Your Kid Just Got a Phone. Now What?

There's a moment most parents can pinpoint. Maybe it was the first time your kid borrowed your phone and came back twenty minutes later having somehow downloaded three games. Maybe it was the birthday when a tablet showed up with a bow on it. Maybe it was hearing your 10-year-old casually mention a group chat you didn't know existed.

Whatever it was, you probably had the same thought a lot of parents have: Okay. I need a plan for this.

Here's the good news. You don't need to be a tech expert to help your child be safe online. You need a few practical tools, some clear boundaries, and, most importantly, a kid who still wants to talk to you when something online feels weird.

That last part is what this workshop is really about.

Why two separate sessions

Most internet safety advice tries to talk to parents and kids in the same breath. It rarely lands. Parents need room to ask the questions they'd never ask with their kid sitting right there. Kids need room to be honest about what's actually happening on their screens without watching your face for a reaction.

So we split it up. Parents go first, so you know exactly what your child will hear the following week. Then the kids get a session of their own, built for them.

Day 1: Parents (Saturday, November 7)

The first session is just for parents. We'll build your family's digital toolkit:

• Phone and tablet boundaries. How to set limits that actually stick, and how to involve your kid so they don't feel like a punishment.

• Privacy and online safety. What's worth locking down, what to keep an eye on, and the warning signs that something or someone online isn't right.

• Healthy screen habits. Not "screens are bad," but a rhythm that still leaves room for sleep, homework, friends, and boredom (yes, boredom is good for them).

• Conversations that keep kids talking. This is the big one. How you react the first time your child tells you something went wrong online decides whether they tell you the second time.

You'll leave with steps you can use that same afternoon, not a binder you'll never open.

Day 2: Kids (Saturday, November 14)

The second session is for children ages 8 to 12. In language that makes sense at their age, we'll talk about:

• Why boundaries exist, and why they aren't a punishment

• What's okay to share online and what isn't

• How to tell when something or someone online doesn't feel right

• Who to go to, and what to say, when that happens

Because you went first, you'll already know what we covered. That makes the ride home a lot more productive than "How was it?" "Fine."

Who it's for

Parents of children ages 8 to 12, and the kids themselves. That's the age when a lot of kids start using phones and tablets more independently, and it's the right window to set good habits before the teen years raise the stakes.

The details

• Parent session: Saturday, November 7, 2026, 10:00 to 11:30 AM

• Kids session: Saturday, November 14, 2026, 10:00 to 11:30 AM

• Where: JPB Counseling, 1617 NC Hwy 66 S, Suite 103, Kernersville, NC 27284

• Cost: $60 per session ($120 for the full two-part series)

• Facilitated by: Josh May, LCSW

Space is limited to six spots, so we can keep the group small and make sure every family gets real attention.

How to sign up

Call or text us at 336-496-8027, visit jpbcounseling.com, or scan the QR code on our flyer to reserve your spot.

Technology is going to be part of your child's life no matter what. The question is whether they navigate it alone or with you in their corner. Let's start that conversation together.

JPB Counseling, PC serves families across the Piedmont Triad, including Kernersville, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, and High Point.