Every family has a different definition of what is “healthy” or positive. The guide below is designed to help you apply this concept to your family’s tech habits. Together you will determine a mix of content and activities that feels right for your family.

1. Explore positive online activities.

   Start by asking your kids what they think are positive ways to spend time online (and why).  To get them going, you can ask them about websites, apps, or videos that have taught them something or helped them feel motivated, inspired or connected.

2. What makes content “unhealthy”?                                               Next, ask them what they consider to be less positive activities online (and why).  This is a great time to talk about certain platforms, apps and websites, but also specific things they do on them.  You may want to reflect on video content: In their opinion, what kinds of videos do they feel are good uses of time and what kinds aren’t?

3. Work together to create a balance.                                            Finally, ask your kids why they think it’s important to find a balance in their digital activity.  If they think they are spending a lot of time with content that isn’t right for them, brainstorm ideas for types of content they can feel good about and help them prioritise it.

Things to keep in mind:

It’s quantity and quality.

Using digital devices in a balanced way is as much about how long you spend with screens as it is about how that time is spent.

Start with yourself.

You can be a powerful force for good in helping your kids create healthy habits.  Consider changes you might want to make to your own behaviour to model the habits you want to see in your kids.

Be flexible.

Placing inflexible time limits with devices can become harder as your kids get older.  Try to help them become aware of their tendencies so they can start making smart decisions for themselves.

Taken from: https://wellbeing.google/families/find/