No one cares more about your child’s well-being and success than you do. In today’s digitally-fueled times, that means guiding him or her not just in the real world but in the always-on virtual one as well. Teach your children to use technology in a healthy way and pick up the skills and habits that will make them successful digital citizens. Here are a few helpful tips to managing your child’s screen time well.

1. AIM FOR BALANCE

Every family is unique so there is no single recipe for success, use what works for your family. Differentiate between quality content and passive watching (Youtube vs Ozmo). “The most important step is to establish a balanced or sustainable relationship with tech,” says the social psychologist Adam Alter, author of “Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked.” You can liken it to aiming for a healthy diet, Dr. Alter explains: “Older kids understand the concept of balance intuitively — they know that it’s important to eat healthy foods alongside candy and dessert, and the same is true of the ’empty calories’ that come from spending too much time passively gazing at screens. There’s a time for screens, but not at the expense of time for physical activity and connecting with real people in real time.”Set screen time limits. Make time for outdoor/indoor family activities away from the screen. Engage your children to interact with you without the distraction of a buzzing phone or the latest tweet about Meghan Markle. Limit or eliminate screen time on school nights.

2. WATCH FOR UNHEALTHY USAGE WARNING

The psychologist Jon Lasser, who co-wrote “Tech Generation: Raising Balanced Kids in a Hyper-Connected World,” says parents should note when:

  • Kids complain that they’re bored or unhappy when they don’t have access to technology
  • Tantrums or harsh resistance occur when you set screen time limits
  • Screen time interferes with sleep, school and face-to-face communication

Technology’s irresistible pull draws in parents as much as it does kids. We check our phones every hour, binge watch our favorite shows, and even engage in dangerous “distracted walking.” Children are likely to not only copy our behavior, but they also feel like they have to compete with devices for our attention.

Google and Apple are starting to address this growing concern about tech taking over our lives by adding new phone features such as time limits for specific apps and statistics on time spent on devices. While digital tools can certainly help, practicing and demonstrating mindful use of technology ourselves will be the best way to teach children the critical skill of unplugging.

Set boundaries for work time and family time. A few key times to stay unplugged include:

  • When picking up or dropping children at school
  • After coming home from work
  • During meals
  • During outings

Know when you need to be plugged in and when you don’t. Don’t make your children compete with technology for your attention. Also it’s always best to follow common sense rules around tech like never texting while driving and avoiding oversharing on social media.

Remember to use media the way you want your children to. Practice what you preach instead of the hypocritical “do as I say not what I do” approach, and you will emulate the habits you want your children to pick up.

3. SET UP CHILD ACCOUNTS

Kids may need to use a computer for homework. The built-in parental controls in Windows (called Microsoft Family) and macOS (called Parental Controls in system preferences) can help you set time limits and also limit apps and web usage.

Restrict their profiles to limit who can view their information or contact them.

Talk to your children about privacy and online security, repeat the conversation as much as needed.

4. ENCOURAGE CREATIVITY

Technology has a lot to offer children, but the apps you choose to expose your kids to make a difference. If your child is a tinkerer and likes to build things, you could try:

  • Osmo, which merges real-world objects with digital ones on the iPad for a more tactile learning experience.
  • Scratch, developed by M.I.T., teaches children logical thinking through creating stories, animations and games.

5. WATCH OUT FOR CYBER BULLYING

It’s as prevalent as actual bullying at school. Teach your kids to recognize when and if they are being bullied and notify an adult. Constant information about standing up to bullies and the importance of supporting anyone else being bullied is crucial.

6. INVOLVE THEM

Your family likely discusses important decisions that affect the group day-to-day, such as who’s responsible for doing the dishes and where you should go for your next holiday. Technology use should take the same type of planning, so everyone’s on board with the same expectations.

Set rules as a family. When you set limits with children, Dr. Lasser says, kids can start learning how to self-regulate and know when screen time is interfering too much with the rest of their lives. As a bonus, he adds: “Kids are also less likely to balk at limits if they have a role in creating and establishing them.”