Is your teen tech-obsessed?

Get them outside

All too often, children and teens today choose staying indoors on phones and devices rather than venturing outside and exploring nature. The key to getting them to look up from their device is being the parent and establishing rules. It is your job to enforce limits to their entertainment so don’t forget it’s okay to put your foot down. Open the door to outside fun and offer up entertainment that’ll interest them away from technology. Check out this Pinterest page filled with fun outdoor ideas for teens.

Set boundaries

As stated above, as a parent it’s your responsibility to limit not only the time your kids spend with technology, but also what tech they have access to. If you don’t want them on their phones during certain times (for example, meal-time, “family-time,” or before bed) then establish these rules and stick to them so there is consistency. Make sure they understand that you are not trying to take things away from them, but that boundaries are needed for a healthy home life. Helping them to know you aren’t “being the bad guy” will prevent them from getting overly irritated and will hopefully make them more agreeable. Also, relocating computers to common areas of your home helps to remove the temptation if the device is currently in their bedroom.

Keep an open dialogue

Communicate with your teen on how their device is being used and for what purpose. If it’s purely for entertainment or social matters then speak with them on other ideas for having fun. Find out what their other interests are. Make sure they know you want to spend time with them and are there for them. Providing them with personal one-on-one interactions will remind them that there is life outside their screen.