Suggestions for safe, healthy, & happy family time from ABRSD

Instant access to technology, including computers, Chromebooks, iPads, smart phones, email, and social media can make it challenging for families to strike a balance with the digital world.  Here are some suggestions for managing your children’s digital connections at home. 

1. Create and sign a family media agreement.

• Common Sense Media Family Agreement Template

2. Limit screen time.

• Parent Advice for Managing Screen Time from Common Sense Media

3. Teach children to email, text, post, and IM respectfully and responsibly.

• Cell Phone Etiquette Tips for Tweens

4. Encourage kids to tell you or another adult if they see something that makes them feel uncomfortable, or that they know will hurt someone’s feelings.

• Video: Cyberbullying Advice

5. Set privacy and security controls on your home network, computers & mobile devices. 

• Parental controls on Android device settings

• Parental controls on iOS devices

• Parental controls for Windows, Macs, and mobile devices with Mobicip (pricing starts @$3.33 per month for up to 5 devices)

• Parental controls through Comcast, Verizon, and other utilities

6. Educate yourself and your children about digital citizenship and choosing appropriate digital resources.

• Download the Common Sense Media mobile app

• Watch videos on the Common Sense Media Channel on cable TV 

7. Practice keyboarding skills. Children in grades 2-6 can become more familiar with their computer/Chromebook keyboards and practice proper keyboarding and touch typing by occasionally engaging with these free resources: 

• Dance Mat Typing is a great place for beginners to start with keyboarding. 

• Typing.com provides sequential lessons & games.

8. Make screen time purposeful. If your children use digital devices encourage that they to be active, not passive users of technology. They can go on a nature walk and take pictures of what they find to research online or include in a digital science journal, record a video of themselves reading a book to send to friends and relatives, create a website to share their artwork, map a family trip on Google Earth, spend an hour learning to code at Code.org...the possibilities are endless. 

9. Unplug!  Take a break from screens and leave the technology behind. Read a book, play outside, take a hike, or go on a family adventure without any computers or mobile devices.