8 Parent Resources About Kids and Phones

I’ve spent two months taking a deep dive into “Teens and Phones in 2021,” asking questions and unearthing resources.

I know I’m not the only one who could benefit from knowledge, inspiration, and camaraderie in this arena! I’ve been asking, “What do we parents need to know and consider to lead our tweens and teens well in healthy phone use?”

This is what I came out with - all the goods listed in one place. Hope you find something in here that can help. (Also if you haven’t seen it already, you might also want to check out my recent post, 3 things your teen needs to know about their phone, which provides a framework for parents about how to think about these things)

Without further ado:

Short interviews with wise moms on kid phone use. ‘Parent talk about kids and phones” is an interview series on Instagram, featuring great conversations on teens and phones between myself and some amazing moms who have a lot of wisdom to pass on! See my IGTV page for all of the interviews.

Free resource list. ‘10 Parent Helps to Oversee Teen Phone Use’ is a free resource list I compiled of resources and apps to help parents manage kids’ and teens’ screen use.

axis.org. Axis gives parents of teens and pre-teens “Christ-centered resources” in written, audio and video format. These help parents have “meaningful conversations” on topics that might feel awkward or overwhelming, as well as aspects of teen culture that parents might just not quite get. A family membership costs $9.99/month, or $99/year.

Wait until 8th. Wait until 8th empowers parents to pledge to wait until at least 8th grade before giving their kids a smartphone. They provide evidence for smartphones’ impact on kids and encourage parents to band together within their communities to take the pledge together. 

Screen Time Clinic. This organization offers families specialized support and education in digital wellness. It empowers parents and redirects youth to create healthy tech habits, through group and individualized coaching, teen mentoring, webinars, and more. Founder Nicole Rawson is also publishing a kids’ book, Screen Smart Sam, to help families start the journey well. (I interviewed her here.)

The Social Dilemma. This dramatized Netflix documentary explores the hidden motivations of social media and mega tech corporations, with experts in these fields “sounding the alarm” on the technologies they themselves created. For in-depth review of the movie, see my blog.

Like:. Similar to ‘The Social Dilemma’, ‘Like’ is a documentary exploring the impact of social media on daily life with focus on technology’s effects on the brain. It aims to motivate viewers to self-regulate their screen use in a healthy, helpful way.

Screenagers. An award-winning documentary that “probes into the vulnerable corners” of family life, teenage-hood, and screen use. Screenagers is “poignant and funny” as well as informative, aiming to give parents and kids ways to navigate our increasingly digital world.

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