Smartphone & Social Media Agreement! What Parents, Educators, & Students Need to Know
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A smartphone and social media agreement can help families create healthy internet habits and set clear boundaries anytime a new device is brought into the home.
Watch this video to see how your family will benefit from a social media agreement/contract
In this VIP resource you will learn
- How to talk with your students about excessive screen time and social media use
- Dangers of social media and screen time such as depression, addiction, social anxiety, and suicide
- Tips to create healthy internet habits as a family
- What child psychologists say about setting family expectations for devices and how to teach respectful online behaviors
VIP members can download the SmartSocial Smartphone & Social Media Agreement template with this course to guide your discussion with your students
Login or join the VIP membership today to view all resources about creating a smartphone or social media agreement today!
Become a member or log in to view this course
Superintendents, Directors and Principals: Request a partnership on this page to unlock our resources for your whole community.
Parents and Teachers: This app is listed in the SmartSocial.com Green Zone.
We believe this app is a STARTING POINT for your student, but that you must monitor your student on every app they are on. Join our weekly newsletter to learn about the 100+ App Reviews at SmartSocial.com
Parents and Teachers: Please note this app is listed in the SmartSocial.com Gray Zone.
Parents should participate in these apps with students to keep them safe.
Join our weekly newsletter to learn about the 100+ App Reviews at SmartSocial.com
Parents and Teachers: This app is listed in the SmartSocial.com Red Zone. We believe this app is not safe for students to use without adult supervision. Join our weekly newsletter to learn about the 100+ App Reviews at SmartSocial.com
Parents and Teachers: This app is listed as a Dangerous Social Media Challenge. Knowing about social media challenges before your teen does can help you keep them safe before an incident occurs. Join our weekly newsletter to learn about the 100+ App Reviews at SmartSocial.com
Table of Contents
This family guide to creating a smartphone and social media agreement will give you a peace of mind and direction for good conversation with your kids about the rules to follow with their smart devices and social media accounts.
You wouldn't hand your teen the keys to your car without first teaching them to drive... right? Giving students unsupervised access to the internet, without establishing rules and setting boundaries could be just as scary as unsupervised driving. One great way to trigger discussions about internet safety is to create a smartphone and social media agreement.
Social media & cell phone agreement downloads
Click here to download the PDF Family Social Media and Cell Phone Agreement
or
Click here to access a Google Doc template of the Family Social Media and Cell Phone Agreement
How do I make a smartphone and social media agreement?
A smartphone and social media agreement can serve as an icebreaker for parents to cover key safety issues like screen time limits, sexting, cyberbullying, and more. It gives students a glance at their own responsibilities as internet users and reminds them that using social media in a negative way comes with consequences.
Overview video for parents & educators
Keys to creating a social media agreement
Child Psychologist Dr. Adam Pettler shared that there are five keys to creating a smartphone and social media contract for your family:
- Set family expectations for all devices
- Create guidelines about where and when the device can be used
- Encourage students to think before they post
- Require permission to download new apps
- Teach that respectful behavior earns more online privileges
Parent, educator, & student training video
What we're covering in this video:
- What is a social media and cell phone agreement?
- When should a family create a social media and cell phone agreement?
- Is it too late to start an agreement now if my student already has a smartphone or social media?
- 5 keys to creating a smartphone and social media contract for your family
- Step-by-step guidance for creating a social media and cell phone agreement
- Tips for what should you do with the completed agreement
Help your students understand why a social media agreement is important
It is important for your students to understand why you are establishing these guidelines. Some experts warn excessive screen time and social media use can lead to:
- Depression
- Addiction
- Social anxiety
- Suicide
A smartphone and social media agreement can help families create healthy internet habits. For example, as soon as a new device is introduced into the home you can create an agreement. Additionally, the start of a new school year is a great time to introduce an agreement to the whole family on the same page. Remember to revisit and revise the agreement, as needed, throughout the year.
Keep the social media agreement visible at home
After your students (and parents) sign your agreement, make sure to keep it somewhere visible, like on the fridge or hanging in their bedroom. As a result, everyone in the family will be able to regularly refer back to the agreement. Then, they will remember the commitments they made and the consequences they could face.
More social media agreement resources
5 keys to creating a social media contract for your child
The negative effects of social media for teens
Conclusion
At SmartSocial, we believe students can benefit from smartphone and social media, when they learn to use technology with a positive intention. They can have fun AND use the devices and apps responsibly. A smartphone and social media agreement can be a great learning tool for students to create good habits with technology.
Comment below to let us know what you think, what you learned, or if you have any other questions the Smart Social team can help you answer!
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