If you’ve tuned into Tech Talk Tuesday before, you might already know that in my family, we have decided that the car is a “screens-off” space for all of us. It works great when it’s just us in the car. We talk, we catch up, we sit quietly.
But the other day, I was driving my son Chase (11th grade) and two of his 12th-grade jazz band friends to NYC for a special jazz event. They got online to help me navigate and search for a train that might take them into the city.
Some time after we found there was no train option, they were still on their phones. So in my kindest voice, I explained that we have a rule about not using phones in the car except for navigating. They complied and started a funny bubble gum game and then a license plate game that got us all laughing.
A little while later, they were back on their phones. When I gently reminded them of the rule, they were great about it. Only Chase was slightly annoyed with me. This rule is important to me because I want to emphasize how distracting screens can be for the driver. (A new report released last week by Common Sense Media includes a poll in which 56% of parents admit they check mobile devices while driving and 51% of teens see their parents doing it.)
On a different night, my daughter Tessa invited a couple of friends to stay overnight. Again we were faced with how to adhere to our family’s rules — no phones in the bedroom at bedtime — during a social situation. Tessa and I agreed on a reasonable “phones off” time that she could tell her friends about so that I wouldn’t embarrass her by doing it when they arrived. But in the end, I found myself confiscating the phones at 11:30 because I wanted them to get some sleep.
· Our family’s screen time rules may be different than the rules your friends have in their families. Do your friends know about any of our family’s screen time rules?
· How would you like me to let your friends know what my screen rules are when they are with our family?
· Do you think it is embarrassing when a parent enforces your own family’s rules when your friends are around?
· Has this happened to you when you are with other families? How do you feel about it?
Learn more about showing our movies in your school or community!
Join Screenagers filmmaker Delaney Ruston MD for our latest Podcast
Learn more about our Screen-Free Sleep campaign at the website!
Our movie made for parents and educators of younger kids
Learn more about showing our movies in your school or community!
Learn more about showing our movies in your school or community!
Join Screenagers filmmaker Delaney Ruston MD for our latest Podcast
Learn more about our Screen-Free Sleep campaign at the website!
Our movie made for parents and educators of younger kids
Join Screenagers filmmaker Delaney Ruston MD for our latest Podcast
As we’re about to celebrate 10 years of Screenagers, we want to hear what’s been most helpful and what you’d like to see next.
Please click here to share your thoughts with us in our community survey. It only takes 5–10 minutes, and everyone who completes it will be entered to win one of five $50 Amazon vouchers.
If you’ve tuned into Tech Talk Tuesday before, you might already know that in my family, we have decided that the car is a “screens-off” space for all of us. It works great when it’s just us in the car. We talk, we catch up, we sit quietly.
But the other day, I was driving my son Chase (11th grade) and two of his 12th-grade jazz band friends to NYC for a special jazz event. They got online to help me navigate and search for a train that might take them into the city.
Some time after we found there was no train option, they were still on their phones. So in my kindest voice, I explained that we have a rule about not using phones in the car except for navigating. They complied and started a funny bubble gum game and then a license plate game that got us all laughing.
A little while later, they were back on their phones. When I gently reminded them of the rule, they were great about it. Only Chase was slightly annoyed with me. This rule is important to me because I want to emphasize how distracting screens can be for the driver. (A new report released last week by Common Sense Media includes a poll in which 56% of parents admit they check mobile devices while driving and 51% of teens see their parents doing it.)
On a different night, my daughter Tessa invited a couple of friends to stay overnight. Again we were faced with how to adhere to our family’s rules — no phones in the bedroom at bedtime — during a social situation. Tessa and I agreed on a reasonable “phones off” time that she could tell her friends about so that I wouldn’t embarrass her by doing it when they arrived. But in the end, I found myself confiscating the phones at 11:30 because I wanted them to get some sleep.
· Our family’s screen time rules may be different than the rules your friends have in their families. Do your friends know about any of our family’s screen time rules?
· How would you like me to let your friends know what my screen rules are when they are with our family?
· Do you think it is embarrassing when a parent enforces your own family’s rules when your friends are around?
· Has this happened to you when you are with other families? How do you feel about it?
Sign up here to receive the weekly Tech Talk Tuesdays newsletter from Screenagers filmmaker Delaney Ruston MD.
We respect your privacy.
If you’ve tuned into Tech Talk Tuesday before, you might already know that in my family, we have decided that the car is a “screens-off” space for all of us. It works great when it’s just us in the car. We talk, we catch up, we sit quietly.
But the other day, I was driving my son Chase (11th grade) and two of his 12th-grade jazz band friends to NYC for a special jazz event. They got online to help me navigate and search for a train that might take them into the city.
Some time after we found there was no train option, they were still on their phones. So in my kindest voice, I explained that we have a rule about not using phones in the car except for navigating. They complied and started a funny bubble gum game and then a license plate game that got us all laughing.
A little while later, they were back on their phones. When I gently reminded them of the rule, they were great about it. Only Chase was slightly annoyed with me. This rule is important to me because I want to emphasize how distracting screens can be for the driver. (A new report released last week by Common Sense Media includes a poll in which 56% of parents admit they check mobile devices while driving and 51% of teens see their parents doing it.)
On a different night, my daughter Tessa invited a couple of friends to stay overnight. Again we were faced with how to adhere to our family’s rules — no phones in the bedroom at bedtime — during a social situation. Tessa and I agreed on a reasonable “phones off” time that she could tell her friends about so that I wouldn’t embarrass her by doing it when they arrived. But in the end, I found myself confiscating the phones at 11:30 because I wanted them to get some sleep.
· Our family’s screen time rules may be different than the rules your friends have in their families. Do your friends know about any of our family’s screen time rules?
· How would you like me to let your friends know what my screen rules are when they are with our family?
· Do you think it is embarrassing when a parent enforces your own family’s rules when your friends are around?
· Has this happened to you when you are with other families? How do you feel about it?
Thoughtful family tech rules help protect kids’ wellbeing, learning, and sleep while strengthening connection at home. Using the fresh start of a new year, this post shares eight practical tech habits families can discuss and adapt together, including shared social media check-ins, screen time inventories, device-free meals, regular gaming breaks, and keeping phones out of bedrooms at night.
READ MORE >
Psychologist Jean Twenge explains how parental controls can support healthier tech use by protecting sleep, limiting late night device access, and reducing kids’ exposure to content they are not developmentally ready to handle. She discusses why third party parental control tools are often more effective and easier to use than built in options, while acknowledging that no system is perfect. Clear boundaries, combined with technology based limits, can reduce ongoing conflict and make screen time rules easier to enforce.
READ MORE >
for more like this, DR. DELANEY RUSTON'S NEW BOOK, PARENTING IN THE SCREEN AGE, IS THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE FOR TODAY’S PARENTS. WITH INSIGHTS ON SCREEN TIME FROM RESEARCHERS, INPUT FROM KIDS & TEENS, THIS BOOK IS PACKED WITH SOLUTIONS FOR HOW TO START AND SUSTAIN PRODUCTIVE FAMILY TALKS ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND IT’S IMPACT ON OUR MENTAL WELLBEING.
