There was a time when we all seemed to manage just fine without technology, but nowadays it’s hard not to spot a teen somewhere, who isn’t attached to some form of device. While these devices have been great in helping us keep in touch and can be a great research tool, there are of course, some downsides too.
Still children
They may not act like it, but at the end of the day your teen is still very much a child at heart and is still both developing physically and emotionally. So, while they may seem more technological advanced than you are, they are still unable to come to grasps with limit and control when it comes to many things, especially technology. While it’s no easy task, it’s up to us parents to ensure that our teens do not spend too much time with their technological gadgets.
Set hours
No easy feat, but if you don’t put down hours for when and how you’re teen can go on their devices, they’ll never get anything done. It has become ten times harder than ever before for your teen to remove themselves from their many devices, especially thanks to the numerous connections to the internet. That’s why, even though it might not go down well initially, it’s still a good idea to take away their devices at night, because if you don’t, they will spend all night either online or texting their friends. Depending on school rules it’s still probably not a good idea for your child to bring their phones into schools either, as again it will just prove to be another distraction for them.
Consequences
Like anything with your teen, if they disobey any of your rules, there needs to be consequences. It’s up to you to decide what you see fit but, if your teen sees no consequences to their actions, they will carry on as before.
Follow your own advice
While we set our own rules for our teens and their many devices, we are probably just as addicted to our tablets and phones, as they are. So what better to help your child overcome their technological addiction, but by setting example? It will also give you some perspective on how perhaps how reliant you’ve become on your technological devices as well.