Week 4-MON

Day 16 – Navigating Technology and Media

Verse:

Psalm 101:3 – “I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.”

Lesson: Social media is everywhere, and whether we like it or not, our kids are learning from it constantly. It’s a classroom without walls, with teachers we can’t always see; friends, influencers, and an algorithm designed to grab attention and keep them scrolling. The challenge for us as dads is huge: we can’t just hope they make good choices on their own. We have to step in, be intentional, and guide what they’re absorbing. That’s why today’s lesson is long, but important, because if we get this right, it can shape their character, their faith, and their future in ways that last far longer than a trending post. Hang in there; this is worth it.

Reflection: Ask yourself: “What example am I setting with my screen time?” Do your children see you scrolling during supper? Is your phone more present than your voice? Leave your phone in your pocket at the table, or better yet, put it in another room. Your habits today become the blueprint for their tomorrow. Teach them that attention is a gift, and who controls it, controls direction.

Insight: Phones and Performance
Modern dads are fighting a battle their fathers never had to face, the war for their kids’ attention. Research overwhelmingly proves one thing: the more time teens spend on screens, the more their sleep, focus, and performance suffer.

Sleep: Studies show that 90% of research on youth screen use finds an association with delayed bedtimes and reduced total sleep time. Nearly 60% of American teens use screens within an hour of bedtime, and three-quarters keep their phones in their rooms at night. The blue light from those screens suppresses melatonin (the body’s natural sleep hormone) and shifts the circadian rhythm, making it harder for the brain to rest and repair. For athletes, this is catastrophic: poor sleep means slower reaction times, weaker focus, and impaired muscle recovery, all of which directly sabotage training and game-day performance.

Focus and Cognitive Function: Mental fatigue doesn’t just come from physical effort, it comes from overstimulation. Research shows that just 30 minutes of screen use before a competition, such as checking social media or gaming, leads to poorer performance, more technical mistakes, and reduced decision-making quality. One study found that mentally fatigued athletes attempted the same number of plays but committed more errors and produced fewer successful outcomes. Even worse, after scrolling or gaming, an athlete’s perception of effort rises, meaning the same drill feels harder, and motivation drops faster.  If you want to see better game performance, take away their phones on the ride to the game.

Physical and Emotional Health: Teens who spend 4+ hours per day on screens are significantly more likely to be physically inactive and skip strength training. Beyond that, excessive screen time correlates strongly with higher rates of anxiety and depression in both student-athletes and teens in general. The constant comparison culture and fear of missing out (FOMO) drain confidence and joy, the very emotions that fuel passion and perseverance in sports.

Key Takeaway for Dads:
The phone isn’t just a harmless distraction, it’s a slow leak in your child’s performance tank. It steals sleep, scatters focus, and chips away at both confidence and consistency. If sleep is the #1 performance enhancer, then the phone is the #1 saboteur. As fathers, we can’t just tell our kids to be disciplined, we have to model digital discipline ourselves. Set boundaries on phone use before bed, during meals, and especially before practices or games. Your example teaches them that mental clarity and physical rest are the real competitive edges.

Pro tip:
If you decide to let your kids have limited social media, do it wisely, get their login info and set up what I call a “burner phone for good.” This isn’t about being Big Brother; it’s about being a good father. When you have access, you can keep an eye on what’s shaping them and shape the algorithm yourself. Go ahead and search things like Jesus, love, motivation, gratitude, and building strong relationships. Before long, their feed will be full of sermons instead of selfies. Think of it as holy hacking; outsmarting the algorithm one Bible verse at a time.

Family Mantra: “Screens off, game on.”

Prayer: Father, thank You for the gift of technology and connection. Help me use it wisely, not wastefully. Give me discernment to lead my family in truth and self-control. Teach us to value time, attention, and presence over distraction. May what we watch, say, and do reflect what is good, true, and pure. Amen.