Family tech agreement: a one-page template to print

A short agreement the whole family writes together and puts on the fridge. Kids keep rules they helped write far better than rules handed to them.

Updated November 13, 2026·2 min read··

Short answer

Print this page, sit down together, and fill in the blanks: where devices sleep at night, screen-free times, which apps are OK, what to do if something online feels wrong, and what parents promise in return. Everyone signs it. Look at it again every few months, and loosen it as your kids grow.

How to use it

  1. Print the agreement (the Print button at the top prints just the agreement, on its own).
  2. Sit down as a family at a calm time, not right after an argument about screens.
  3. Go through each part together. Let the kids suggest answers first.
  4. Everyone signs, parents included. Put it on the fridge.
  5. Look at it again in three months, at the start of each school year, and whenever someone gets a new device.

Our family tech agreement

Where devices sleep

At night, our phones, tablets and laptops charge in: ____________________

They go there at: ______ p.m. on school nights and ______ p.m. on weekends.

Screen-free times

We don't use screens during: ____________________ (for example: dinner, the car ride to school, Sunday mornings, the first hour after school)

Apps and games

Apps and games we've agreed on: ____________________

Before downloading anything new, we: ____________________ (for example: ask a parent first)

Talking to people online

  • We only chat with people we know in real life.
  • We never share our address, school, or photos of ourselves with someone we've only met online.
  • If anyone asks us to keep a secret from our parents, we tell a parent right away.

When something goes wrong

If we see something online that's scary, gross or confusing, or someone makes us uncomfortable, we will: ____________________ (for example: put the device down and tell a parent)

Parents promise: "If you tell us, you're not in trouble for telling us. We'll stay calm and we'll help."

Our home Wi‑Fi

Our home internet has a filter that blocks adult sites, gambling and scams. It's not because we don't trust you. It's like a fence by a pool: it keeps everyone safer, including the grown-ups.

What parents promise

  • We'll put our own phones away at the times above too.
  • We'll explain our rules instead of just saying no.
  • We'll give you more freedom as you show you can handle it.
  • We'll look at this agreement again with you, not without you.

Signed

____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________

Date: ______________

Tips for making it stick

  • Keep it short. Five rules everyone remembers beat twenty nobody does.
  • Parents go first. Kids watch what we do with our own phones far more than they listen to what we say.
  • Use the tools too. A bedtime on the home Wi‑Fi turns "phones off at 9" from an argument into a fact. See internet bedtime schedules.
  • Loosen it as they grow. A teenager who sees a path to more freedom keeps the rules better. See parental controls by age.

Sheepdog Filter

Filter your school's network, then help families do the same at home.

One setting covers every device on campus, and Chromebooks stay filtered at home. Your school gets its own page, a share kit and a QR code for families.

Set up our school

Questions parents ask

What age is this agreement for?

It works from about age 6 to 16. For younger children, parents fill it in and explain it. For older teens, let them write most of it and negotiate.

What if my kids break the agreement?

Treat it as a chance to talk, not just to punish. Ask what made it hard to keep, and whether the rule needs changing or a tool would help.

Can schools and churches hand this out?

Yes. Print as many as you like. It's free for any school, church or family to use.

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