Hofmann's 18-point contract is packed with rules that could easily work for any family. Rules such as "I will always know the password," "Do not text, email, or say anything to someone that you would not say out loud with their parents in the room," "Do not send or receive pictures of your private parts or anyone else's private parts," and "Keep your eyes up. ... Wonder without Googling." But each family each family needs to determine the rules that will make them feel the most comfortable day in and day out.
"We all know the golden rule, so that certainly would apply universally to technology," Hofmann says. "Again, not that our kids won’t make mistakes and that they will be perfect with it, but that there is some guiding principle that you are responsible for what you say over the technology. I think some of those principles of health and wellness of how we treat others can be universal."
Other such rules can include the hours the phone can be in use, where it should be put during off hours, who has access to it, and who is responsible for it should it break, become waterlogged, or end up lost.
To help determine your own family contract, Hofmann's website offers a free service that actually creates a contract based on your direction. It's a great place to start.
