Focus on Healthy Digital Media Use & First Phone Readiness

Please [click here]( if you have problems viewing this message or if using a mobile device. Find Us [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Pinterest]( [HealthyChildren.org]( The only site and newsletter backed by 67,000 AAP pediatricians! [Prenatal]( [Baby]( [Toddler]( [Preschool]( [Gradeschool]( [Teen]( [Young Adult]( Healthy Digital Media Use & First Phone Readiness July 2022 | Issue 223 [parents talking with worried child about tragic event in news]( [Healthy Digital Media Use: Create a Personalized Plan for Your Family]( Media devices are [everywhere]( and managing all the channels of communication can be a challenge. Creating a [Family Media Plan]( can help you and your children set media priorities that matter most to your family. Our newly updated tool is based on the latest research on how media use affects kids. It helps you find ways to balance [screen time]( with other activities, sets boundaries for accessing content, gives suggestions on dealing with [cyberbullying]( and encourages age-appropriate critical thinking and digital literacy. Come back to revise your plan as often as you need to, such as at the beginning of each school year or during summer and holiday breaks. Create your family's media use plan [here]( [family-parents-child-reading-book-on-floor_2106479.jpg]( [Your Child's First Phone: Are They Ready?]( Deciding when your child should have their first phone can be a big deal. Smartphones, in particular, offer a portal to the internet, apps and [social media](. You may not feel your child is ready for that much access to the digital world. Yet, you may want to get your child a phone for the basics: an easy way to contact you when they're traveling between school, after-school activities or different households, for example. Find important points to consider [here](. You can also check out the new [PhoneReady Questionnaire]( developed by AT&T in collaboration with the AAP. [PowerPlay_200_2098436.jpg]( Take-Turn Drawings Show your kids how fun it can be to work—and play—together. Have one child draw something ("one day, an alligator woke up…"), and the other embellish it with something silly ("…and he put on roller skates…") and so on. Tell a story piece by piece, and see where it goes, and how ridiculous you can make it. Read more in this month's Power of Play article, [Siblings as Playmates: 5 Ways to Prevent Squabbles](. Find printable play sheets [here](. Also on HealthyChildren.org: [Beyond Screen Time: Help Your Kids Build Healthy Media Use Habits]( [Constantly Connected: How Media Use Can Affect Your Child]( [Social Media & Your Child's Mental Health: What the Research Says]( [Social Media Design: 4 Things Parents Need to Know]( [Cyberbullying: How to Help Prevent It]( [Sexting: How to Talk With Kids About the Risk]( [Age-Appropriate Media: Can You Trust Parental Guidance Ratings?]( [Video Games: Establish Your Family's Own Rating System]( [Multiplayer Games Online: How to Help Keep Kids Safe]( [Dangerous Internet Challenges: Understanding Their Appeal to Kids]( [summer-hc-isse_2280762.gif]( Thank You to Our Sponsors: [211125_SANOFI_LOGO_RGB_200_2137356.png]( [melissa2_2006054.jpg]( [melissa2_2006054.jpg]( [bbB-logo_2231355.gif]( [AAP]( The AAP is the world's largest publisher of pediatric content. [HealthyChildren.org]( is the digital extension of the AAP mission to provide the most trustworthy health content to parents and caregivers at home, on the go, and from anywhere in the world. The information contained on this newsletter and on [HealthyChildren.org]( should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances. © Copyright 2022 American Academy of Pediatrics. All rights reserved. American Academy of Pediatrics | 345 Park Blvd. | Itasca, IL 60143, USA [Log Into Your Account]( | [Contact Us]( | [About Us]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Terms of Use]( | [Editorial Policy]( [Unsubscribe]( American Academy of Pediatrics, 345 Park Boulevard, Itasca, IL 60143