"The Tech-Wise Family" by Andy Crouch is a guidebook that aims to help families navigate the

challenges of living in a digital age. It offers practical advice and strategies for managing technology use
in a way that promotes healthy relationships and intentional living. Crouch advocates for setting
boundaries around screen time, prioritizing face-to-face interactions, and creating sacred spaces and
rituals free from technology. The book emphasizes the importance of balance and intentionality in using
technology within the family unit, encouraging parents to model healthy tech habits for their children.

"The Tech-Wise Family" dives deep into the impact of technology on family dynamics and offers
actionable insights for creating a more balanced and intentional approach to technology use within the
household. Here are some key themes and ideas from the book:

1. **Understanding Technology's Influence:** Crouch discusses how technology has become deeply
integrated into modern family life, often leading to distraction, disconnection, and even addiction. He
emphasizes the need for families to recognize and address the negative effects of excessive screen time.

2. **Setting Boundaries:** The book advocates for establishing clear boundaries around technology use,
such as limiting screen time for both children and adults, designating tech-free zones in the home, and
setting aside specific times for family activities without screens.

3. **Prioritizing Relationships:** Crouch highlights the importance of prioritizing face-to-face

interactions and meaningful connections within the family. He encourages parents to engage in quality
time with their children, fostering deeper relationships through activities like shared meals, conversations,
and outdoor adventures.

4. **Creating Sacred Spaces:** The concept of sacred spaces involves carving out areas in the home and
in daily routines where technology is not allowed. These spaces serve as sanctuaries for rest, reflection,
and interpersonal connection, free from the distractions of screens and devices.

5. **Modeling Healthy Habits:** Parents play a crucial role in shaping their children's attitudes and
behaviors towards technology. By modeling healthy tech habits themselves, such as limiting their own
screen time, practicing mindfulness, and engaging in offline activities, parents can positively influence
their children's relationship with technology.

6. **Embracing Creativity and Curiosity:** The book encourages families to prioritize activities that
foster creativity, curiosity, and genuine human connection. This may involve exploring hobbies, pursuing
interests outside of technology, and engaging in hands-on projects together as a family.
Overall, "The Tech-Wise Family" offers a holistic approach to navigating the digital age while preserving
the values of connection, presence, and intentionality within the family unit. It provides practical
guidance and inspiration for families seeking to reclaim control over their use of technology and cultivate
deeper relationships in the process.

In "The Tech-Wise Family," Andy Crouch outlines what he calls the "Ten Tech-Wise Commitments,"
which serve as guiding principles for families seeking to cultivate a healthier relationship with
technology. These commitments are:

1. **We develop wisdom and courage together as a family.** This commitment emphasizes the
importance of approaching technology use with wisdom and discernment, and the courage to make
intentional choices that align with family values.

2. **We want to create more than we consume.** Families are encouraged to prioritize creation over
consumption when it comes to technology, actively engaging in activities that foster creativity, learning,
and personal growth.

3. **We use screens for a purpose, and we use them together, rather than using them aimlessly and
alone.** This commitment promotes intentional and shared screen time, where technology is used
purposefully and in ways that facilitate connection and collaboration within the family.

4. **We are mindful of the impact of technology on our brains and our bodies.** Families commit to
being aware of how technology affects their mental and physical well-being, and to making choices that
promote balance and health.

5. **We cultivate empathy and self-control.** This commitment emphasizes the importance of
developing empathy and self-control in the context of technology use, teaching children to consider the
feelings and needs of others and to exercise restraint in their own use of screens.

6. **We aim for "no screens before double digits" at school and at home.** Families pledge to delay the
introduction of screens to children until they reach an appropriate age, typically around ten years old,
recognizing the importance of early childhood development and the potential risks associated with early
screen exposure.

7. **We use screens in shared spaces, not in bedrooms.** This commitment encourages families to limit
screen time in private spaces like bedrooms, instead opting for shared spaces where technology use can be
more easily monitored and regulated.
8. **We show up for each other in person, without distraction.** Families prioritize face-to-face
interactions and quality time spent together without the distractions of screens and devices, fostering
deeper connections and stronger relationships.

9. **We are the parents.** This commitment emphasizes the responsibility of parents to set boundaries
and establish healthy tech habits within the family, serving as positive role models for their children.

10. **We are the parents, and we are the children.** Finally, this commitment underscores the importance
of mutual respect and accountability within the family, with both parents and children working together to
uphold the values and commitments outlined in the Tech-Wise Family manifesto.