell phone and PDA addiction is certainly not generational, as everyone from middle school students to grandparents seem to have become hooked by the technology and the ability to be constantly connected. While it is not realistic to expect that your teenage children will not spend time on their phone or mobile devices, it is very reasonable to put some practical rules in place to help your family manage the situation.

The number one thing you can do is communicate with your children as to when it is inappropriate to be on their phone or mobile device. I have seen many Baseball Factory players texting their friends while their parents are speaking to our staff during an individual player performance meeting. This is obviously very disrespectful to the parents and to anyone else who is participating in the meeting. Rules need to be defined up front, and when it is inappropriate to be texting, their phone needs to be turned off. Don’t assume that this should be common knowledge. Phones and mobile devices have not been around that long and people use them so frequently to communicate that the “rules” are still evolving.

Here are some other suggestions for how to keep your kids from racking up huge bills and wasting away with their faces and fingers pinned to their mobile devices:

1. Stay away from unlimited plans. If there are no limits, there are no boundaries to stay within and abuse of what would be considered “normal” results.
2. Have the teenager contribute towards their calling/texting plan. Once they need to start paying, their use will go down.
3. Set boundaries and rules within your family dynamic for when the phone or mobile device (for parent and teenager) needs to be turned off. For instance, at the dinner table, during family time, etc.

It is important for families to set rules and communicate on this topic because as the technology continues to evolve, it will only get more difficult. As more devices offer TV, movies, and other time consuming applications, the urge to be absorbed in these devices will become even more compelling. Help your teenage children break their addiction and assist them to re-engage with the people physically around them. It will certainly help in their continued emotional development.

Rob Naddelman is the President of Baseball Factory. Naddelman is a former two-time All Ivy League Third Baseman at the University of Pennsylvania, where he competed in a College World Series Regional. He has served as the President of Baseball Factory for the past 13 years, and also is the Executive Director of Baseball Factory's charitable arm The B.A.S.E. - H.I.T. Foundation. Naddelman and Steve Sclafani (CEO) have been featured in Business Week and CNN for their work in building Baseball Factory into the nation's leader in player development and college placement.