Put Your Family on a Tech Diet Next Year

Whether you're eating dinner at home or in a restaurant, make everyone leave their phones in a different room during mealtimes. Not only is it rude to have your device at the table, but it's too tempting to check it when it is lying on the table. Use the time to talk about your days, learn what's going on, and just connect. The messages will be there when the meal is over.

If your phone isn't constantly buzzing, you won't be as inclined to pick it up. Turn off all push notifications, silence your ringer for everything except phone calls, and watch your tendency to pick it up quickly decline.

Remember that thing called a dictionary or, better yet, an encyclopedia? If you have a physical one in your home, turn to it instead of your phone, tablet, or computer to find the answer. Because once you're on your device, you and your kids are more likely to start checking email, social media accounts, or even the score of the big game.

Don't even bring your device into your kids' rooms at bedtime, and you won't feel the urge to check it. Bedtime should be a sacred time where you read a goodnight story and help your little one to bed. If your kids are anything like mine, bedtime is the time when they open up about their days — and you really don't want to miss that!

I'm not saying that the school play is boring or that you child's baseball game isn't captivating, but even if your smartphone is in your hand to photograph the event, there's a good chance you might sneak a peek or two at your email or that incoming text message. While you don't think your kids will notice, they likely do. By switching the device to Airplane Mode, you can still record the event for posterity without the temptation to check anything else.

This one applies to parents and kids. You don't need to be checking your email or social media accounts before you get out of bed every morning, and you don't need to check them right before closing your eyes for the night. Plus, if the same rules apply to everyone, you can keep better tabs on what your kids are doing online.

With all the family's phones and tablets in one space, parents can keep a better eye on them — and ensure that the kids aren't on them when they're supposed to be doing homework or falling asleep. It also makes everyone aware when one of the devices is "missing."