Meet TechDen – The First Ever Product That Combines An App Parents Use To Manage Screen Time With A Physical Home

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Below is our recent interview with Sarah Voss, Director of Marketing & Communications at TechDen:

Q: Could you provide our readers with a brief introduction to TechDen?

A: TechDen is the first-ever product that combines an app parents use to manage screen time with a physical home, The Den, that charges and stores our kids’ phones and tablets. Storing devices in The Den establishes a new mindset of unavailability and gives our devices a home of their own. The Den takes an “out of sight, out of mind” approach that teaches healthy digital habits, establishes boundaries, and creates a positive balance with technology.

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Q: What’s your story? How did the company start? Where did you get the idea?

A: TechDen was founded by CEO, inventor and dad of two, James Symons. James, like the rest of us, experienced the everyday battle with his kids when it came to screen time and device-use at home. After talking to friends he realized this struggle was bigger than the Symons’ household. Screen time management is a very real challenge parents are dealing with in the age of technology. Though there are solutions to help, nothing seems to get at the heart of solving the problem. As an entrepreneur, James saw an opportunity to develop a tool for the physical management of devices. James worked on groundbreaking technology solutions and leveraged existing intellectual property that managed hundreds of thousands of devices in schools. This intellectual property was making teachers’ lives easier in the classroom and James saw an opportunity to replicate that in the home with TechDen.

Q: How exactly does it work?

A: Once downloaded, the TechDen app pairs with The Den to:

– Create schedules that remotely lock and unlock the doors of The Den and receive notifications about device removal and time usage.
– It allows visibility to which devices are charging in The Den and which are in use.
– TechDen helps to eliminate conflict over screen time, set boundaries, teach and establish a healthy routine for balanced tech time.

Q: Why is it important to have a balance with the screens in our lives?

A: Technology is a wonderful thing and part of our kids’ lives. It helps educate, entertain, feed their curiosity and foster their talents. However, like most things, it should be consumed in moderation. Research shows the typical U.S. teen spends over 6 hours per day using screens for entertainment. In fact, 50% of teens “feel addicted” to mobile devices and 59% of their parents agree their kids are addicted. Teenagers rates of loneliness or depression has increased in direct correlation with the increased use of screens. We’re losing our sense of a real connection with people, face-to-face. As humans, this is inherent to our being, to our existence, to our happiness. We need to find the balance with all the positives technology can offer with real-life interactions and experiences. It’s like everything in life, really. It’s imperative we find balance with work, friends, family, sleep—technology is no different.

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Q: What’s wrong with other device management apps out there?

A: There are some really great apps but they only solve half of the problem. “Out of sight, out of mind” is a powerful concept. By putting your device in The Den you remove the want to even use it. You don’t even think about it. I think we can all relate to the need for our phones when it’s close proximity. If it’s in front of me, it’s the idea of “just one more text”, “just one more post”. We can easily get sucked into the notion of “just one more thing” and, let’s be honest, smartphones are designed to do just that. There is no end to the internet and the incessant scroll is a real thing. Additionally, some apps simply shut down the internet and that removes the opportunity for a valuable lesson for children. Teaching kids to put their device away empowers them to find the balance on their own and it inserts intention into the process. As they get older they might choose, key-word choose, to factor in non-device time as it was inherent from establishing heathy habits at a young age.

Q: What are your plans for the future?

A: We want to delight parents and kids with positive, life-changing experiences. We’re focused on solutions that help people achieve balance with the screens in their lives. It’s our mission. It’s our passion. It’s what brought TechDen to life.