Create a Digital Contract with your Kids

I get a kick out of telling my kids stories of my un-techy childhood. They still don’t quite believe me when I tell them that when I was their age we didn’t have internet and all our phones were connected to the wall. It’s like something out of Little House on the Prairie to them.

My kids, like most others, are digital natives. They don’t know a time where they didn’t have the internet at their fingertips. They use Siri for spellcheck. They want answers in seconds. It’s amazing when you think about it. It opens up so many possibilities for them.

It’s also a bit scary at the same time. It puts them at risk for all kinds of things from cyber crimes, internet bullying, or damaging their future job prospects by oversharing. Most kids today are getting their first smart phone between the ages of 8-12. My family is right in line with that. My 12 year old just received his first cell phone because his schedule is hectic and it was becoming too much of a hassle to try and get ahold of him when I needed to.

Any technology needs some ground rules though. Most families have some sort of technology agreement with their children but very few of them end up putting it in writing. Putting things in writing makes them real. I know when I set goals for myself, if I don’t write them down they don’t happen.

Having a written technology agreement is so important because it sets clear expectations and reminds everyone in the family what they have agreed to.

But where do you start?

LifeLock, Inc., and National PTA® have launched a new, free resource for families that helps parents have clear conversations with their children about using technology and agree on ground rules together. Called The Smart Talk, this digital tool is designed to empower families to make smarter, safer choices online and help build the next generation of digital citizens. They have some great additional resources that are definitely worth looking over to make sure you are covering your bases as a parent.

I sat down with my older kids this week to create a digital contract for our family. I loved how it laid everything out and simplified the process. I tend to overthink things but The Smart Talk tool helped me get past the planning stage and helped me take some action. It is an interactive experience that guides you and your kids through a series of questions and conversations about topics such as safety and privacy, screen time, social media, apps and downloads, texting and calling, reputation and respect, and online videos and cameras.

I have 3 tween boys who are making me seriously question whether or not I’m prepared to parent older kids. I have the baby thing down but this . . . this is new territory.

We’ve had conversations about internet safety before but this is so thorough. They cover everything from general screen time to online privacy. With my 12 year old and his new cell phone we will definitely be talking about some texting ground rules.

After following the prompts (which include some great conversation tips) you end up with a printable contract that you can post somewhere to remind both you and your kids how they should behave online.

I’m feeling much more confident in our technology use as a family now that we’ve had #TheSmartTalk. I’m sure we’ll be revisiting the site in the future as my kids get older and our rules for each of my kids’ electronic devices changes over time.

Visit the Smart Talk site to check out the online safety resources and create your own personalized family contract to encourage healthy digital habits.

Have you created a digital contract with your kids? What rules have you set in your home?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.