Few adolescent experiences are as liberating as being granted a cell phone.
Those phones arent merely being used for safety check-ins with parents, either.
A Reutersarticlecites a third of families arguing daily about time spent on devices.
Instead, individualize your approach based on your childs age, personality and individual needs.
So I supervise her video time closer than with my 2-year-old.
Those videos mostly lack educational value, so I use them more as a treat.
Ill say, who wants to watch the baby shark video?
That can often be enough to keep them from weirdo videos.
Its unfair and hypocritical for me to expect them not to use the phone if Im on the phone.
It is a decision Im concerned about in the next few years.
Its a Pandoras Box, but its also completely impractical for him not to have a phone.
A lot of their social [in person] interactions revolve around online content.
They idolize people they find through social media.
Such Draconian measures might lead to an increased desire to use the phone at home.
Adjust your rules accordingly, while remembering the social value of the phone to your teen.
These services work across family PCs, laptops and devices, but they can be pricey.
Alternatively, GooglesFamily Linkis free, but has come under scrutiny for letting teens 13+lift restrictions themselves.
At the beginning of 6th grade, my daughter started asking for one.
She couldnt take pictures with the burner.
At 12, we caved and gave her an old iPhone.
Middle school is a major time for community-building and learning how to identify as part of social circles.
Teenagers become increasingly eager to parake in that outside of the confines of the home.
Its freaking tricky, Bocchieri opines, its an extension of understanding the boundaries of her individuality.
She goes out with her friends, has some money to spend.
She wants to document life and prove herself as part of a tribe.
While relinquishing control, its still important to stand firm on some rules.
It doesnt always work.
Ill sign her up for classes ASAP and get some drumsticks in her hand.
This is where tracking data or time usage via the gear or a service can prove especially helpful.
Keep the times you want to be gadget-free sacred for everyone.
