I’m going to add a third comment on your statement that “there’s no one right way to do this.⁵” It’s different than the two opposite comments in the footnote, which don’t actually prove there’s no one right way. Instead, they prove that there’s no one *popular* way. It may still be that one way is right and the other is wrong. I kind of doubt it, especially since kids are so different from each other, but the survey won’t really tell you.
Hi, as a child and adolescent psychiatrist I find that some of the most heated conflicts between parent and offspring are over the use of their phones. Physical fights have occurred when frustrated parents try to remove the most valued appendage from their child’s firm grip. This is usually an extreme case but parents need to stress the priority of schoolwork and other responsibilities over phone time.
Unlimited device use has been linked to anxiety especially in girls and leaves the young person believing that their phone is their only link to friends. Disconnection feels scary. Missing something is intolerable.
I usually advise parents to clarify that the parent remains in control of the phone not the child. If the parents feel the need to go through the child’s phone it should be done together, regularly up to an age where you judge them to no longer need that level of supervision. Be aware that children frequently go through their parents phones too.
I’m going to add a third comment on your statement that “there’s no one right way to do this.⁵” It’s different than the two opposite comments in the footnote, which don’t actually prove there’s no one right way. Instead, they prove that there’s no one *popular* way. It may still be that one way is right and the other is wrong. I kind of doubt it, especially since kids are so different from each other, but the survey won’t really tell you.
Hi, as a child and adolescent psychiatrist I find that some of the most heated conflicts between parent and offspring are over the use of their phones. Physical fights have occurred when frustrated parents try to remove the most valued appendage from their child’s firm grip. This is usually an extreme case but parents need to stress the priority of schoolwork and other responsibilities over phone time.
Unlimited device use has been linked to anxiety especially in girls and leaves the young person believing that their phone is their only link to friends. Disconnection feels scary. Missing something is intolerable.
I usually advise parents to clarify that the parent remains in control of the phone not the child. If the parents feel the need to go through the child’s phone it should be done together, regularly up to an age where you judge them to no longer need that level of supervision. Be aware that children frequently go through their parents phones too.