The amount of time young Americans spend staring at a screen has reached unprecedented levels. In 2021, they were logging more screen time than bedtime: Teenagers spent an average of eight hours and 39 minutes on a digital device, but only 22% were getting eight hours of sleep. Most alarmingly, a recent study found that as little as one to four hours of daily screen time among children aged one is linked with higher risks of developmental delays in communication, fine motor, problem-solving, and personal and social skills by the age of two. As such, parents and educators must be more proactive in managing technology use to mitigate these health consequences.

However, it’s not just excessive screen time that is a concern. While students’ access to information is highly beneficial for learning, technology also exposes them to mental, emotional, and psychological risks that, when left unchecked, can have long-term consequences. It’s unrealistic to eliminate screen time altogether, but there are a few ways to help young people use technology more responsibly, with overall health top of mind:

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As a working technology teacher, I get hundreds of questions from parents about their home computers, how to do stuff, how to solve problems. Each Tuesday, I’ll share one of those with you. They’re always brief and always focused. Enjoy!

Q: My mouse stopped working. Do I need to buy a new one?

A: Maybe, but try a few things first:

• Check the plugs. Is it still plugged in?
• Check the batteries (if it's a wireless)? Do you need to replace them?
• Make sure your wireless hub (if it's wireless) is in proximity that the mouse and keyboard can find it
• Reboot your computer. This is a universal cure for all stuff that goes awry on a computer. There are so many drivers and commands floating around in the operational sequence, they get lost somethings. A reboot might get the mouse driver back where the system can find it.
• Before you buy a new mouse, plug a spare in--see if it works.