Pediatricians, AT&T launch online tools for safe family media use

Parents sometimes struggle to decide how much time kids should spend on digital devices. The American Academy of Pediatrics and AT&T are launching tools to help families decide if their kids are ready for phones and to help create safe, responsible media and technology use.

Survey link: Online questionnaire

The online questionnaire asks if your child keeps track of their things and whether or not you trust their judgment when you aren’t there, all to gauge if the family is in the “ready zone” yet or not. Parents can also build a customized media plan for the whole family.
Doctors say it’s important to set boundaries with your kids.

“What boundaries do you want to set around technology so kids can have healthy sleep, they can have undistracted homework time?” said Dr. Jenny Radesky, assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Michigan Medical School. “Whatever is important to your family. Controlling tech and enjoying it, not feeling controlled by it.”

Media use among tweens and teens has skyrocketed since the pandemic. One study shows teens spend over 8.5 hours per day on screens.