Tips for Building your Parenting Smartphone Plan
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It’s never too early to start writing down plans for your family smartphone usage!
As parents, we can start teaching when kids are young by…
Setting an example of how we use technology.
Monitor your Sharenting Habits.
Teach them how to handle Ipads and laptops with care, so they will understand how to handle a smartphone.
Talk about the differences between using technology as a tool, (homework, research, communication) and using technology as entertainment (games, social media, shows)
Set some time limits on how long they can spend on technology for entertainment.
Make time to go outside with kids or play offline with them.
Comment and reinforce the positive aspects of being offline…
“Wow, look at the sun setting, glad we are outside to see it.”
“Isn’t it fun to play tag after dinner?”
“Playing board games and doing puzzles are my favorite ways to spend time off of screens.”
Tips to Consider for Your Plans!
Introduce related vocabulary.
It’s a great way to start conversations with your kids. Start by discussing how people leave a digital footprint with younger kids. Save more mature vocabulary discussions for when the kids are a little older. Write down the words and topics you will want to cover with your kids before they get smartphones. Here are a few to start with…
digital footprint
parental controls
security
privacy
cyber-bullying
distracted driving
sexting
cyber predators
Start off strict.
Why? It is harder to take away privileges once kids already have them. If you start them off slowly, it feels like a celebration as you release one privilege at a time. It also gives you time as a parent to teach and monitor smartphone usage briefly. It’s less overwhelming for you and the kids.
At what age will they get a phone?
What capabilities will the phone have? (Check out the link to the GABB phones for a great way to ease you and the kids into using phones)
At what ages will you add more capabilities or change the rules based on their maturity and responsibility with the use of the phone?
Who pays for what?
Will the kids pay a little for their monthly plan?
Who pays for apps? music? games?
Cracked screen? Did the phone fall into the toilet? Who pays?
Lost earbuds? Lost chargers?
What are the parameters around the usage?
Will they recharge phones in the parent’s room overnight to avoid late nights on their phones?
Will phones interfere with homework or chores?
How about dinner table usage?
Texting and driving?
What parental controls will you use?
Will you keep all of the kids’ passwords? Will you check their phones, pictures, and apps nightly? Weekly? What will your strategy be?
Resources.
These sites offer reviews of content for families.
Research other options out there.
Consider starting kids with an old flip phone that has less capability.
Check out the GABB Wireless Phone. It looks like a smartphone but with no internet. It’s a great starter phone for kids and a great way for parents to introduce technology. (Interested? Get $5.00 off with PROMO CODE: NOTEWORTHY)
What will the consequences of misusing the smartphone be?
Sort out rules and consequences ahead of time and share them with the kids before the phone is purchased. The kids may even offer up some ideas for consequences. This saves you parenting time and energy when something goes wrong…
You don’t have to come up with punishments on the fly.
It keeps you from overreacting.
It creates a clear plan, and everyone is on the same page.
It reduces the amount of negotiating the kids will do, especially if they helped create the rules and consequences.
Handing over smartphone technology to kids is a big deal.
The good and the bad of the internet will be at their fingertips.
Doing the best, you can means looking ahead and creating a plan.
Will you need to tweak or update your plan to keep up with the changes? Yes! But the basics will be set and you will be able to rely on your plan when and if you need it.
Check out these other posts for more parenting ideas and tips…