Any size group of friends or family is valuable to discuss healthy social media use and together, commit to keep children safe. It could be merely knowing that tweens in your son’s friends’ families also have to put down the phone at 9 pm, as an example. Just that bit of knowing supports your efforts- you are not “the only one.” Or it could be parents in a Girl Scout troop more officially agreeing to a set of healthy digital skills for their girls. No matter, we are going to change negative social media use only if we work together!

Suggested questions as you create a group:

• Are you interested in learning more about healthy screen time habits?
• Is screen time a fight in your house?
• Are you having a hard time holding onto limits you set?
• Do you understand the potential risk of social media?
• Are you missing one on one time with your child?
• Do you believe your child has a good balance of on and off-screen activities?
• Do you see your child’s behavior change as a result of social media use?
• Is your child anxious about world events, even at an early age?
• Would a support group of others help you work your way through these challenges?
• Would you like to focus on one issue or challenge per meeting? Or kick it off with recent medical research and then let the conversation flow from there?
• How would you like to stay in touch and how often? What will work best for your group? Zoom every few months? Pulling one another aside at a lacrosse game?

Learn more about starting a Unite group, and when you’re ready, sign up to get our toolkit. We’re in this together!

House of Representatives Directory https://www.house.gov/representatives

Senate Directory https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm

Current Critical Legislative Activity

The Kids Online Safety Act

Stand up, raise your hands and pledge that you’ll commit to healthy steps that will work for your family. 

Which of these actions will your family be taking to join our pledge to support mental health? 

• Build a family social media plan.
• Set daily screen time limits.
• Consider that more than above 3.5 hours per day of screen time doubles one’s risk for mental harm.
• Cut back on screen time.
• Consider waiting to give a smartphone until age 15-16.
• Discuss the risks and security concerns of all apps.
• Review children’s accounts together and agree on which ones you will all use.
• Share apps.
• Share usernames on all apps.
• Set physical boundaries, like no devices at the dinner table. Consider other device-free zones like the car.
• Have regular conversations. Examples: What app did you enjoy today? Did an app make you feel poorly about yourself? Explore with curiosity and respect.
• Talk about applying kindness and care online – agree that your family will not bully or use hateful speech.
• Make more time for in-person conversations as a family.
• Encourage daily physical activity for your children.
• Watch how children behave while on and off of social media.
• Encourage family friends, teachers and others to monitor children’s use of social media.
• Establish consequences for breaking the family ground rules.
• Assure children that there is no “mistake” that is too great on social media for them NOT to come to you to talk.
• Encourage off screen activities including engaging with Unite’s partners. 

Scroll down below to click the button and take the pledge.

Changing cultural norms is big, but the mental health of our children is priceless.

Everything we offer families is free thanks to the generosity of our donors.

We’re working to change behavior one small group at a time. Please consider a gift to further the work we have done in just the first nine months.