Finding a balance between screen time and quality family moments can be a daily challenge. With children using devices for various activities like learning, socializing, gaming, and streaming, determining a reasonable amount of screen time can be tricky.
In an effort to promote online safety discussions within families, The Family Chat campaign is being held throughout 2026 in collaboration with Tesco Mobile. Author and podcaster Giovanna Fletcher is engaging with parents and kids to address online safety issues and how Tesco Mobile’s resources can be beneficial.
One of the resources provided is a downloadable family pledge where families can agree on simple commitments regarding healthy screen time practices and online safety measures. Giovanna emphasizes the importance of regularly reviewing screen time rules, mentioning that her family focuses on ensuring phone usage doesn’t become the sole activity for her kids.
For the Karley family, comprising Anna, Emmanuel, and their three teenagers, phones are essential for communication, schoolwork, and managing their busy schedules. To make discussions about screen time engaging, they participated in the Team Mum v Team Dad Online Safety Challenge. Divided into two teams, they completed challenges focused on ranking screen activities against offline activities like cooking and reading.
After completing the challenges, the family filled out Tesco Mobile’s family pledge, outlining commitments related to screen time, privacy, and sharing. Anna and Emmanuel plan to utilize Tesco Mobile’s Online Safety Hub for expert guidance on maintaining a healthy balance between digital interactions and real-world connections. They have already implemented a phones-down rule at 9.30 pm to prioritize family time.
In addition, they are vigilant about online content, watching out for sensational headlines, spelling errors, and verifying information from trusted sources. Teaching kids to verify social media accounts and engaging in fact-checking activities together are some strategies they intend to implement to promote online safety within the family.