Technology

Trust in Technology

It can be useful to try to see things from your young person’s perspective. Like it or not, mobile technology has become a big part of many young persons’ daily lives. Instead of going in hard and imposing a whole lot of rules on phone use from the outset, it can be much better to try to open a dialogue. Talk to them about what they’re using their phone for and let them know any worries you might have. You may encounter a little resistance, but speaking openly and honestly is much more likely to allow you to have a proper conversation instead of a shouting match.

If you feel like their phone use is getting seriously out of hand and that it’s causing real problems, you may want to talk to them about some reasonable compromises when it comes to how much time they spend on it. For example, you might agree with them that they can go on it in their own time, but when it comes to spending quality time together at a family – say, during meals it’s rude to start texting other people. Establishing a set of rules in your own home will help create a sense of consistency and reinforce a healthy understanding of boundaries when it comes to mobiles. (Remember to role model this yourself!)

Take time out if you need to calm down before talking it through and saying how you feel or what you want. Young people may respond with either explosions or shutting you out completely but try to talk when you are both calm. After all, it may be a while before they’re ready to chat about this sort of thing – especially if your initial suspicions aren’t actually correct – so knowing that you’re there when they are ready is going to count for a lot.

Trust your instincts, if you are worried seek help.