How to Enjoy Summer: media contract

I'm back with another installment of
How to Enjoy Summer.
Today I'm talking about Media and I'm going to share my media contract with you.





Oh media how we love thee!

We are definitely a media loving family. 
I am no exception!
My iphone is my 4th kid. 
I use it as my alarm clock, my to do list, my calendar, my way to keep up with friends
and current events, entertainment, etc.
Heaven forbid I leave the house without my beloved.


My kids love love love their media as well.

(PS this photo is SOOO my youngest son.  
He paused his playing -notice the spiky glove and the camo face cover 
- to watch a quick you tube video)

On a daily basis we come into contact with iphones, ipads, video 
game consoles, tv, kindles, and computers.
These things are all used for entertainment and much good.
But they can also be used for things that are not so good.

And besides that, it's really easy to get sucked into the internet or video games.
Without guidance, I really think my kids would literally sit on their phones or ipad
or whatever device for HOURS at a time.

So what does a mom do about that?

I've seen lots of great ideas on Pinterest for kids to earn media time by 
doing chores, or good deeds, etc.
While I love the idea and I'm sure it works well for some families,
 we do things a little different in our house.

I'm all about teaching my kids how to govern themselves.
Just like with the meal ideas, I give them guidelines and then let them make choices.
I won't always be there to enforce every single rule for them.
So my hope is that by giving them an opportunity to choose things for themselves, 
while they are still living at home and under our influence,
my husband and I can guide our kids to make good choices on their own.


Last year we bought iphones for our 2 teen children.  
We paid for the phones and pay for the monthly contract.  
We lend them to our kids to use.
Why do we do this? 
So we can help them use their phones appropriately.
If the phone is in my name, then I have control over it.  
I can turn data on/off etc.
My goal is to give them freedom a little bit at a time.

How they get the privilege of using them is by following our  Media Contract.


Get a copy here.


We don't allow computers in bedrooms and don't allow phones with
access to the internet in bedrooms either.
All devices get parked in our room at 9:00 pm every night.
My teens are convinced that they are the only kids in the world that can't
use their phones all night.


At some point, all too soon, my kids will be on their own,
to make all of their own choice.
It is my hope, that all of the things we are teaching them now will stay with them.


What do you do in your home with media?
I'd love if you'd share with me in the comments!