Teens · Digital
Teen Phone Agreement
Written by the teen, kept by the teen
Phones aren't the villain and they're not neutral either. This is an agreement written by the teen — not handed down — because agreements a teen writes are the ones a teen keeps.
What I want my phone to be for
Where the phone isn't
- Bedroom overnight (charges elsewhere)
- At meals with people
- First 30 minutes after waking
- Last hour before sleep
Apps that make me feel worse
What they are; what I'll try (unfollow, mute, time limits, delete)
How I want parents to bring it up
Ownership beats surveillance
Teens who write their own phone rules follow them. Teens whose parents write the rules find workarounds. Both, done together, works best.