Hello Reader,

Welcome to another Summer Sips and Tips! Today we're talking about one of the trickiest parts of parenting in the digital age: Communicating your family’s media standards with other parents who may be watching your kids.

🍹 Summer Sips:
​Whether your child is heading to a friend's house or a neighborhood get-together, there's a chance screens may be involved.

Initiating conversations about your media expectations may not feel comfortable at first.

That’s OK. Just remember clear, respectful conversations ahead of time can prevent awkward situations later. And ultimately help kids have fun together without tension or confusion.

✅ 5 Summer Tips (plus a Bonus!):
​A few simple conversation starters can help:

1. Lead with your family's values. Try saying, "We've found these media guidelines work really well for our family."
2. Ask questions with curiosity. Before a playdate, ask what kinds of movies, games, social media, or internet access children typically have.
3. Offer practical solutions. Suggest screen-free activities, bring a favorite game, or offer to host if that makes everyone more comfortable.
4. Keep the conversation positive. Focus on protecting childhood and helping kids make healthy choices rather than criticizing technology or other parenting styles.
5. Prepare your child by practicing polite responses if they're offered media that doesn't align with your family's standards. Remind your kids that they can always call you if they feel uncomfortable.

✅ Bonus Tip: Be proactive by asking first. When you contact a parent to invite their child over to play, explain your plans for screens (or no screens) and ask if they have any screen time rules they would like you to follow. Then, next time your child is invited to their house, they may extend the same courtesy to you. Or they won’t be surprised when you text or call and ask questions about screen time expectations.

Small, respectful conversations build trust with other parents. And maybe even more importantly, they show your children that it's OK to stand by healthy boundaries—even when they're different from everyone else's.

Embrace "slow tech." Discover additional tips from our favorite "slow tech" expert–Andrea Davis of Better Screen Time by tapping the button below.

A little preparation today can strengthen friendships, encourage mutual respect, and help kids follow your screen time boundaries.

Kindly,

Kristen

P.S. Looking for an easy way to put your family's media standards into writing? Our free Digital Safety Planner helps you create a personalized plan for screen time, devices, apps, and online expectations—making it even easier to share your family's guidelines with grandparents, babysitters, and other parents. Download it for FREE today!

Help your child build an internal filter that can help shape their future. Resources like our Good Pictures Bad Pictures books give parents a simple, age-appropriate way to talk with kids about pornography before exposure happens.