Ask Mom with Sue Donnellan Kids & Smartphones
Sue Donnellan Shares Kids and Smartphones: Rules Every Parent Should Set Before Handing Over a Phone.
Kids & Smartphones: Rules Every Parent Should Set Before Handing Over a Phone
Handing your kid a phone isn’t a tech decision, it’s a leadership one. In this episode,
Sue lays out the mindset and the must-haves that separate a calm, values-driven phone
handoff from a chaos spiral. We’ll show you how to define the why, set expectations that
actually stick, and avoid the most common trap parents don’t see coming, until it’s too
late.
What We Talk About
The question to answer before you even look at devices
How to decide readiness without using age as the yardstick
The “first-phone” agreement that does the heavy lifting (and why most fail)
Training-wheel options that buy you freedom without turning you into the phone
police
The silent risks hiding in notifications, group chats, and late-night DMs, and the
simple way to defuse them
You’ll Walk Away With
A tight structure for your Family Phone Agreement (purpose → boundaries →
safety → accountability)
A quick gut-check to decide if now is the right time…or not yet
A short list of safer first-device pathways to consider
Highlights
Why this milestone is different from every other purchase
Readiness: the three behaviors that matter more than age
The agreement clause that prevents 90% of arguments
Devices that ease you in (without opening the floodgates)
The 3–6 month review that keeps you in the driver’s seat
Resources Mentioned
Family Phone Agreement
Quiz: Ask Mom “First-Phone Gut Check”
Tools: Starter-device paths and monitoring options discussed in-episode
One-Liner to Remember
Don’t buy a phone - build a plan. The device is hardware; the rules are the
operating system.
Connect
Sue Donnellan: AskMomParenting.com | Instagram | YouTube
Work with Sue: Free consult | Programs & courses
Press play to get the blueprint, so the first phone builds trust, not drama.
🔗 Links & Resources:
· Free Facebook Group: Yell-Free Parenting for Exhausted Moms
· Sue’s Book: Secrets to Parenting Without Giving a F^ck
· Want 1-on-1 coaching? Book here
· Get Sue’s Weekly Newsletter: Subscribe now
Thanks for listening! Be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a mom who needs to hear it.
Please support UnsilencedVoices.org a global 501(c)3 nonprofit that empowers survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.
We thank Smith Sisters and the Sunday Drivers for our theme song, "She is You".
Be sure to connect with us on BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and come tell us your story!
WordofMomRadio.com - sharing the wisdom of women, in business and in life.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/word-of-mom-radio--5252572/support.
Sue Donnellan
As a mother who has balanced raising four kids (including triplets) with a full-time business and a husband who deployed to combat five times, I fully understand the demands on parents to successfully manage a busy family life. The steep learning curve of going from one to four children almost instantly kickstarted my methods for nurturing four unique individuals. My no-nonsense, judgement-free parenting style created an environment of freedom, flexibility and self-initiated learning for our kids. After twenty years in the trenches, parenting four happy, prosperous people, there is much to share that will make the entire process stress-free, effective and fun.
Randee Moore
Randee Moore is a mom of two, a copywriter and marketing strategist who’s obsessed with learning and personal growth. With a background in psychology, she’s passionate about exploring research based ways to parent with purpose and intention. She runs on caffeine, recharges in nature, and never leaves home without a good book.
