Videotron and CIEL, working together for healthy digital habits
The content, activities, and tools featured in this guide were developed in collaboration with the Centre pour l’intelligence émotionnelle en ligne (CIEL), an organization dedicated to helping young people, families, and schools navigate today's digital realities.
Together, Videotron and CIEL provide practical resources grounded in research and real-world experiences to help you support your child in using their first cellphone safely, responsibly, and in a balanced, positive way.
Building healthy digital habits
A cellphone offers many opportunities, but it also comes with responsibilities.
Help your child develop healthy digital habits with practical guidance on managing screen time, navigating online relationships, staying safe online, and understanding the importance of phone-free moments.
Always within reach, a cellphone is part of everyday life. Because it can be used almost anywhere and at any time, it's easy to spend more time on it than we realize. Many of the apps we use are also designed to capture and hold our attention. That's why it's important to strike a healthy balance between time spent on a phone and other daily activities.
A cellphone can contribute to a child's sense of security by making it easy for parents and children to stay in touch. At the same time, it provides access to a vast digital world that should be explored and navigated gradually, with guidance and support along the way.
Raise awareness about the importance of in-person connections and responsibilities
Cellphones make it easier to stay connected with family and friends, but they can also lead young people to prioritize online communication over face-to-face interactions. It's important to encourage regular in-person time with family, friends, classmates, and teammates to help maintain healthy relationships and prevent social isolation.
Receiving a first cellphone is also an opportunity to discuss the responsibilities that come with using it. Establishing clear expectations from the outset can help prevent misunderstandings and conflicts down the road.
Your child should understand the importance of:
de keeping track of their device and not losing it;
d’en taking care of it to prevent damage or breakage;
de not taking or sharing photos or videos of other people without their consent;
de following the family's rules and expectations regarding cellphone use;
d’adopter communicating and behaving respectfully in all online interactions.
It's important to revisit these conversations regularly, as your child's needs and how they use their phone will naturally evolve over time.
CIEL's tip
Why Ask for Permission Before Posting?
In this video, available in French only, learn why getting someone's consent before sharing a photo or video is a simple but important step.
Respecting consent
Talking to your child about respecting consent also means reflecting on your own sharing habits. Discover practical tips for posting photos and videos online while protecting your child's privacy.
Cyberbullying
As with many digital issues, the best way to prevent cyberbullying is to talk about it openly.
Make it a habit to take an interest in what your child does online, the platforms they use, and the experiences they have. The goal is not to monitor every interaction, but to foster a relationship built on trust, where your child feels comfortable coming to you when something upsetting or concerning happens.
When your child shares a negative online experience, take the time to listen, acknowledge their feelings, and avoid jumping to conclusions or making quick judgments. Feeling heard and supported is often the first step toward finding solutions and addressing the situation effectively.
Preventing cyberbullying
A few simple steps can help reduce the risk of cyberbullying.
For example, it's a good idea to:
configure privacy settings to limit who can contact your child or tag them in content;
It's also important to know how to block and report users;
talk with your child about the importance of treating others with kindness and respect online.
What should you do if your child is being cyberbullied?
Start by taking screenshots and saving any messages, posts, images, or other content involved.
Report the content or account through the platform where the incident occurred.
Encourage your child to talk to a trusted adult about what happened.
If the situation involves other students, it may be helpful to contact the school or speak with the parents of those involved.
In more serious situations, particularly when there are threats, harassment, intimidation, or concerns about your child's safety, contact the appropriate authorities for assistance.
Digital safety
Privacy, data protection, device security, and fraud prevention: discover simple, practical tips to help your entire family navigate the online world safely and confidently.
Prioritize healthy habits and other activities
Time spent on a cellphone should be part of a balanced lifestyle that also makes room for healthy habits, responsibilities, and offline activities.
Before focusing on screen time itself, it's important to ensure that a few fundamental needs are being met every day:
getting 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night;
being physically active for at least one hour a day;
eating three meals a day;
attending school;
spending time with people in person;
spending time outdoors;
taking part in planned activities, such as sports, classes, and hobbies.
In addition to these essentials, children also need time for homework, household chores, appointments, family activities, and screen-free downtime.
When these needs and responsibilities are given their proper place in the daily routine, it becomes much easier to maintain a healthy and balanced relationship with a cellphone.
Looking beyond screen time
Screen time is a useful indicator, but it doesn't tell the whole story.
To better understand how a child is using their phone, it's important to consider several factors:
The context
At what time of day is the phone being used?
Where is it being used?
Is its use interfering with important activities?
The content
What type of content is being viewed?
Is the content appropriate for your child’s age?
How much of the experience is shaped by advertising and social interactions?
The child
their age;
their personality;
their level of maturity;
their ability to manage emotions and respond appropriately to online experiences.
Every child is different. Rather than relying solely on a time limit, it is often more helpful to look at their digital habits as a whole.
Recommended screen time by age
According to the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ), it is recommended to significantly limit screen exposure among young children in order to support their development and well-being.
As such, no screen exposure is recommended before the age of 2.
For children aged 2 to 5, screen time should be limited to less than one hour per day.
For children aged 6 to 12, the recommended duration should not exceed two hours per day.
Finally, for adolescents aged 13 to 19, it is recommended to keep screen time below three hours per day in order to reduce the risk of negative effects on physical health, mental health, and overall well-being.
Setting screen-free times can help children develop healthy habits. For example, it is recommended to avoid cellphone use:
during meals;
during family time;
while having a conversation;
in the morning, before school;
during the hour before bedtime.
When Screens Get in the Way of Our Relationships
Screens can sometimes distract us from the moments that matter most. In this video, available in French only, learn about technoference and discover a few simple habits to help you build healthier screen-use habits.
The Helix Fi app: a practical tool
The Helix Fi app: a practical tool for managing screen time at home
Establishing screen-free times is a great way to help your child develop healthy digital habits. To support you in this effort, the Helix Fi app, included at no extra cost with all Helix Internet plans, offers several features that can help you better manage Internet use at home.
Directly from your phone, you can create a profile for your child, monitor their use of the Wi Fi network, and set up rules that reflect your family's needs and routines.
Features designed for families
- Create a personalized profile : Assign your child's devices to a profile so you can easily manage their Internet access and apply the same settings across all their devices.
- Schedule screen-free time : Set up offline periods to automatically pause Internet access during meals, homework time, family activities, or overnight.
- Set usage time limits : Set a daily Wi Fi time allowance and receive notifications when the allotted time has been reached.
- Pause Internet with a single tap : Need an immediate break? You can temporarily pause Internet access for all devices linked to a profile or for a specific device.
- Better understand digital habits : The Activity Time Details feature lets you view how much time is spent online and which apps are used most often when devices are connected to your home Wi Fi network. These insights can serve as a helpful starting point for discussions about your child's digital habits.
- Enable Parental Control : The Parental Control feature helps limit access to content that may be inappropriate or explicit when your child is connected to your home Wi Fi network.
Learn how to create profiles, manage Wi Fi access, and set limits tailored to your family's needs:
Digital technology as a tool for discovery
When used appropriately, a cellphone can help children stay connected with family and friends, support learning, spark curiosity, and provide opportunities for relaxation and entertainment. The goal is not to eliminate screens, but rather to help your child give them an appropriate place in their daily life.
Real-life scenarios
CIEL has developed a series of scenarios inspired by experiences shared with its facilitators during the digital well-being workshops they lead in elementary and secondary schools across Québec. Each scenario is accompanied by practical guidance to help you respond effectively and better support your child when they encounter similar situations.
I get easily distracted by my phone when I’m doing homework.
What to do:
- Put your phone on Do Not Disturb mode.
- Leave your phone in another room, away from you.
- Block access to certain apps during homework time.
- Ask someone you trust for help in building a new habit.
I have a hard time putting my phone away before bed.
What to do:
- Block access to apps that tend to keep your attention.
- Keep your phone outside the bedroom.
- Establish a screen-free bedtime routine.
Activities for parents and children
Let’s talk
This activity is designed to help start a conversation between parents and children about digital habits, responsibilities, and expectations related to cellphone use. By discussing these topics together, it becomes easier to establish clear rules and develop a shared understanding of what matters most to your family.
Safety 101
Cellphones and apps include a variety of settings that can help protect privacy, limit unwanted interactions, and make online communication safer. This activity, available in French only, invites you to explore these settings with your child.
The goal is not to lock and limit access to everything, but rather to help your child understand the tools available to them and develop the habits and skills needed to navigate the online world more safely and independently.
Let’s imagine...: Real-life scenarios
What if you could prepare for difficult situations before they happen?
Through a variety of scenarios inspired by young people's everyday experiences, this activity invites you and your child to explore simple, practical solutions together.
The Digital Compass
Objectives
- Learn more about what the other person is doing on their cell phone
- Discover settings for implementing privacy and security strategies
- Explore other ways to spend time with family or how to simply take a break from screens
*The Digital Compass is not a substitute for proper screen rules within the home.
How to use it?
As a family, take out your cell phones and go through the questions, one by one. To encourage an open and engaging discussion, you should:
- Adopt a posture of listening and openness - Welcome the other person’s experience by avoiding judgments, generalizations, and preconceived ideas.
- Be curious - Ask questions, download the same app, share videos, try each other’s games.
- Be a role model, parents - Lead by example and help the family get involved in different activities.
Recommended articles
Supporting a child in their use of digital technology also means helping them develop good habits.
These articles offer practical advice to help you better guide their use of YouTube, protect their online accounts, and understand the risks associated with public Wi Fi networks.
