How to use technology to stay more connected as a family

(BPT) – As your kids head into their teenage years, it can seem harder to feel connected. Between after-school activities and homework — not to mention socializing with friends — finding time for regular communication can feel impossible at times. To help you stay better connected with your kids, here are a few tips to make the most of what they like — including their technology.Check in regularlyAccording to a recent survey by Comcast, over half of parents (53%)* have their children on their service plans, with kids getting their first phones at the average age of 11 — so you can maximize that connection by staying in touch.Send an occasional short message to ask how their day is going, let them know about upcoming plans or just say hi to keep the line of communication open with your teen or tween. Share an online family calendar to keep everyone organized and to mark occasions for all to look forward to. Use short videos, funny memes or pictures of the family pet to lift their spirits when they’re away from home — or to announce when dinner’s ready!Connect on different levelsTechnology makes it possible to share all kinds of things with family members throughout the week, so why not use it creatively? Send clips or trailers from favorite shows or the latest movies, share music videos you love, play games together — or start a group chat that keeps the whole family in the conversation.Make connecting via phone part of your daily and weekly routine, setting regular times to make video calls with far-flung family and friends, sending daily “dad” or “mom” jokes around or sharing photos of tonight’s delicious dinner — especially when the kids help make it!Get a mobile plan that works well for familiesYour provider and plan make a difference as to how easy it is to stay connected. The Comcast survey found that one-third of parents (33%) are ready for a change in service providers — more than double that of non-parents (14%). Besides negative experiences with their current providers, the biggest gripe for parents is pricing, with parents four times more likely than non-parents to always be on the lookout for that next new plan. But they also have anxiety around switching: 51% of Americans say it’s easier to find a new romantic partner than a new mobile provider.Back-to-school season is all about new beginnings, new schedules and new reasons to evaluate your technology needs and budget. When school and sports are back in full swing, it’s even harder to stay in touch with those who matter. Many don’t realize that Xfinity offers mobile service. Xfinity Mobile gives parents the tools they need to make everyone in the family happy — plus access to millions of secure WiFi hotspots across the country. So, wherever you and your family members are, you’re able to check in or send a thoughtful text.Make the switch; save moneyWith more than 3 in 4 people (76%) willing to have their new mobile provider “break up” with their old provider for them, Xfinity Mobile makes it easy. Just book an appointment that fits your schedule or walk into any Xfinity Store, to switch your service, swap out SIM cards or secure a new phone number and start anew.Back-to-school savings aren’t limited to school supplies, clothes and shoes. Several deals on mobile devices are happening right now and give families a chance to shop for the best savings opportunities. Plus, parental controls, flexible plans and the ability to share data across users all help your family communicate more easily.Xfinity Mobile is great for families because it offers unlimited or by-the-gig options — and you can always change plans, even in the middle of a billing cycle. With affordable mobile plans starting at $15 per month, you can save hundreds for your family for months to come. If you want to BYOD — bring your own device — Xfinity Mobile will give you a $100 Visa gift card that you can use toward those new shoes your child has been eyeing for school.With a little creativity, you can use the devices that your whole family relies on every day to help improve connection and communication between family members of all ages, wherever they are.Learn how to improve your connections with better, more affordable service at Xfinity.com/mobile.*The survey, conducted by Wakefield Research, polled 1,000 nationally representative US adult smartphone users, ages 18+, between May 31st and June 6th, 2023, using an email invitation and an online survey. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. For the interviews conducted in this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3.1 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.