Media Mentoring, Not Monitoring

In a recent survey, parents of teenagers ranked technology overuse as their number one fear.  This coincides with a time when messages about the negative impacts of children and teens using smartphones and screens are being shouted from the rooftops. If you know a young person who is getting too much screen-time, try switching from monitoring to mentoring.

Media mentoring focuses on understanding why children are using devices and what they are getting out of that use rather than strictly policing and restricting use. Technology use has both disadvantages and benefits, and it’s important to help children find a balance. Why they use and enjoy technology is also complex and there isn’t just one reason.  To help facilitate healthy habits, adults need to understand these reasons, the media that young people are using and what they feel they’re getting out of that use.

This article from NPR about media mentoring and creating technology boundaries was written specifically for parents and caregivers, but is applicable to any caring adult in a young person’s life.