As kids begin to use technology and explore online, parents and caregivers play an important role in supporting their growing independence. It's not just about setting rules. When kids have real digital literacy skills, they're better equipped to make smart decisions, trust their instincts, and come to you when something feels off.
I’m honored to share that I’ve joined AT&T ScreenReady’s new expert advisory board. As a representative of Common Sense Media, I’m thrilled to collaborate with AT&T alongside other industry experts like FOSI’s Stephen Balkam, psychologist Dr. Jacqueline Nesi, and cybersecurity expert Fareedah Shaheed. Together, we’ll share practical tools and guidance to help families build healthy online habits and give kids the skills and confidence to navigate technology.
As apps and devices become a bigger part of daily life, here are seven ways families can build online skills together.
- Create device and platform guidelines that grow with your family. Work together with your kid to set expectations around technology that foster understanding and trust. Start with a family tech planner to help set clear boundaries for how your child will use their devices responsibly. Planners can tailor guidelines to your family’s values and are adjustable with age.
- Help build digital confidence and well-being. Kids should feel empowered with digital literacy and well-being skills so that they feel safe when playing, communicating, or sharing online. AT&T's ScreenReady resources are designed to help young people develop critical thinking strategies for navigating social media, artificial intelligence, and emerging technology.
- Set parental controls with flexibility in mind. While parental settings cannot protect kids from everything they might come across online, they can be a good starting point. As children get older and gain more independence online, regular conversations about their digital lives can help build trust and ensure they feel comfortable coming to you when they encounter challenges or concerns. Begin with stronger protections that can be adjusted as your child demonstrates maturity and increased independence. Controls can include screen-time management tools and built-in features on devices and apps
- Model healthy digital habits. Kids learn just as much from watching you as from what you tell them. Intentionally demonstrate the behavior or routines you'd like to see. This might look like putting phones away during conversations or family time, narrating what you’re doing online ("I'm looking up directions to the party"), and showing them what a balanced relationship with technology looks like.
- Balance screen time with real world connections. Combine online interactions with offline tie-ins, like inviting your child's friend over to play a video game in person. Interested in game highlights? Play the sport together. Saw a cool recipe on social media? Cook it together. You can also explore interactive learning opportunities like AT&T’s the Achievery, an engaging digital library that combines online exploration with thoughtful activities.
- Get to know their digital world. Learn about the apps, games, and channels your kid uses, both for fun and at school. You can even create your own account to see what the experience is like, and in some cases you can also link your account with your child's account to see their activity. Each app is a little different, so using Common Sense Media’s Parents’ Ultimate Guides can help make it easy to find options for approaching your kids’ favorite app. For older kids, keeping communication open about their digital life is key to understanding how they spend their time and how they feel about what they do online. With all kids, it's essential that they feel safe discussing anything that gives them pause or makes them feel uncomfortable.
- Tap into expert resources and support. You don’t have to figure this out alone. For extra support, AT&TScreenReady's free resources for families provides tips, tools, and practical guides to help navigate kids' technology use, including access to digital literacy and online safety courses, how-to's for setting parental controls, mobile security apps, cybersecurity information, and more. ScreenReady's free resources for families provides tips, tools, and practical guides to help navigate kids' technology use, including access to digital literacy and online safety courses, how-to's for setting parental controls, mobile security apps, cybersecurity information, and more.
Navigating technology with your kids can be challenging but making sure they have the tools and skills they need to feel good about how they connect, online and offline, makes all the difference. When families work together to build healthy habits, everyone