Encourage your child to confide in you without fear of judgment or punishment. Understand that your child’s friends are very important. Establish fair, understandable rules around chores, screen time, homework, and bedtime, and follow through with a stated consequence when rules are broken. Resiliency comes from solving one’s own problems, so get out of your child’s way and let them practice when they face difficult teachers or peer challenges.

Navigating the role of technology and social media in your kids’ lives can be challenging. Parents can engage with their kids about technology by playing games with them and talking about responsible internet and video game use. From the start, tell your children that you will be monitoring them. Consider letting them know that you will periodically check their texting without warning in the first year to ensure content is appropriate. This approach lets them know that you trust them, but you will be watching. Remind your child that tone is not always obvious when they text. They should always ask themselves “Do I really want to send this?” While kids are tech savvy, they need to know how easy it is to hurt other people’s feelings.

Sex: Encourage your child to delay sexual activity. Talk about porn. If you’re uncomfortable talking about these topics, please ask your provider or others you trust for helpful and reliable info.

Drugs: Alcohol/Marijuana/Tobacco/Vapes are substances that appear in ALL schools by 8th grade. Talk to your child about the dangers of these and consider securing your home. Still, good kids make mistakes. Offer a safe place for your child to talk with you about their choices.