Kids and their use of iPad/iPhone/TV

[Jade]

Hi Ankh. I'm sure you know that I'm not a mom so of course take my advice with a grain of salt, but I do spend a lot of time thinking about children in society, and also was raised with many siblings/half-siblings/step siblings, my youngest sibling is 15. So I try to pay attention.

First I'll give the applicable Ra quote, which I'm sure you know, but it may help unfurl some things just reading it, even.

42.20 Questioner: Thank you. Using the teach/learning relationship of parent to its child, what type of actions would demonstrate the activation of each energy center in sequence from red through violet?

Ra: I am Ra. This shall be the last full query of this working.

The entity, child or adult, as you call it, is not an instrument to be played. The appropriate teach/learning device of parent to child is the open-hearted beingness of the parent and the total acceptance of the beingness of the child. This will encompass whatever material the child entity has brought into the life experience in this plane.

There are two things especially important in this relationship other than the basic acceptance of the child by the parent. Firstly, the experience of whatever means the parent uses to worship and give thanksgiving to the One Infinite Creator, should if possible be shared with the child entity upon a daily basis, as you would say. Secondly, the compassion of parent to child may well be tempered by the understanding that the child entity shall learn the biases of service to others or service to self from the parental other-self. This is the reason that some discipline is appropriate in the teach/learning. This does not apply to the activation of any one energy center for each entity is unique and each relationship with self and other-self doubly unique. The guidelines given are only general for this reason.

Is there a brief query before we leave this instrument?

So, Ra says it's paramount to offer the child open-hearted love and acceptance no matter what. I still don't have a smart phone, so watching children younger and younger get devices as such that they were attached to has disturbed me for a bit. However, at this point, the devices are so ubiquitous to society, and especially the younger peer/age group, that it would be a huge step outside of social norms for her to decide, on her own, to put the devices down - which may be a big moment for her, in the future.

That said, I think if it's a -constant- thing, an attempt at limiting her wouldn't necessarily be the most STS act you could do. Ra says a bit of discipline is needed on the path of polarity, and that's something that a child must be taught, as well (self-discipline). We often think the freest way to be is to act on all of our impulses. But really the freest way to be is to anticipate our impulses and create those that we want to act upon. Your daughter is constantly acting out the subconscious impulse to seek her devices, i.e. seek sleep. I mean, obviously you can't force her to use every moment to polarize, but a child plugged in almost all their waking hours has little opportunity to do so (presuming they are playing solo games more than actually communicating with others on their devices, though that will likely change over the next few years for her). I think you can also share with her your thoughts and opinions on proper amounts of device usage in a non-judgemental way, and also can try to steer her to other pursuits without it feeling like a "punishment" (good luck!!). Also, of course, you should set the example by doing things, on your own, and probably try to use your devices less. I have no idea how much you use them so disregard if it's not at all, but the truth is children constantly desire to mimic their parents. They see you pushing buttons on a neat little gadget that has your attention rapt, and they want that experience, too.

The other piece of Ra's advice might be the most important. Have you taught your daughter to meditate, or seek the Creator in any way? I think a daily ritual as suggested might be infinitely valuable, because that way she can learn to hear/trust her own instincts instead of relying on your judgements/decisions, and who knows, maybe after a month or two of daily meditation, her screen time will naturally diminish.

Good luck Ankh, I think this is an important topic and one I think about a lot.