Photo: Courtesy Dr. Britten Cole
Please welcome back celebrity bloggerDr. Britten Cole!
Dr. Cole, an anesthesiologist and mother of two, splits her time between Orlando, Florida, and Los Angeles, where she’s starring on the inaugural season ofMarried to Medicine: Los Angeles.Aside from appearing on the hit Bravo series’ new spin-off, sheis currently working on finding permanent medical employment on the west coast.
Before she became an anesthesiologist, Dr. Cole worked as an officer in the Navy alongside her best friend,Married to Medicine: AtlantastarDr. Contessa Metcalfe.
Cole and husband Mack Major share two children: Mack Jr., 7, and Ivy, 8. You can find her on Instagram@brittencolemd.
Dr. Britten Cole’s daughter Ivy.Courtesy Dr. Britten Cole
As we are all raising families in the 21st century, we share the same struggle: managing screens.
After school, before their backpacks have time to hit the floor, they have already grabbed their devices without a thought. Homework, piano practice, reading or studying become secondary. Dinnertime has started to feel like being on an island alone. Without an intervention, there’s no oneto engage in a conversation or sharefunny stories with. Oftentimes I feel it’s just me and my echo. Most evenings, I find myself staring at the top of everyone’s head at the dinner table.
Dr. Britten Cole.Courtesy Dr. Britten Cole
More from Dr. Cole’s PEOPLE.com blog series:
It’s hard to unplug from the information age that is upon us. We all want to consume every bit of it. I have questions only Google can answer. The kids have crafts they want instructions to. My husband has real-estate properties to look up. We all have our reasons for overstaying our welcome online.
Ultimately, I think most of us stay endlessly connected due to the fear of becoming disconnected. We just don’t want to miss anything. But is it fair to ask my kids to lay off the internet when they witness me or my husband scrolling away? Well, yeah! I am that mom who says, “Do as I say and not as I do.” I feel I’ve earned that. Myexpectations for my kids are thatthey do what I tell them to do because “I said so!”
And let’s be honest: They don’t share in adulthood burdens at their age, so why should they share in adulthood-type privileges? I have made it very clear to my children that they do not have the same freedoms as Mommy and Daddy. And although my husband and I try to maintain a healthy balance of face time and screen time, we actually do have real work to do on the internet.
That said, I am a reasonable mom. As such, I’ve decided to give my kids some concessionswhen it comes to their devices.
Dr. Britten Cole’s son Mack Jr.Courtesy Dr. Britten Cole
RELATED VIDEO: How Much Is Too Much? Moms Talk About Screen Time
So how do I balance giving mykids time to unwind on the internetwhile not allowing them to become device zombies? I had to set some ground rules:
Disconnecting from the infinite amount of information out there has helped our familybecome more connected with one another. Every day, there’s more we learn. I appreciate hearing what’s happening in their lives. I love that they trust us with their happiness as well as their struggles.
Dr. Britten Cole and family.Courtesy Dr. Britten Cole
These childhood years are fleeting, and as one of my best friends told me, “These kids are just passing through.” I’d hate to look back on this time only to discover that we’ve made minimal joyous and unforgettable memories.
At this moment, I want to revel in all that they do, see, feel and learn. I want to create long-lasting, incredible memories with my children. Iwant to create traditions andimpressions that will outlast even myself. And I won’t let any handheld device take that away from me.
Peace …
source: people.com
