All About Device Access

Discussion Guide

It’s best to start gaining an understanding early of what your kid might want to be doing online, and what having a device in their hands means, not only to them but also to you. This is a key opportunity to tee up any concerns you might have.

Kids 7–12 Any Comfort Level

illustration of a hand holding a phone with a heart on it

Introduction

So you’re thinking about giving your child a device? Great, but that shouldn’t be the only time you’re talking to them about what they do online. Even if your child is sharing a phone with you, there are opportunities where you can begin to steward them in how to navigate the internet — both when you’re watching and when you’re not.

In this guide you will:

Learn more about why your kids want a device.
Understand how they think about safety.
Start laying the foundation for safety.

What to expect from your kid

They probably don’t want to talk about everything all at once. Consider chipping away at the conversation, and then ease back when they start to tune out, with an intention to pick up where you left off. Think about how your child handles challenging topics and adjust your approach, so they will be more inclined to engage.

First steps

These aren’t just for the first conversation, but questions you can use to facilitate and create an ongoing dialogue. There are opportunities — big and small — where you can start and continue the conversation. Here are some key moments:

When they see you using your device.
When they see people in their favorite show texting/using their devices.
When they ask for their own tablet / phone / computer.
When they get their own tablet / phone / computer.
Their friend gets their own phone / tablet.

Do your friends have their own phone / tablet?

Conversation Script

Device access is an easy entry point to start a dialogue. We’ve gathered the scripts above to make it easy to transition to one of these other discussion guides.