In the digital age, many parents struggle with when a child is ready for a cell phone and how much time they should spend on screens. The American Academy of Pediatrics and AT&T are launching tools to help families decide if kids are phone ready and help create safe, responsible use of media and technology.Dr. Jenny Radesky, assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Michigan Medical School, says, “People have used parental controls and other types of monitoring technology, but that’s not the only answer. A lot of it is about saying to your kids, ‘Hey, let me give you digital world, show me which games you play or which YouTubers you follow and have healthy conversations.’ To gauge whether the family is in the ‘Ready Zone’ or not, there is a questionnaire that asks things like, does your child keep their belongings and whether you trust their judgment when you are not. tailor a media plan for the whole family. “What boundaries do you want to set around technology so that children can sleep soundly and do homework undisturbed. What is important for your family. Master and enjoy technology, not be controlled by it,” said Dr. Radesky Bennett Cox is busy working out so he hasn’t been on his iPad much this summer “I usually play games because I can make friends with all my friends and then we can play together.” His mom Lezlie talks about it thought about getting the 11-year-old a cell phone. “I’m a little nervous with social media, cyberbullying, that sort of thing. But he does a lot of sports and is at friends’ houses, and it would be easier for us to plan make if he had one’, she says. Bennett thinks he’s responsible enough for a cell phone. “If I look at something that isn’t right, I tell my mom because sometimes it just pops up.” Lezlie says it’s best if kids can just be kids without screens. “The kids should be playing outside and not sitting at home on the iPads or, you know, doing social media stuff,” she says. Media use among tweens and teens has skyrocketed since the pandemic. Teens spend more than 8 and a half hours a day on screens, according to Common Sense Media.
In the digital age, many parents struggle with when a child needs a cell phone and how much time they should spend on screens.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and AT&T are launching tools to help families decide if children are phone ready and to create safe and responsible use of media and technology.
dr. Jenny Radesky, assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Michigan Medical School, says, “People have used parental controls and other types of monitoring technology, but that’s not the only answer. A lot will be about saying to your kids: Hey, show me your digital world, show me which games you play or which YouTubers you follow and have healthy conversations.’
To gauge whether the family is in the “Ready Zone” or not, there is a questionnaire that asks things like, does your child keep their belongings and whether you trust their judgment when you are not there.
Parents can also tailor a media plan for the whole family. “What limits do you want to set around technology, so that children can sleep soundly and do homework undisturbed. What’s important to your family. Mastering technology and enjoying it, not being controlled by it,” said Dr. Radesky.
Bennett Cox is busy working out, so he hasn’t been on his iPad much this summer. “I usually play games because I can befriend all my friends and then we can play together.”
His mother Lezlie has been thinking about getting the 11-year-old a cell phone. “I’m a little nervous with social media, cyberbullying, that sort of thing. But he does a lot of sports and is at friends’ houses, and it would be easier for us to make plans if he had one,” she says.
Bennett thinks he’s responsible enough for a cell phone. “I tell my mom when I watch something that’s not right, because sometimes it just pops up.”
Lezlie says it’s best if kids can just be kids without screens. “The kids should be playing outside and not sitting at home on the iPads or, you know, doing things on social media,” she says.
Media use among tweens and teens has skyrocketed since the pandemic. Teens spend more than 8 and a half hours a day on screens, according to Common Sense Media.
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