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Nicole Balza
The back cover of Look Up From Your Phone So I Can Love You by Amy Vannieuwenhoven says that the book is “an interactive journal that helps parents communicate with their grade school and high school children about smartphone usage and genuine connection.” My 12-year-old daughter Julia and I worked through the journal, and we found it to be that and so much more.
Although Julia doesn’t have a smartphone yet, the journal was a great tool for her and me to learn more about each other. More than half of the book has nothing to do with smartphones, and the part that does can be easily translated to other electronic devices (for example, Julia has an iPad). Vannieuwenhoven has a relatable writing style—Julia loved her use of emojis and her sense of humor—and she’s found a great format to help parents with a relevant topic.
Most children yearn to spend meaningful time with their parents—whether they’re willing to admit it or not. This book helps parents and children share important details of their life with one another in a safe space—the journal. It helps build a foundation for a solid relationship with one another. It also helps equip children to have the responsibility of using a smartphone.
Finally, Vannieuwenhoven weaves God’s Word throughout the journal. She shares Scripture, statistics, and advice, all with a casual tone. I hope that many parents and their children work through this journal together and find it to be the blessing that Julia and I did.
Author: Nicole Balza
Volume 106, Number 2
Issue: February 2019
