You have considered monitoring your kid’s phone. Since they may not be entirely too enthusiastic about this, there will be some convincing to do to get them on board. Part of this process will be listening to their opinion. Try to genuinely hear their voice, problems, and concerns-- they will appreciate you for this. To start monitoring, you will have to reach an agreement with them about their phone usage. This will include what types of apps and websites you will allow them to use. Here are some things to consider when creating that contract.
UsagernThis will be the section where you and your child can agree how much, when, and where they are allowed to use their phones. This is quite important because 59% of parents feel that their kids are addicted to their phones. Because of this, establishing an hourly limit for phone usage is important for this contract. CNN even claims that kids are spending up to 9 hours per day on average on their devices. You can also include the times of the day where they are allowed to use their devices, such as only before and after school and not during school. Even telling them specific places where they can not use their phones (like at grandma’s house) can be in this contract. Also, you can establish a time when they are not allowed to use their phones anymore at night. Phones and devices at night have caused many teenagers to become sleep deprived, as 87% of kids are not getting the recommended amount of sleep (8-10 hours per night) according to the National Sleep Foundation.
Etiquette rnThis section coincides with things like not allowing kids to use their phone at grandma’s house. There is a time and place of when phones should be used, and family time may not be the appropriate time to use phones. Meals can also be one of those times where phones aren’t allowed. However, no phones at the table should not just be restricted to kids. Almost 70% of adults use their phones at meals, and 59% of kids feel neglected when their parents do this. Another piece of etiquette you can agree on is not letting your kids use their phone during homework time. Almost one-third of kids text in class daily, and around three-fourths of kids have texted at least once in class. Phones are distracting enough in the classroom, so don’t allow it to distract them at home. Texting while someone is talking can also be rude, so you can make it part of your agreement. For the older kids, not texting while driving can also be in this agreement.
ConsequencesrnTaking responsibility of one’s actions should definitely be a part of this phone contract. There are certain things that you and your kid can both do, like not using phones when people are talking . There should be a predetermined set of consequences if any rules are broken. Rules are inevitably going to be broken at some time, and kids should know that phones are a privilege, not a right. Lastly, you and your child can both print this contract out and provide signatures to complete it.
rnYou have considered monitoring your kid’s phone. Since they may not be entirely too enthusiastic about this, there will be some convincing to do to get them on board. Part of this process will be listening to their opinion. Try to genuinely hear their voice, problems, and concerns-- they will appreciate you for this. To start monitoring, you will have to reach
an agreement with them about their phone usage. This will include what types of apps and websites you will allow them to use. Here are some things to consider when creating that contract.
Usage
This will be the section where you and your child can agree how much, when, and where they are allowed to use their phones. This is quite important because 59% of parents feel that their kids are addicted to their phones. Because of this, establishing an hourly limit for phone usage is important for this contract. CNN even claims that kids are spending up to 9 hours per day on average on their devices. You can also include the times of the day where they are allowed to use their devices, such as only before and after school and not during school. Even telling them specific places where they can not use their phones (like at grandma’s house) can be in this contract. Also, you can establish a time when they are not allowed to use their phones anymore at night. Phones and devices at night have caused many teenagers to become sleep deprived, as 87% of kids are not getting the recommended amount of sleep (8-10 hours per night) according to the National Sleep Foundation.
Etiquette
This section coincides with things like not allowing kids to use their phone at grandma’s house. There is a time and place of when phones should be used, and family time may not be the appropriate time to use phones. Meals can also be one of those times where phones aren’t allowed. However, no phones at the table should not just be restricted to kids. Almost 70% of adults use their phones at meals, and 59% of kids feel neglected when their parents do this. Another piece of etiquette you can agree on is not letting your kids use their phone during homework time. Almost one-third of kids text in class daily, and around three-fourths of kids have texted at least once in class. Phones are distracting enough in the classroom, so don’t allow it to distract them at home. Texting while someone is talking can also be rude, so you can make it part of your agreement. For the older kids, not texting while driving can also be in this agreement.
Consequences
Taking responsibility of one’s actions should definitely be a part of this phone contract. There are certain things that you and your kid can both do, like not using phones when people are talking . There should be a predetermined set of consequences if any rules are broken. Rules are inevitably going to be broken at some time, and kids should know that phones are a privilege, not a right. Lastly, you and your child can both print this contract out and provide signatures to complete it.