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Turn that thing off! Setting rules for family tech use

How do you spend time with family without electronics getting in the way?

Marketplace Tech etiquette guru Janell Burley Hofmann is a Cape Cod Mother of five with strong opinions about how to behave with technology. Today’s topic: Family tech policy.

How do you set aside electronics in order to better spend time with family? And, maybe even thornier: How do you set rules for setting aside electronics that everyone can still live with?

Hofmann has two recommendations to tackle this issue with tact:

1. Agree on guidelines ahead of time. Before that big family get together, Hoffman suggests sending out a group email asking for “screen-free” day.

2. Suggest a “screen-free” activity such as playing a board game, hiking, or another outdoor activity.

How do you manage your family’s tech use? Tell us in a comment below.

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