The "average American family" used to consist of Mom and Dad sipping coffee behind the daily newspaper, daughter Jane with her nose in a book, and little Johnny engrossed in Sunday morning cartoons.
But today's "average American family" has ditched the paper goods and live television in favor of various mobile devices.
Instead of reading Shakespeare, Jane is probably holed up in her room, cell phone in hand, texting friends, listening to music, and taking selfies to post on social networks. By age 12, many tweens already have their first cell phone, which they use to surf the Web, instant message, play games, and occasionally make a phone call.
Mobile devices in the hands of children can also be used for good, though. According to CTIA, the wireless industry trade association, children 11 years and younger most often use tablets to play games, promote learning, and for travel or restaurant entertainment.
In fact, 22 percent of parents have given their kids a mobile device to keep them occupied. But before handing over your iPad, CTIA suggests that parents use tools provided by wireless service providers to filter content and manage how kids access games, apps, and the Internet.
"Manage the service offerings your kids use (e.g., the amount of voice calling minutes, text messages and data usage allowed each month)," CTIA added, especially since the average number of text messages a teen sends in a day lands around 60. The number jumps up by 40 when you're talking about a teenage girl.
"Learn your smartphone's built-in features that can help you manage how your kids use wireless devices," CTIA said.
While 86 percent of parents feel their children are safe online, that doesn't mean they should relax their vigilance over Web use. A whopping 91 percent of parents believe they know what their teens do online; only 62 percent of teens think their parents know what they're really doing.
In an effort to bridge the gap between parental understanding and teenage compliance, CTIA advocates for a set of family wireless rules and consequences, posted in a central location in the home. But remember to revise them as kids grow up and wireless technology evolves.
"Teach your kids about responsible wireless use," the association said. "They'll be better prepared to use what they've learned at school or in their careers." Some of that learning may come from mobile devices, which are increasingly education-friendly.
Seventy percent of teens use cell phones to help with homework a perfectly acceptable practice by many parents' and school administrators' standards. In fact, more than 600 school districts have replaced text books with tablets in the classroom, and 74 percent of administrators feel that digital content increases student engagement.