Erin Loechner is a homeschooling mom, author, and founder of a global movement of families who are re-imagining their relationship to tech. As a former social media influencer who walked away from her millions of followers to live a low-tech lifestyle, Erin is now teaching others how to do the same. Her newest book is The Opt-Out Family: How to Give Your Kids What Technology Can’t.
In this episode, Erin invites families to imagine what it might look like to live a life of freedom and connection. She believes that if we understand the techniques Silicon Valley employs to get us locked in to our devices, we can use those very same strategies to build a family culture that is more engaging than anything screens have to offer. The Opt-Out movement isn’t about eliminating screens completely or shaming those who make different choices around tech. It’s about getting clear on your family values and the legacy you want to leave, while thinking critically about whether technology supports those goals. We don’t have to surrender to the inevitability of screens. There is another way.
You can listen to this conversation on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And be sure to check our other interviews with amazing guests like Ginny Yurich, Leslie Martino, Durenda Wilson, and Sally Clarkson.
Grab your copy of The Opt-Out Family: How to Give Your Kids What Technology Can’t
Resources from Erin
- Visit OptOutFamily.com to join the global movement of families re-evaluating their relationship to tech
- Learn what the science says about why opting out matters
- Stay connected with Erin through her email newsletter
- Download the Opt-Out Family Pledge
- Link up with others who are seeking to live a more face-to-face, intentional life with Co-Opt Out
Recommended Reading to Dive Deeper into This Topic
- Until the Streetlights Come On: How a Return to Play Brightens Our Present and Prepares Kids for an Uncertain Future by Ginny Yurich
- The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt
- Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant, and Better Students for Life by Peter Gray
- Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked by Adam Alter
If You Enjoyed This Conversation, Here Are Some More Episodes You Might Enjoy
- Episode 34: Preparing for an Uncertain Future Through Play with Ginny Yurich
- Episode 33: Practicing Presence with Joy Prouty
- Episode 22: Raising Whole and Healthy Families with Jodi Mockabee
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