Cell phone/computer boundaries

As I have watched the news these past few weeks I have seen the ugliness of the internet. It can be a place of indecency, bullying, and very unforgiving. Once something is said or posted online it doesn't go away easily. 

Having a youth group where every single youth has the internet at their finger tips anywhere and everywhere can be quite scary. It seems prying our eyes away from the screen for one moment is a challenge. 

For me my experience was quite different growing up. My family had one central computer and one phone line. I had no technology except a phone in my room. And today it is quite the contrast. Children, youth, and teens have a plethora of information at their finger tips in their very own bedroom. I hope that you will put up boundaries for technology. I think it is so important. 

Here are some boundaries I found on some great parenting websites that I put together. There are so many great resources out there. I would also be interested to hear what has worked for you and what has not worked if you can post a comment. I think it would be helpful to others reading this. 

• Require access to all email and social media accounts and know their passwords. Let them know UP FRONT that you’ll periodically check text messages, emails and social media accounts. It’s not spying on them – you are giving them fair warning that you’ll be checking.
• Implement a technology curfew – phones, computers and gaming devices must be turned off during meals and by 9 PM each night (or earlier if your child is in middle school). One application within Sprint Guardian I find particularly helpful is called Mobile Controls. It allows parents to lock their kids’ phones (so they can’t talk, text, use apps, etc.) on demand or schedule locks during dinner, school or late at night. Kids lose enough sleep to homework and extracurricular activities – the last thing they should be doing is spending hours texting with friends when they should be sleeping.
• Make bedrooms off-limits for technology. Require that computers and smartphones be used in public spaces and charged in a central area – like the kitchen. In addition to removing the temptation for kids, it gives you an opportunity to randomly check texts and emails.
• Find out what types of parental controls are available on your child’s cell phone. Common parental controls include filtering explicit content. Another parental control blocks the purchases of ringtones, graphics, and online games. One of the leaders in parental controls for cell phones is AT&T. Visit AT&T for more information
• Keep cell phone use in check. Try creating cell-phone-free zones, such as by having a basket where family members deposit their cell phones while you eat dinner. If you subscribe to a data plan or have a phone that can access the internet, TV, or video, set limits on screen time—just like you would with your family television. Then monitor what your child is watching.
• Make sure you set meaningful consequences for violations of your family’s cell phone rules, and consistently follow through with those consequences. Don’t be afraid to take away your child’s cell phone if she doesn’t follow the rules. Yes, it costs money to have a cell phone sitting there without being used, but your child won’t learn how to use it appropriately if you let her set all the rules.