Family Media Policy
Research shows that when children are "plugged in" all the time, they're not as happy as kids who spend less time using media and technology. The parenting challenge is not to prevent children from using media and technology, but to achieve a healthy balance between the time spent connected to technology and having it unplugged at home. Developing a family media policy is an excellent way to achieve balance in the amount of time your children spend on cell phones, watching TV and using computers.
When creating a family media policy, we recommend starting with the T.I.M.E. acronym:
T = Talk. The first and most important step parents can take in deciding how their families should interact with technology is to talk with each other about what role it should play in their home. Explain that the family media policy will outline who can use a cell phone, computer and TV in the home; where that technology can be used; when kids can and can't use that technology; and what content can and can't be texted, tweeted, chatted, searched and viewed.
I =Instruct. Parents are their children's first and best teachers. Discuss your family media use policy with your children, and lay out clearly defined consequences for violating the policy. Remind your kids that technology is a privilege, not a right.
M =Monitor. Don't be afraid to monitor what your children are texting, tweeting, watching and doing while they are on their cell phones, iPads and computers. Use a good software program to block content and track what your children say and do online. Tell your children that you're monitoring them, and make sure they understand that it's to ensure they're staying safe online.
E =Encourage. Praise your children when you notice them doing something positive online, such as when they complete a research project and earn a good grade, or when you come across a chat or text conversation in which your child has clearly encouraged or helped a friend in a positive way. Always be on the lookout to catch your kids being good online.