The California Partners Project is engaged in a statewide listening tour with mothers, parents and caregivers to understand how they are navigating the integration of technology and devices into most aspects of their children’s lives. A mom of two boys in southern California shared, “Internet safety is becoming a very thin line and we are kind of losing.” A mom of four told us about her frustration trying to filter websites and games she does not want her children to access and play. Not only is it challenging to set up the restrictions, but her children have also found ways to unravel her safety controls. It can be confusing to understand what to consider when it comes to securing online safety for youth. In addition to open and age-appropriate conversations with your children, four issues to consider include: content restrictions, privacy features, time limits, and in-app purchases. Content settings, including parental filters, can restrict access to websites you deem inappropriate. Privacy settings determine the type of information shared with internet companies and their clients. Time limits allow users to restrict the duration of use or the time of day a device is used. In-app purchasing preferences, including authentication requirements, can limit purchases in online games.

The California Partners Project is engaged in a statewide listening tour with California mothers, parents, and caregivers to understand how parents are navigating the integration of technology and devices into most aspects of their children’s lives. We have heard from parents and educators that youth are experiencing insomnia. A therapist in northern California noted about her adolescent clients, “They are staying up really late and staying up with technology. They are stimulating themselves with this at the later hours in the night. They report being really off in the morning and very sluggish.” A mom of an adolescent daughter reported that at night “I have to go to her and say, ‘It is 1 am. You must get off social media and go to sleep.’” Many kids can’t fall asleep at night, sleep patterns have changed and too many are not getting enough sleep. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, teens need approximately 8-10 hours of sleep per night to support their growth and development. However, in our report, Are the Kids Alright?, we found a majority of the teens we interviewed had poor sleep patterns including sleeping with digital devices in their bedrooms, staying on a screen until just before bed, and thinking about social media instead of shutting down at night. Sleep is critical for more than just a good mood. According to Dr. Matthew Walker Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley and Founder and Director of the Center for Human Sleep Science, a good night’s sleep supports our ability to learn, which can lead to better academic grades, improved moods, optimizes growth and development, promotes better athletic performance and helps prevent injuries; it even supports a healthy immune system.

The California Partners Project is engaged in a statewide listening tour with mothers, parents, and caregivers to understand how they are navigating the integration of technology and devices into most aspects of their children’s lives. A mother of four children in Sacramento shared what she learned during the pandemic. “I have to model for my kids what I expect from them. I cannot set these boundaries and limitations on their tech time if I’m going to be going down the Google rabbit hole all day and mindlessly looking at social media.” Her strategy is to literally turn off her phone to spend time with her kids without distractions; this way they don’t see her scrolling. Today’s parents did not grow up with screens and don’t have a blueprint to guide them. According to the Pew Research Center, two thirds of parents of children aged 18 and younger believe it is harder to parent today than it was 20 years ago. Many of those surveyed believe that aspects of digital technology, including social media, are why. A survey by the Digital Wellness Lab showed that parents report more frequent arguments with their children over media use since the pandemic began.