Promoting Healthy Tech Use: Feedback for Parents

While the efforts of policymakers and technology companies to enact effective standards and regulations are often slow, it falls on our community-including healthcare professionals, school administrators, and, parents/caregivers-to adopt proactive strategies and approaches to mitigate the potential negative effects that technology can have on our young people.  

This article is focused on the essential first steps parents and guardians can take to raise a child who is mindful and balanced in their technology use. This guidance is a follow-up to our previous newsletter, which presented data regarding the U.S. Surgeon General’s findings on the negative (and positive) effects of Social Media and Youth Mental Health (2023).

Establishing a Healthy Family Tech Culture: Tips for Parents

Develop a Family Media Plan: Establishing clear expectations and rules for social media use early is key to healthy habits. Evaluate your child’s maturity level and readiness to handle technology responsibly before granting access to more complex devices or platforms. A Family Media Plan acts as a contract, created together, that outlines device-free zones/times (like the dining room during family dinner time), “digital curfews” (when devices are powered down), and age-appropriate content guidelines. Additional starting points for parents to consider: Are we “solely a tech use during the weekdays for schoolwork/educational purposes with more freedom on the weekends” family? Are we a “tech use throughout the week with standards that have to be met before digital fun can be had” family? How does this tech management plan change during holidays, vacations, and summer breaks? 

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Explore, Model, and Supervise: Openly explore reasons for tech use with your child- both the dangers and the benefits- to cultivate critical thinking. Ask: What does healthy tech use look like? What are the signs it’s becoming a problem and what should be done if this happens? Research reputable sources together on this topic if you aren’t sure. Coming up with boundaries and guidelines together as a family ensures buy-in. Also, caregivers must model appropriate technology use themselves, setting the example for balance. Age-appropriate supervision ensures use does not disrupt sleep, social activity, or physical activity. Engage with the parents of your child’s friends in order to attempt to align Family Media Plans as much as possible to keep digital use as consistent as possible when children are outside the house. 

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Prioritize Safety and Reporting: Cyberbullying and online harassment should never be kept secret and must be reported to a trusted adult immediately. Maintaining open lines of communication ensures children feel safe approaching you with concerns.