Screen Time and TCKs Staying Connected

Technology as Both Bridge and Barrier

Social media and video calling have transformed the TCK experience in important ways. It is now possible to maintain genuine relationships across continents in a way that was not possible a generation ago. TCKs no longer have to choose between staying connected to the past and investing in the present. But the technology also creates new complications — the pull of the previous posting can make it harder to invest in the current one, and social media allows TCKs to maintain a kind of virtual presence in places they no longer live.

• How do you currently use technology to maintain connections, and does the balance feel right?
• Are there relationships from previous postings that you are maintaining primarily out of habit or obligation rather than genuine investment?
• Is the time spent staying connected with the previous location reducing the energy available to build connection in the current one?
• What is your approach to helping your children stay connected while also investing in where they are now?