Me, my mobile and God. Ten (suggested) Commandments for using a mobile Posted on November 9, 2018November 13, 2018 by Celia Bowring They say our smartphones are more powerful than the massive NASA computers that sent Apollo missions to the moon in the 1970’s. In the UK, 85 per cent of us use our mobiles daily and some find it hard to resist regularly checking them – apparently every twelve minutes on average – to text a message, catch up on FaceBook, play music or ask Siri or Alexa for help. Nothing wrong with any of it but let’s keep technology in its place. Particularly as we consider the habits of our children and grandchildren. Here’s a very practical place to start that thinking! And food for thought for families we know Ten (suggested) Commandments for using a mobile Never at a shared meal table. Including breakfast! Never sneak – under the table; in the loo… Make sure your privacy settings, especially on Facebook, protect you. It’s incredible how much information about you is out there. It could easily be exploited. Be secure and take passwords seriously. That means thinking about the process. Try Googling ‘how to set strong passwords’ and note them safely. Adults need to monitor teenagers’ mobile and other screen use. For those in our care, have a policy on where, when and for what they use their devices. Stick to it. (Katherine Hill’s book ‘Left to their own devices’ published by Care for the Family is excellent on this) Small children’s use of devices and online experience is in our hands. Parents and others looking after them need to how to limit their use appropriately. Wherever you find yourself – home, work, church – if you can, speak to someone face-to-face rather than text or call. Don’t allow your devices to interfere with your concentration. When you have work to do, fun to enjoy, people to spend time with, turn them off and put them out of sight. Never use when driving. Even on hands-free it’s very easy to be distracted. Silence it – like you do in church – and leave it screen down, in the glove compartment, or on the back seat. And if you need to use your phone, pull off the road safely and stop to do it. Try taking a mobile-free Sabbath. Perhaps on Sunday, dawn till dusk. Let others know so they don’t get worried because you don’t respond, and enjoy the experience! How many of these do you agree with? Perhaps you would add to them. We’d love to know! Do let us know what you think, and visit AfterWorkNet’s Facebook page to see what others are saying. If you would like to read in deep you can find Nigel Cameron book here Celia Bowring Celia isn’t retired yet – although she’s recently changed from being office-based to working from home, so working out her own use of time. Celia writes the CARE Prayer Diary along with many other resources. She also chairs Pray for Schools. And loves being a hands-on grandmother!
