Guides to Conversation

Model Healthy Habits – Show the behavior you want to see.

Be a Coach, Not a Referee – Teach, explain, and guide instead of punish.

Name It to Tame It – Help your child identify their emotions while online.

Focus on Solutions, Not Just Fears – Problem-solve together.

Understand Their Perspective – Ask before you assume.

Listen Actively – Listening builds trust more than lecturing.

Collaboration & Boundaries
“What feels like a fair amount of screen time for school days versus weekends?”

“How do you think we could make sure family time doesn’t get interrupted by phones?”

“Would you like to come up with some ‘device-free zones’ together—like the dinner table or bedrooms?”

“If we made a family agreement about tech use, what should be on it?”

“What helps you remember to take breaks from your screen?”

Social Media & Well-being

“How does being on social media make you feel most of the time?”

“What do you do when you see a post that makes you feel left out or not good enough?”

“Who online makes you feel encouraged or inspired?”

“Do you ever feel pressure to post certain things?”

“How can you tell when it’s time to take a break from your phone?”

Safety & Privacy
“Do you know who can see what you post online?”

“What kinds of information should we never share online?”

“If someone you don’t know messages you, what’s the best thing to do?”

“How do you decide if a site, app, or game is safe to use?”

“What would you do if you saw something online that made you uncomfortable?”

Parent Role Modeling
“I’m working on checking my phone less before bed. Want to help me stick to that?”

“Let’s both try a no-screens challenge after dinner and see what we can do instead.”

“I’ve noticed I sometimes scroll without thinking—have you ever caught yourself doing that too?”

“What’s one thing you wish adults understood better about your online world?”

“Do you think there’s anything I could do differently with my phone or social media?”

Mutual Expectations

“What do you need from me to feel trusted with your devices?”

“What should happen if someone breaks one of our screen rules?”

“How can we remind each other kindly if one of us forgets our boundaries?”

“What does being responsible online look like to you?”

“What kind of privacy do you want, and how can we balance that with safety?”

Acknowledging Challenges

“It’s okay if social media feels overwhelming sometimes—everyone feels that way.”

“What’s the hardest part of being online for you right now?”

“Have you ever seen something online that made you feel anxious or sad?”

“What do you wish your friends understood about online pressure?”

“How can I help when things online feel stressful?”

Reviewing & Adjusting Rules

“Do our current screen rules still feel fair, or should we update them?”

“What’s working well about our tech boundaries? What’s not?”

“As you get older, what freedoms do you think make sense to add?”

“How can we make sure our rules grow with you?”

“Should we check in about this again in a few weeks to see how things are going?”

3 Things to Know:

1. Resistance is normal.

2. They don’t need to talk about everything.

3. Be ready when they do want to talk.
   
   

5 Tricks to Try (Use Icons):

• Keep it short

• Talk while walking or driving

• Use visuals or short videos

• Make it a game (younger kids)

• Mix in fun topics