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This site hosts Nell Minow’s Movie Mom® archive, with material that originally appeared on Yahoo! Movies, Beliefnet, and other sources. Much of her new material can be found at
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Her books include The Movie Mom’s Guide to Family Movies and 101 Must-See Movie Moments, and she can be heard each week on radio stations across the country.
Cheers to The Station in Bernardsville, NJ. They give patrons a basket for their phones and other devices. And then if the customers make it to the end of the meal without using them, they give 5% off the bill. Bravo! Families should do this at all meals, at home and in restaurants.
I do agree at restaurants, but we would struggle at home. Not for the reasons you think – none of us is glued to a screen during meal (big or small). But we get into great discussions with our kids (age 12 and 15), and probably once a week we look something up (so what is the difference between stock and broth?). We use it to add to out conversations, not take away.
Great point, Jenny Howard! We have a giant dictionary next to the dining table and it gets a workout. I think there is a definite exception when the family uses one device together.