Technology guidelines for your household

Technology guidelines for your household.

With the constant shifts in technology it is even more important to have some solid rules about technology in your home.  Here are some ideas that we have seen be helpful in households:

•         Put a curfew on the technology in your home.  AND ENFORCE IT. This encourages kids to prioritize their time, but it also forces them to shut their brains off and disconnect.  Your child is not going to get a good night sleep if he/she’s waiting for a text/facebook/etc response from another peer. (Helpful tip: Many cell phone companies allow parents to set a ‘turn off’ hour for their kids cell phones.)
•         Resist the temptation to put televisions or computers in your children’s room.  Studies show that t.v. stimulates children’s brains and makes it more difficult for them to fall asleep. In addition, there is not quality programming on in the later hours of the evening. It is much more difficult to regulate and enforce rules if the t.v., computer or cell phone is in their room. Removing those items is the easiest way to ensure that they are not in use.
•         If you allow your child on Facebook or to have email, have the passwords.  The risks online are great and the anonymity of the internet doesn’t always lend to the best decision making especially with a teenage mentality.  If they don’t want you seeing it, then they shouldn’t be writing it period.  Start this expectation early to make it easier on yourself.  If you haven’t done this it’s not too late to put it in place- remember you are the parent and you can change the rules if you wish.
•     Remind your children that although you gave them a cellphone it still belongs to you and is a privilege that can be taken away. 
•         Don’t be scared of technology! Embrace it and be open to learning.  Challenge yourself to learn what is out there because technology is a second language for your children and you want to be in the know.  

As a parent it is important to raise healthy, happy children.  Encourage your child’s need for independence and respect their need for privacy; however, you must also listen to your gut.  If you feel something is off or wrong, you want to have the means to be able to look into it further.  Resist the temptation of checking your child’s phone/accounts daily (this can turn into a compulsion).  Instead, find a balance between allowing for their independence and minimizing risks.