How to Build a Family Tech Agreement
Creating a Family Tech Agreement establishes clear, age-appropriate boundaries, ensuring technology supports your child’s well-being rather than disrupting it. At Kids Hub Child Advocacy Center, we know that open communication and structure help kids make safer digital choices.
What Is a Family Tech Agreement?
A Family Tech Agreement is a written (or digital) plan that outlines how, when, and where technology will be used. It’s not about control, it’s about connection and safety.
Think of it as a family conversation, not a contract. Everyone, parents and kids, should have a voice in setting expectations for screen time, online behavior, and device use.
Why You Need a Family Tech Agreement?
According to Common Sense Media, children ages 8-18 spend of average of 7.5 hours a day on screens (not including schoolwork). Without clear boundaries, technology can interfere with sleep, relationships, and emotional health.
A well-crafted tech agreement helps:
Prevent online risks like cyberbullying or exposure to harmful content
Set realistic screen-time expectations
Encourages balance between tech and offline life
Build digital trust between parents and kids
Step-by-Step: Building Your Family Tech Agreement
Set the Tone: It’s About Safety, Not Control
Culture Reframed recommends framing the agreement as an issue of safety and well-being, not trust. Kids’ brains are still developing, which means they’ll make mistakes online. Reinforce that you’re there to help them learn and stay safe, not punish them for being curious.
Tip: Keep the first meeting short (20-30 minutes). Choose a calm, shared space like the kitchen, not at bedtime or after a disagreement.
Discuss Key Topics Together
Use these conversation points from Culture Reframed’s and Common Sense Media’s tech agreement templates:
When and where devices can be used:
No phones at meals, during family time, or after bedtime. Keep devices charging overnight in a shared space.
Privacy and Passwords
Explain that shared passwords are for protection, not surveillance
Apps, Games, and Downloads
Kids must ask before downloading anything new.
Online Behavior:
Follow the THINK rule: Is it True? Helpful? Inspiring? Necessary? Kind?
Digital Citizenship:
No bullying, fake profiles, or sharing of personal information. Encourage kids to tell you if something online feels “weird” or uncomfortable.
Write Down Your Agreements
We’ve created this Family Tech Agreement template to help you build healthy, age-appropriate boundaries. By creating your plan collaboratively, you empower your child to take ownership of their online choices and develop lifelong digital responsibility.
As technology and children’s needs evolve over time, this agreement should be revisited regularly to update its rules, privileges, and expectations.
Reinforce Balance and Reflection
Encourage your child to regularly take breaks, check how screen time affects their mood, and prioritize people in front of them over notifications.
Set “tech-free hours” (like the first and last hour of each day) to promote mindfulness and family connection.
Keep It Flexible & Revisit Often
A Family Tech Agreement isn’t one-and-done. As your child grows, their needs and maturity will change. Culture Reframed emphasizes the importance of revisiting and renegotiating the agreement every few months to ensure fairness and effectiveness.
Family Tech Agreement Conversation Starters
Use these prompts to spark meaningful dialogue:
“What’s one app you love, and what do you like about it?”
“How do you decide what’s okay to post?”
What would you do if someone made you uncomfortable online?”
“How can we balance screen time and other activities?”
More Resources
Building a Family Tech Agreement helps kids learn responsibility, respect, and self-control- skills that extend far beyond their screens. By working together and keeping communication open, families can turn technology into a tool for growth, not a source of conflict.