{"id":11347,"date":"2018-11-08T10:27:31","date_gmt":"2018-11-08T10:27:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/screentimelabs.com\/?p=9221"},"modified":"2022-03-18T05:15:33","modified_gmt":"2022-03-18T05:15:33","slug":"bus-stop-safety-requires-addressing-kids-phone-use-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/screentimelabs.com\/blog\/bus-stop-safety-requires-addressing-kids-phone-use-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Bus Stop Safety Requires Addressing Kids' Phone Use"},"content":{"rendered":"
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school bus is running through the street<\/p><\/div>
\nCheck In On Safety Basics<\/b>It helps to start with a review of basic safety. Kids should know not to walk in the middle of the road, to use sidewalks wherever possible and to stay on the shoulder on more rural roads, to stick to crosswalks to change sides of the street, to look both ways before crossing, and to wear reflective, highly visible clothing if they’re walking after the sun goes down. A refresher on these rules never hurts, especially as the winter months see more kids out in the dark on their way home.<\/span>
\nEstablish Phone Rules<\/b>
\nAdd to these basic rules a set of phone rules. For example, if your kids need to use their phone to get around because you’ve just moved to the neighborhood, start by setting a rule that they can only use audio directions over a speaker, instead of headphones. Kids shouldn’t be allowed to play games in areas where they need to pay special attention to their surroundings, such as dirt roads or roads without sidewalks, . In areas with sidewalks, you can relax rules about music and headphones, but kids should understand that their safety is their responsibility, and all it takes is a distracted driver and a distracted pedestrian meeting at the wrong time.<\/span>
\nThere will need to be some exceptions. Kids should be able to send texts and take calls, especially for their own safety and,<\/span> as they get older<\/span><\/a>, to communicate with homework partners and employers. But you should curate the list of who kids can call and when.<\/span>
\nKids need to understand when to listen to adults.<\/span><\/i>
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