Page 8 - Chehalis Tribal Newsletter - April, 2018

8

FAMILY

No bribery needed

Unglue your children from their cell phones

Talk might be cheap, but Don’t make it punishment
overage charges, not so much.
Teenagers text more than Your child’s phone is key to
3,000 times each month, their social world. Taking it
according to the Nielsen away as a routine punishment
Company. Even if you have is sure to backfire. As reported
the best data overage plan on by the Child Mind Institute,
the planet, phone use requires virtual communication has
balance and boundaries. Use a positive role in your child’s
these tricks to get your kids life. Eliminating it entirely can
to look up from their phones damage trust.
every now and then: “Your child’s cell phone
is their main lifeline and
Practice what you preach connection to their world,”
If you incessantly check explained Dr. Newman.
email during dinner or answer “Acknowledging this can help
texts at family outings, you guide you when you’re setting
might be contributing to your boundaries,” she added.
child’s overuse behavior. No-phone zone for meals
“If you want your kids to get balanced use channels of
off of their phones, you need For many families, a shared of technology. It communication
to get off of yours,” said social dinner is an oasis of hard- includes an app blocker and open. Your children need a
psychologist and parenting won time together carved out parental time lock. chance to explain some of
expert Susan Newman, PhD. between obligations. Constant Carolyn Hawkinson-Pruett their usage to you so they feel
Newman urges parents to buzzing and heads downcast Osci, an artist and mother of heard.
remember that they are role over phones can take away two, uses a nanny program “Whatever your family
models. Kids are watching and from the experience. called Norton Family, which rules are, have your teens and
learning from their parents all “Growing up, if the phone includes monitoring features tweens help you determine
the time. Try having the entire rang during dinner, we didn’t and a time supervisor. them,” Dr. Newman said.
family leave their phones answer it,” said motivational “They are more likely to follow
turned off or at least put speaker and single mom Stick to your guns the rules if they have a say in
them away during time spent Kristen Darcy. “Now, with what they are.” Don’t miss the
together. And always switch all the chiming, ringing, This might come as a secret habits of happy families.
off your ringer during school dinging and vibrating going spoiler alert, but at some
plays and sports games. on, it’s challenging to be in the point, all kids think their Dumb it down
moment with your children.” parents are THE WORST.
Set commonsense limits When Darcy’s text chimes You must keep up with the “Kids practically come
Teens are pretty universally during dinner, she leads by boundaries even when your out of the womb on their
phones,” Monroe said. If all
tech-obsessed, but that doesn’t example and lets it wait. kids are having a breakdown. other efforts to control their
mean you have zero say in the “Before we got our kids’ cell use fails, give your child a
matter. Use tech to control tech cell phones, we had them sign non-smart flip phone, the kind
“It’s a parent’s job to Ericka Sterns has seven an agreement about what is that lets them call and text
establish limits for the safe kids, so she is no stranger to and isn’t appropriate,” said but has no bells and whistles.
use of technology so their technology use and overuse Lori Holden, a mom and “The privilege here is to get
kids can learn how to use in the home. Sterns uses the open adoption advocate. back their smart phone once
communication devices in a OurPact parental control app “Sometimes, we also request they learn how to stay within
healthy way,” said Jamison to control phone usage. that they be in the moment the boundaries you’ve set,”
Monroe, founder and CEO of “I can turn their phones and put down their phones. Monroe said. “At the same
Newport Academy, a mental off in a second if they aren’t This doesn’t mean there’s no time, organize family activities
health treatment program for listening, plus schedule off- whining, but I don’t cave in.” that don’t involve technology,
teens. “You own your child’s time during school and at Let kids help set rules
phone. It’s your property. As night,” she said. such as hikes, parks and
a parent, you’re in charge of The app includes a contract Including your kids in museums, and enforce the no-
setting commonsense limits that parents and kids sign, the cell phone rule-making phone for anyone rule.”
on its use.” plus guidelines to create a process can help keep the Article from Readers Digest