The Cloistered Away Podcast

Technology is the largest topic in modern parenting, especially during the young adult years. When our children were little, before smartphones or iPads, screen time was based on the time a child spent in front of a TV, a relatively easy metric to govern or even eliminate. Now, screens and digital interfaces are everywhere—cars, coffee shops, banking, schools, etc. Even if a family decides to abstain from tech or personal devices in the home, they still must decide on the boundaries of how they will interact with the world through tech, which can create extra pressure and decision fatigue as parents. Today, Mark and I share some thoughts about tech and how we have set boundaries for it in our home. While this topic can create a lot of room for shame and judgment between parents and peers, we hope this opens the conversation and gives you agency in the decisions you make in your home. All resources mentioned (with some additional thoughts) are linked in the episode show notes at cloisteredaway.substack.com. * The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt—a must-read for all. * Freya India’s Substack, GIRLS —Freja is a sharp, young writer advocating for the girls in her generation (and younger). I highly recommend it to all women and those raising daughters.* Paul Kingsnorth’s Substack, Abbey of Misrule— I recommend his writings on “The Machine.” Begin with this essay, “The Tale of the Machine,” as a catalog of his work. * Digital Minimalism, Cal Newport—a reminder of our agency in the digital world. * The Shallows, Nicholas Carr—The first book on tech I read as a parent over a decade ago. I still reference it. * The Viceroy Project—Training for Christian men who want to lead their homes well, including how they manage tech and avoid/protect against pornography. * The Greta Eskridge Podcast—I recommend these episodes for help in navigating the pornography conversation at home and learning how to protect your children from it: * “Parenting in the Digital Age and Protecting Your Kids from Pornography, part one and part two,” * “Yes! You Can Talk to Your Kids about Pornography”* “We Have a Good Story to Tell! Talking to Your Kids about Sex” Image: Ship in a Storm, Ivan Aivazovsky, 1887 This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cloisteredaway.substack.com/subscribe

Rites of passage have been common to many cultures, yet the lines between child and adult tend to become blurred in the modern world under the broad moniker, “teenager.” Mark and I wanted something more distinct for our children, a way to mark their years of progression from child to adult. Gathering ideas from the Jewish tradition of bar/bat mitzvahs, we’ve marked these years with a coming-of-age event at age 13, encouraging our children into adulthood in intentional ways. We discuss some of those ideas and experiences in this episode. We have loved the young adult years with our children! They have been fruitful, even when they are challenging. We hope this encourages you in how you think about these years in your own family. For those who desire to host a coming-of-age event, Mark created a more specific guide for his Viceroy community that complements this episode. It covers more details to help with your planning. You can purchase or download it below. DOWNLOAD as a paid Substack subscriberPURCHASE at Viceroy OTHER RESOURCES“Thirteen | Welcome to Manhood” —a blog and video from our eldest’s 13th celebrationThe Viceroy ProjectCloistered Away SubstackImage: Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog, Caspar David Friedrich, 1818 This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cloisteredaway.substack.com/subscribe

What are the rhythms and routines that help cultivate our family culture? In this episode, Mark and I share some of the specifics from our home life—annual planning, discipleship, the family table, and more. We hope you enjoy! You can find more resources at the Cloistered Away Substack and website. Other mentioned resources are below. ReferencedThe Soul of Discipline, Kim John Payne“Governing Your Soul” podcast (EP 02)Your Best Homeschool Year guided workbookThe Viceroy ProjectThe guys at Abraham’s Wallet have generously gifted their Goals Summit Guide for your use. Check out their podcast or other helpful resources for running your home and finances with wisdom. Image: Willows, Arthur Dove, 1940 This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cloisteredaway.substack.com/subscribe

As we bend toward the second half of our first podcast season, Mark and I will be discussing more specific ideas around family culture. What do we mean by family culture, and how do you recognize your own? Join me and Mark this week as we talk about the distinctive cultus of a family and the agency you have to develop your own. Read more at www.cloisteredaway.substack.com and www.theviceroyproject.comImage: The Happy Family, Théodore Gérard, 1865 This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cloisteredaway.substack.com/subscribe