It’s decided; your child has a cell phone. So what happens next? My suggestion is this – time for a family meeting to set ground rules. Sit down together and go over how and when the phone will be used. Will there be some whining? Maybe. Will it make a difference? Yes.
Limits are a good place to start. Depending upon your family phone plan, the minutes may be set or unlimited. And even if you have unlimited minutes, do you want your child on the phone all the time? Talk about what happens when he exceeds the set number of minutes or texts. Who will pay for it? Does she know how to keep track? Are there times and places the phone needs to be turned off? Examples might be: classroom, meals, bedtime, restaurants, worship services, while driving (teens).
Now here’s the kicker – you need to follow the same limits. Kids see how their parents use cell phones and will mimic the behavior.
- If I want my grandchildren to carry on a conversation during a meal, I have to silence my phone when I ask them to do the same.
- When I’m driving and my children or grandchildren are with me, I must ignore calls and texts or pull off the road to respond.
- I can’t send texts or post messages after bedtime if I support a rule of “no after hours” phone use.
Think role model! Teaching your child how to use a cell phone is now as basic as teaching him how to make a bed. Perhaps not too exciting but ground rules will help prevent continuous conflict.
What are some of the rules you have in your family around cell phones?
