The Family Tech Agreement That Works in Our House
Technology is a big part of family life — and like many households, we’re juggling iPhones, tablets, gaming consoles, smart TVs, and school laptops. As a mom who works in IT, I’ve seen firsthand how quickly things can go wrong if we’re not intentional about digital habits and online safety.
That’s why we created a Family Tech Agreement — not to control everything, but to set some healthy boundaries and keep everyone safer and more aware. And yes, we actually stick to it (most of the time 😉).
What Is a Family Tech Agreement?
It’s a set of simple rules and expectations we all agree on when it comes to:
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Device usage
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Online behavior
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Social media and messaging
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Passwords and privacy
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Screen time boundaries
Think of it like a digital “house rules” list — but friendlier and more focused on building trust, not control.
Why We Created One
Between school chats, YouTube, TikTok, gaming accounts, and group messages, it became hard to keep up with who was doing what online. I didn’t want to spy on my kids or constantly say no — I wanted us to have open conversations about what’s safe, what’s not, and what to do when something feels off.
Our Family Tech Agreement – Key Points
Here’s what our version looks like in real life:
🕒 1. Screen time has limits – with flexibility
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No phones during meals or 1 hour before bed
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Homework comes first
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Family movie night doesn’t count as “screen time” 😉
🔑 2. Passwords are private, strong, and stored securely
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Everyone over 13 uses iCloud Keychain (or another password manager)
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Parents know the recovery methods (not the actual passwords)
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No sharing logins with friends
🚦 3. Pause when something feels “off”
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If a message, video, or comment makes you uncomfortable — talk about it. No punishment, just a conversation.
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We call it the “gut-check rule”
📱 4. Apps and accounts must be discussed first
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Before downloading new apps or creating new accounts, we ask:
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Is it safe?
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Do we understand the privacy settings?
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What’s the worst that could happen?
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How We Keep It Going (and Avoid Nagging)
We keep our Family Tech Agreement:
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No, we do not have a printed and posted near the family charging station. But maybe that is next step
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Talk about rules every school year (new friends = new online habits)
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Adjusted together — the kids have a say too
I also talk openly about real-life security risks I’ve seen through my IT work — not to scare them, but to explain why we do this. They’re more willing to follow the rules when they understand the risks.
Tools That Help Us Stick to It
As an iPhone family, we use:
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Screen Time (in Settings) to set app time limits and downtime
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iCloud Family Sharing to manage purchases and monitor usage
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iCloud Keychain to store and autofill passwords safely
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Find My for location sharing with mutual trust
We also use:
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Apple’s Communication Safety features (for under-18s) to help detect and warn about inappropriate images
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Guided Access when younger cousins borrow devices — keeps them in a single app
What If You're Not on Apple?
No worries — similar tools exist:
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Android Family Link (screen time, filters, location)
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Microsoft Family Safety (for Windows devices)
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Google Password Manager for Chrome users
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1Password or Bitwarden for cross-platform password management
How to Make Your Own Agreement
Start small. Keep it positive. Try these steps:
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Set a time to talk, not lecture
(yes, with snacks!) and come up with a list of tech ground rules that work for you. -
Write down shared values (not just rules)
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Keep it visible
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Review it regularly
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Make it yours — include silly rules or custom emojis if it helps!
Mom’s Mini Security Tip:
If your child’s first online account is their school Google login, treat it seriously. Help them set up a good password, enable recovery options, and talk about how it connects to YouTube, shared docs, or other platforms.
Would you like me to create a downloadable version of the agreement?