“Being dragged along on a sojourn that was not their idea is a major eye-roll inducer for teens.”
SAM KAYAKS AT LAKE MURRAY AND (LEFT) ENJOYS FISHING.
roast them over the fire, and since a lot of teenagers are passive pyromaniacs or just pyro-curious, this will keep their focus on a natural light rather than the cold blue one emanating from their phones. But remember, not all screen time is time wasted. Sam is enormously interested in animals, and enjoyed the Oklahoma City Zoo’s OKC Zoo@Two daily video conferences featuring staff introducing different zoo residents and an online library of past programs, and there are many aquariums and other zoos providing wild experiences at safe distances.
This summer, giving kids command over their version of family fun, with or without screens, can provide them a coveted bit of control and you some oft-elusive clout. George Lang has worked in journalism for 25 years and has written or edited for The Oklahoman, Oklahoma Gazette and other area publications. He currently teaches at ACM@UCO and hosts “Spy 101” on KOSU/The Spy. He and his wife Laura, chief executive officer at Thrive, Inc., and their son Sam live, work and school in Oklahoma City.
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