Removing Tech Is Only The First Step | Ambleside School
Ambleside students at recess.
Dear Parents,
When you read a book with The Tech Exit on the cover, the page content is self-evident. As I started reading this book by Clare Morell this summer, I was seeking a fresh perspective on how to navigate technology with children.
I didn’t need to be convinced about its dangers.
If you have enrolled your child(ren) at Ambleside School, you’re very likely in the same boat.
After laying out the case for why leaving tech behind is the best answer for our children, Morell asks a simple and logical question: “Then what?”
When we leave tech behind, Morell asks, what is before us?
It wasn’t until I was near the end of the book that I had this thought: This is what Ambleside provides for families.
“Removing digital tech from childhood is the first step, but the far greater task ahead of us is to reclaim true human flourishing,” she says.
And what is human flourishing? It’s growing and developing in a healthy, vigorous way, in a favorable environment. This, ultimately, is the work we are doing together at Ambleside.
Each day, your children are immersed in the best books and ideas, real and valuable work, nature, art, music, prayer, friendship, and service. These things form them toward wisdom and virtue.
But flourishing requires more than the school day — it requires a community. Our children thrive when families partner to create rhythms and friendships that are rich with real things and real people. That’s why we encourage you to:
Arrange tech-free playdates and meals together.
Volunteer at school and attend community events.
Join us for prayer gatherings.
Share life — games, books, chores, laughter, and adventures — together.
When we say “no” to screens, we are saying “yes” to something far greater. We are reclaiming the nourishing aspects of childhood for our children. We are entering a life of flourishing that forms not only our children, but us as parents and teachers, in service to others.
This is what Ambleside is about, and I am grateful to walk this path with you.
Yours truly,
Krise