IS YOUR TEEN ADDICTED TO THEIR PHONE?
WATCH THE ULTIMATE PARENT GUIDE TO TEEN CELL PHONE & SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE
VIDEO BELOW!
GUIDE TO TEEN CELL PHONE & SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE VIDEO:
Remember, the most important thing you can do is be a living, breathing positive role model to your kids and walk the walk! Your child will SEE so much more than they will ever hear and they are going to mirror your behaviors, so lead by example!
Ultimate Parent’s Guide to Teen Cell Phone and Social Media Use
Is your tween or teen asking for a TikTok account? If they haven’t yet, they probably will soon! Cell phones and social media are just a fact of life for most of us, including our kids.
Before jumping into the world of likes and shares, check out some of our top social media safety tips for parents and teens.
Why Cell Phone and Social Media Use is a Concern for Teens
Cell phones and social media are unavoidable in today’s digitally connected world. Not only do cell phones help coordinate work, sports, and extracurricular activities, but social media keeps kids connected to their peers.
While having a direct line of communication between kids and their parents is great, it can also cause significant issues if it isn’t monitored correctly.
One of the biggest concerns in schools today is teenagers’ exposure to inappropriate content and cyberbullying – both of which can be exacerbated by cell phones and access to social media. That’s why social media safety for teens is so important.
Impact of Social Media on Teen Mental Health
Unlimited access to social media comes at a cost, and for many teens, it can impact their mental health. Studies consistently show that excessive screen time can have a negative impact on the mental and emotional well-being of tweens and teens.
These negative effects are compounded when you consider how social media influences teenagers, too. Constantly seeing perfectly curated lives leads to increased feelings of anxiety and depression. This goes directly against our work to build strong, confident, and
There’s also the issue of the dopamine cycle they get stuck in from likes, comments, and shares. As they start to build these online communities, teenagers can get addicted to those virtual popularity games, taking attention away from their real-world responsibilities and communities.
Recommended Age for Kids to Have a Cell Phone
So, at what age should a kid get a phone? There isn’t one specific answer to this question. What works for some teens won’t work for others.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends waiting until at least 13 before giving your teen a cell phone. Jonathan Haidt, author of
The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Cause an Epidemic of Mental Illness, states that no kid should have a smartphone until high school. He goes even further to say that there should be no social media until age 16.
Regardless of when you decide to welcome them to the cell phone club, it’s important to review cell phone and social media safety tips for teens before providing them with their own device.
Tools and Apps for Monitoring and Managing Teen Screen Time
Should parents monitor kids’ social media and screen time? The answer is a resounding yes! You’ll want to give your teen some freedom and responsibility, but make sure that they are safe while using social media.
Open Communication Strategies
Establishing a written cell phone contract is one way to avoid conflicts between teens, parents, and social media. Set realistic rules and guidelines with understandable consequences that your teen will understand.
Give them a lesson on social media safety for teens and make sure they know that they can come to you if things get out of hand.
Setting Privacy Controls and Security Measures
You don’t have to look over their shoulder the entire time to make sure they’re being safe on their phone. There are tons of apps and security measures that you can take to protect them.
We always encourage parents to use the resources available from
Apple, Android, Google, or your phone provider to put in place timers and monitor all of their activity. It’s a little bit of work on the front end, but it’s worth the effort. Check out this additional helpful resource from Apple.
We also suggest following @ProtectYoungEyes on social media for all the latest information on how parents can stay on top of everything related to social media. You can check out our interview on our podcast.
Encouraging Responsible Social Media Behavior
When it comes to encouraging responsible social media use, pop some popcorn and have a movie night! Watch The Social Dilemma on Netflix as a family.
After the movie, have a conversation about the pros and cons of social media. Ask your questions with sincere interest. Remember, the key is to help your kids begin to understand how destructive their relationship with their phone and social media can be if abused.
This way, they can decide on their own without you to limit their screen time and take their life back into their own hands. You want them onboard and choose the best decision for their own life instead of being forced to do something against their will.
Another great movie to watch together is The Social Media Dangers Documentary – Childhood 2.0. Available on YouTube, this film will show parents and children the dangers of unfettered access and supervision to the internet. Consider it a social network parents guide!
Again, have a discussion as a family about what you watched. Here are some sample questions:
- What do you like about social media?
- What don’t you like about social media?
- What do you see as the benefits of social media?
- What do you see as the dangers and negative side of social media?
- What apps are your friends using?
- What apps do you want to be on?
- How long do you think your screen time should be per day?
- What do you think our agreement should be if you do something you shouldn’t do on your phone?
- What is a healthy online time limit for teens online?
Have an honest conversation and come up with an agreement on the terms of all things phone and social media BEFORE you go down that path.
Tips for Limiting Screen Time on Phones and Social Media
Limiting your teens’ screen time is the key to finding that balance between a healthy amount of social media and too much.
Consider downloading the #1 screen time app Opal to get help managing your screen time. You can also look into getting an Aro box, which allows you to lock your phone up and live your life to the fullest!
You should also set up essential systems and guidelines to keep you and your teen off of your screens all of the time. You should also establish essential systems and guidelines to help you and your teen avoid spending excessive time on screens. Some things to consider include:
- A time limit that will lock your kid out of the apps once they hit their limit for the day. I highly recommend 60 minutes of combined time a day max for them to be able to use all the social media apps.
- No phones out at dinner – yes, that includes you, parents!
- No phone in the bedroom! Sleep is so vital, especially for teenagers. Make sure you have a place where the kids can charge their phones overnight outside the designated sleep zone.
- Snapchat is a no-go! (Sorry, kids!)
- Create their social media accounts as a secondary account to yours so you can see all the action, prevent safety concerns and nonsense, and protect your child.
- Set hours around phone usage. Example: No phone after 9 p.m. on school nights and 11 p.m. on the weekends, etc. Also, limiting phone use in the morning is beneficial, so that is something to consider as well!
- What are some things your kid needs to do to earn or maintain their phone each day? Chores? Good grades? Exercise? Reading 20 pages? Pick some things together and make it fun. Remember, having a phone is a privilege, not a right!
We see it all at the Attitude Advantage. While this includes the downsides of social media, we also see the flip side of it. We get to see firsthand the incredible things that can happen when teenagers are encouraged to grow into the strong, wonderful, amazing people they’re meant to be.
Part of that journey starts with getting them to establish solid digital habits. Empower your teen with safe social media habits today!
WHAT OTHERS HAVE TO SAY!
Heidi Klum
Actress

Great life lessons given out of an authentic journey. Jesse shares the keys every young person needs to chase their dreams.
Allen Iverson
NBA

Jesse is living proof that if you work hard and believe in yourself, anything is possible.
Bill Walker
Former Governor of Alaska

Using basketball as a tool to capture the attention of his audience, Jesse delivers the inspirational message that a great attitude will get you far. I applaud Jesse’s mission to change lives
Parent Testimonials
Hear what parents in our program have to say!
NOW’S YOUR TEEN’S TIME TO THRIVE…
Schedule your complimentary one-on-one call with us today, to learn how The Attitude Advantage program can help you and your teen.
Don’t wait another day.