73 - Navigating the Summer Screen Time Struggle

Summer break intensifies the screen time battle with teens and tweens, but shifting from screen time enforcer to screen time strategist can transform your approach and relationship with your kids.

You should head over to the Screenagers website for the full blog post "Screen Time and Parental Controls: Simple Tips for a Smoother Summer." but I'm including a brief synopsis in this podcast to help entice you to do that. 

Key Steps for a Smooth Screen Summer:
• Trust and verify instead of secretly spying on your children's digital activities
• Maintain ongoing conversations about screen time rather than relying solely on parental controls
• Show grace and compassion when technology rules are broken
• Approach parental controls as experiments to be adjusted, not perfect solutions
• Keep all technology out of bedrooms – perhaps the single most effective strategy
• Involve kids in setting up guidelines to increase their investment in the process

Screenagers has lots of amazing additional resources to help your family navigate the digital world.  Check it out!

Email me at [e-mail] or go to my website at www.parentingdecoded.com.

Have a blessed rest of your day!

Episode Transcript

Mary Eschen (00:05):
Welcome to Parenting Decoded, the podcast
for practical approaches toparenting.
I'm Mary Eschen.
has summer hit you like a waveof TikTok scrolling and video
game thrashing?
School's barely out and thescreen time battle is already
heating up, especially if you'reparenting teens or tweens.

(00:26):
It's enough to make you want toskip straight to September,
isn't it?
But take a breath, don't panic.
I've found a fantastic resourcethat can help you shift from
screen time enforcer to screentime strategist.
It's from the amazing folks atScreenagers, a nonprofit
dedicated to helping familiesnavigate the digital world.

(00:47):
You may have seen theirpowerful films in your community
.
If not, I highly recommend them.
Their latest blog post, screenTime and Parental Controls
Simple Tips for a SmootherSummer, is packed with realistic
, research-backed ideas, and Ilove it! Seriously, it's worth

(01:08):
the read.
But in case you're in the carfolding laundry or hiding in the
pantry for five minutes apiece,let me give you a quick summary
.

Number one (01:15):
trust and verify.
No secret spying.
Set up agreed-upon guidelineswith your kids, then check in
together to see how it's going.
If something's not working,adjust, don't ambush.
TwoTwo: keep the conversation going
.
Parental controls are helpful,but real connection happens

(01:37):
through conversation.
Take a few minutes to talk, notargue about what's working and
what's not offline and online inyour lives.

Three (01:47):
show grace.
Lots of it.
Mistakes will happen, techrules will be broken, but
instead of going into panic orpunishment mode, take a step
back, breathe and reset withcompassion for them and for
yourself.

Four (02:05):
think like a researcher.
I really like this one.
Use parental controls as anexperiment, not a fix-all.
Try something, observe tweak.
Involve your kids in the setup.
When they're part of theprocess, they're more likely to
stay on board.
And my personal favorite tipkeep tech out of bedrooms.

(02:28):
No phones, tablets or laptops,just a dumb old alarm clock.
It might be the single mostpowerful screen habit you can
enforce.
If this has sparked some newideas, I hope you'll head over
to the Screenagers website andcheck out the full blog post.
There's a link in my podcastnotes.
Feel free to check out theirother great resources while

(02:49):
you're at it.
That's it for today.
May your summer be filled withmore sunshine than screen glare.
Until next time, keep decoding,parenting, one screen battle at
a time.
Have a blessed rest of your day.