This is a question that many parents can relate to. The phone, in some ways, has replaced the television of the 1970s. We’d dread when a parent would say the words, “That’s enough TV… shut it off and go outside!”

Today’s parents can think about their own teenage television habits and ask themselves: “What are the rules of TV watching in our house?” Use that as your reference point for how much you want your teenager to be on his or her phone.

Ideally, parents should establish the expectations regarding phone usage from the beginning. I cannot stress this enough. Otherwise, it ends up like a runaway train.

Questions to answer before handing over a phone: When can your adolescent use the device? All the time? Or perhaps you want to limit it to after homework is finished, a period before bedtime, or just weekends? Where is the phone stored? Who pays for the phone? Again, answer as many of these questions as you can in advance and make your expectations clear.

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