Smartphones provide quick and easy communication and diverse entertainment, so it’s no surprise that kids love them. According to research, children spend over 30 hours a week on smartphones. Unfortunately, excessive use has been linked to adverse physical and mental side effects. For example, your child might get addicted to their Apple® device and start neglecting their schoolwork, or they may access adult content. Use the following tips to ensure your child has a safe and positive relationship with technology. 

How to Keep Your Kids Safe on Their Phones

1. Express Interest in Their Online Presence

By expressing interest in your child's smartphone use, you can ensure their safety without coming across as harsh or intrusive. Ask them about what apps they use, including social media and games. If it's appropriate, download an app they use to make sure it's safe. The best-case scenario is that it becomes a shared interest.

In discussing your child's online presence, bring up common issues such as privacy. Each year, up to 10% of Americans experience identity theft. Ask your child if they're aware of who they share their information with; if they’re not, find this out together. Explicit content is another major concern to keep in mind during discussions.

2. Create Rules Together

Explain the health risks of too much screen time to your child, including difficulty falling asleep and an increased risk of obesity. Work together to create an appropriate limit for their smartphone use. Maybe they won't use their phone at certain times of the day.

If your child has an Apple device, you can even set time limits for certain addictive apps. Use this as a starting point for brainstorming other rules together. For example, maybe they won't use their smartphone over certain holidays or at certain locations. When children help to make the rules, they feel a sense of control, making it more likely they’ll follow the guidelines. 

3. Set a Good Example

Children learn by watching and mimicking those around them. To ensure your child has a healthy relationship with technology, assess your own. Adults who spend more than six to seven hours a day looking at screens are at a higher risk of depression and anxiety. Detach yourself from your smartphone, and your child may follow suit.

Get the whole family participating in healthy tech use by having screen-free dinners. Schedule weekly outings where phones aren’t allowed, such as a hike, to create positive associations with unplugging.

Keep the whole family's smartphones in good condition with the help of Experimax Middleton. Their quality repair services extend to Danvers, Peabody, and North Reading, MA. Located across from Richardson’s Ice Cream® at 149 South Main Street, Suite M, Middleton, MA, 01949, their team sells and repairs a full range of Apple devices, including the iPhone® and MacBook® laptops. You can even trade in an old model for a new one. Call (978) 304-0134 to get a free quote and discover more about their repair services online.