The Opt-Out Family: How to Give Your Kids What Technology Can't

I originally downloaded some free resources from the Opt Out family to use as part of our family's new year goal setting together. My tween kids do not have their own devices or access to social media (we have a family iPod for music and a family iPad for some game + educational apps) and my husband and I both ditched personal social media two years ago, so we thought we were gold -- and that we were ready to "ChatGPT" for our family's vision.1. The first task on that worksheet included writing down how old everyone would be in five years and (this is tongue in cheek) I OBJECT! WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO PERIMENOPAUSAL MOTHERS EVERYWHERE! After my kids got excited about both being teenagers in five years, I had a full and total meltdown and we never finished the project together. There may or may not be video evidence of how hard I took this (my husband, who was feeling like taking a big risk, began recording when he realized I was not recovering). 🤣2. THIS PROJECT WAS A GATEWAY DRUG TO THE WHOLE BOOK. A friend and I have been reading through the book and discussing various points and ideas. I have been challenged, inspired, convicted, and empowered. My husband and I keep wrestling through specific data and the impact our existing tech use has on the family. Even the strategies we have in place for tech in our homes, as good as I thought they were, are being revised and edited as we learn more. I am tremendously grateful to Erin and the team for their work in this area!At this point, I am slowly becoming an opt-out family evangelist. I want my friends to not feel judged by me, of course, but the difference in my OWN kids as we've revised our boundaries and tech use is its own reward and evidence of the benefits of the changes we're making! We're learning to be free from tech, not in the sense that we don't use it at all, but in the sense that, as Erin wrote about, we are not MASTERED by it.We can always keep learning and growing with it and I know we'll shift and change as new info comes out, as our kids grow, and so forth. But I am so thankful for all the research and work that went into this book and the resources here.

This book was amazing. I marked and highlighted so many parts of it. It told me a lot of things I already knew but didn't have words for. It gave me solid reasons and fortitude to go against the flow and decide to forge a different path for my family regarding tech use. My husband listened to the audio book and gained a better understanding of the dangers of social media and phone use for our kids. I got off of social media myself and intend to keep my kids off as well.

How does an author follow her 2017 New York Times Best Selling book, Chasing Slow? By diving into authentic living, deeply observing the world around her, and birthing yet another beautiful, groundbreaking title into this world: The Opt-Out Family.I am a longtime fan of Loechner's writing and have experienced reflection and developed wisdom from her penned words over the years. Upon hearing about the release of The Opt-Out Family, pre-ordering was a must. When the book arrived, I dove in - cover to cover - knowing that Loechner's writing style would be like the voice of an old friend (Quick note: I'm not an affiliate! Just a genuine fan.).I was happily surprised, however, by Loechner's thorough research into our era's reality of the virtual world, paired with her brave battle cry against Big Tech's hold on humanity. The Opt-Out Family is packed with a multitude of tech topics that affect every family - Siri, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, iPads, smart phones, Snapchat, Mega, Google, ChatGPT4. Loechner pulls the curtain on each influence, refusing to shy away from our exponentially growing truth: WE are increasingly becoming the product (dare I say victim?) in an ever-growing, pocket-lining tech landscape, and if we allow the 'status quo' of tech's influence to come to its' fruition, our future is grim.The most powerful aspect of Loechner's take on tech is her reminder that HOPE and LIFE are still ours for the taking. The Opt-Out Family is a tangible roadmap for families, a transforming 'playbook' on how to reclaim real living within the walls of our homes and beyond. Loechner's voice not only echoes our concerned voices, but moreover, The Opt-Out Family provides a wealth of education, foundational research, and tangible steps toward taking action in our families, and in our world.My guess is, you will not see Loechner promote this book on social media. She believes in (and stands by) her words in this book... an author who practices what she preaches. How refreshing!With that in mind, not only do I recommend you purchase, read, and gift (multiple copies of) this book to each of your beloved family and friends (and perhaps your local teachers, principals and school board), I also recommend you contribute in some way to the promotion of this book, lifting up to her grass-roots voice. Whether it be a published review or a simple conversation with a friend, your voice matters.Just imagine... our 'battle cry' causing Big Tech's stronghold to become detangled. Imagine families looking up from phones and connecting face-to-face. Imagine neighbors getting lost in conversation. Imagine educators finally receiving permission to teach authentically (without the pressure of those dreaded tech initiatives). Imagine our teens feeling genuinely confident in themselves, no longer having to perform for an audience. Imagine our exploding mental health crisis becoming a thing of the past. Imagine our kids living out their childhood without a premature exposure to explicit content. Imagine our world leaders making legislative change on behalf of humanity.How can a bright future like this possibly happen?It starts with us.

This book is a MUST for every parent in this digital age. Not only does it explain a lot of the behind-the-scenes science and psychology that is sucking us in to phones and algorithms, but it gives TONS of easy, feasible ideas to engage your kids without technology. I could read it five times and still find great nuggets of interest and inspiration!