First and foremost, never forget that your child is a sponge, absorbing everything you do and say. And that is especially true when it comes to cell phone etiquette and behavior. If one day you don’t want your teen driver to text or talk on the phone while driving, even if it seems like an eternity away, then you yourself should not do it today. Enough said.
Second, put your cell phone policy in place the very first day you allow your children to have a phone. The policy should come across to them as a “this is how it is done in our house” type of thing. If you wait until there is a problem and react, then your cell phone rules come across as a punishment. The difference may seem subtle, but trust me, when kids are involved, it is worse enforcing a punishment than enforcing the rules.
All phones should stay out of the bedroom. Find a common area to plug all electronics in at the end of the night.
All phones should stay out of the bedroom. Find a common area to plug all electronics in at the end of the night.
Rule #1: No Cell Phones in the Bedroom at Night
Why This Rule Is Important
Kids need a lot of sleep and trust me when I say that if they are allowed to have a cell phone in their room at night, they will be quietly texting friends for hours on end! The way they look in the morning is usually a dead giveaway if this has been going on the night before.
Keep in mind that not every one of your child’s cell phone contacts is really a friend or someone you want texting your kid at night, let alone during the day. Texting frees them up to “say” things that they would not normally say out loud, so just beware.
Research published online by the Journal of Youth Studies says that children who logged onto their cell phones every night were about three times more likely to report feeling “constantly tired” at school compared to their peers. Not surprising!
The Best Way to Carry out This Rule
Everyone in the house should put their cell phone in one location to charge overnight, and that means parents too. You can get one of those boxes for charging multiple electronics at the same time and put it in the kitchen or your bedroom.
By a certain time of your choosing, cell phone usage needs to be shut down for the night. Simply put, lead by example.
Possible Reaction(s) to This Rule
They might tell you that their friends can have their cell phones at night. And you say that nighttime is for sleep, and you are happy to let them have it during the day, but at night everyone needs to charge their phone and get a good night’s sleep.
Your kids might also say they need the cell phone alarm to wake up in the morning. That’s purely a desperation move. Get them a cheap alarm clock—problem solved.
Your child should not be taking their phone to school unless they need it for after school activities.
Your child should not be taking their phone to school unless they need it for after school activities.
Rule #2: No Cell Phones in School
Why This Rule Is Important
Many schools have a cell phone policy in place (usually it has to be off and out of sight), but this doesn’t stop a lot of kids.
Not only is cell phone use in school a distraction to learning, but they are used for cheating, bullying, and spreading rumors at warp speed.
Kids can easily silence their phones and text without looking, all the while having their phone concealed in a hoodie or backpack pocket. Crazy, I know.
The Best Way to Carry out This Rule
To ensure that their cell phones are not at school, the phones need to remain in a visible location at home as everyone goes off to school. That is why I think all phones should reside in the kitchen or a central location for their overnight charging.
Some of you might even want to ban cell phone use in the morning before school if your child is prone to running late and is easily distracted.
Possible Reaction(s) to This Rule
You will probably hear the usual stuff as they beg and plead to bring it with them, how all of their friends have their cell phones at school.
You just remind them of the school cell phone policy and how we are going to follow the school rules.
The only exception to this would be if they are involved in an after-school activity or sport and need to contact you. Even then, the phone needs to be off during the day, and you can monitor the number of texts during the day to ensure that they have not abused this privilege.
Cell Phones in School
For older kids, you may decide that cell phone use is allowed during the car ride but has to remain in the car during the family activity.
For older kids, you may decide that cell phone use is allowed during the car ride but has to remain in the car during the family activity. | Source
Rule #3: No Cell Phones on Family Days, Family Meals, or Other Important Family Times
Why This Rule Is Important
Nothing can interfere with your family relationships quicker than endless texting while you are doing some sort of family activity
ontinue....
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