Jenny Marrs Has Strict Cell Phone & Social Media Rules for Her Kids

HGTV star Jenny Marrs is finding it harder to navigate her older kids’ usage of phones and social media, but says she is firm in her approach. Find out how Marrs protects her children with guidelines for phone and social media usage.

Jenny Marrs Confesses: ‘I By No Means Have This Figured Out’

On April 10, Marrs shared a post in her Instagram Story that provided guidance for parents regarding kids and the online landscape.

She also revealed the rules they follow in her household and how she isn’t bending to allow her kids to have phones for quite some time.

“And, I by no means have this figured out. I think it’s simple when your kids are young but as they become teens, it becomes harder to hold the line on tech,” she noted.

Marrs shared, “Our teens (ages 14 – almost 15 – and 13) still do not have smart phones. Thankfully, they have a friend or two who are in the same boat but the vast majority of teens are on their smartphones alllllll the time.”

She continued, “Our boys do feel left out and ask for a ‘real phone’ often. And our daughter is relieved not to have to manage the ‘drama’ that comes with phones (group texting and the gossip that takes place is something she gets to avoid and she never asks for a phone because it’s easier for her to say ‘sorry my parents said no.’ I’ll be the bad guy any day of the week!).”

The “Fixer to Fabulous” star added, “But, we are holding that line. No smart phones until 16. No social media until 18. I don’t care if that makes them frustrated. My job is to protect them and I believe this is one of the most important areas in which I can keep their world small and ensure they are IN the world, not on their phones.”

HGTV Star Explains a Workaround for Texting & Calling

Marrs did note that they have a solution to keep their kids connected, while still being still protected. Their kids can get in touch if needed with Gabb devices.

“As a smartphone alternative, we use Gabb watches and phones,” she shared. “The watches are just for texting and calling to approved contacts only. The phones are Samsung and high quality. They can have a handful of apps (hi – Duolingo) and can take photos and videos and text.”

She continued, “I have an app that alerts me if there is a suspicious text sent or received (there are flagged words and links that trigger an alert).”

The HGTV star noted, “Not an ad for GABB — I’m not even tagging them — just what has worked for us.”

She added, “I believe all of us parents have to talk in order to figure out how to best raise our kids in this digital age. No one can do it perfectly but we can all learn from one another.”