The Fear of Setting Limits: Cell Phones and Teens
It’s difficult to separate cell phones and teens these days, which isn’t surprising when you consider that it’s rare to see adults who aren’t glued to their screens as well. Many experts have devoted time to studying whether our addiction to the online world is harming our mental and physical health, and while further research is needed, it’s certain that phones create plenty of teen issues.
Cell Phones and Teens: Distance Between Parent and Child
It’s never been easy parenting teens, but now, parents have to figure out how to manage phones as well as other teen issues, such as dating, curfews, homework and drug avoidance. If you’ve ever experienced the frustration of being ignored as your teen stares at a phone screen, you’re not alone. It’s such a common problem that you would think most parents would simply put a cap on phone usage, limiting it to only a couple hours per day. Yet, most parents don’t seem to be doing this. If anything, they seem afraid to even bring the subject up.
Parenting Teens: The Fear of Setting Limits
Some parents fear setting any sort of limit with their kids. These are the type of parents who end up being doormats. As a parent, you have to be the boss. However, many parents struggle setting a limit with phones because they view them as a necessity. You might worry that taking away your daughter’s phone will harm her social life or make her feel like an outcast, but it’s important to remember that no one needs to be connected to their friends at all hours of the day and night. Allow your teens an hour or two a day to check social media and interact with friends online, but only if behavior is appropriate, homework is completed and health is flourishing. If important aspects of self-care or responsibility are starting to suffer, don’t be afraid to cut down on phone time even more.
