Childhood has transitioned from what it once was. That’s nothing new because it’s always in transition as one generation begets another.

For example, I find it amusing that jazz music’s popularity in the early 20th century, for many parents at the time, was viewed as the causation of moral decay and the depravity of youth. At the risk of sounding like an amusing old fud myself, I’m glad I grew up before the internet, smartphones, video games and social media. I can already hear the chorus of “OK boomer” in the air. It’s difficult to deny that many of today’s human relations problems are generated, magnified and perpetuated in cyberspace. Youth are particularly vulnerable, and multiple studies indicate that many adolescents spend more time on media screen activities and less time on nonscreen activities, which may account for increases in depression and suicide.

With summer vacation coming soon, children run the risk of slipping further into the abyss. Parents are the most important gatekeepers for guiding their children well away from the precipice of the bottomless cyberpit.

I remember blissful childhood days of hopping on a bicycle, riding away from the house and leaving the confines of parental scrutiny with the world of possibilities ahead. Some of those possibilities were negative, including scraped knees, bike wrecks, getting run over or even drowning. Kids do some stupid things, but believe it or not, they can sense risks.

We didn’t always make sound decisions based on those risks. But we watched out for each other, learned how to interact cooperatively, even if we fought a little and solved some of our own problems. Perhaps that was the best social training and the most freedom we have ever experienced. Most of us had a parent or parents on whom we could rely if things went horribly wrong. And we did consider the restrictions we might face from Mom or Dad if we really messed up.

As their child is leaving the house, today’s parent might say: “Honey, don’t forget your phone.”

Never has an umbilical cord been so hard to sever. Actually, it’s likely rare for today’s children to need a parental reminder. It’s not that they want parents to track their every move. Oh, yes, it’s an umbilical cord all right, but not necessarily a parental shackle. That phone is a child’s connection to things more important to them, especially in adolescence: their friends, the latest viral video, social media, online gaming and other less innocent content.

As Idaho Gov. Brad Little implied recently, content accessible to children on their electronic devices is a greater danger than items that may be declared “harmful to minors” in a public library. Of course, parents want to keep their children safe. Yes, there are creeps and other dangers out there that prompt many parents to closely monitor their children’s whereabouts via cellphones. But many are ignoring the very real dangers posed by the creeps who lurk electronically, whether they be predators, bullies, extortionists, posters of graphic violence or pornography, body-shamers, jihad recruiters, radicalizers or other miscreants.

Safety requires an adult to step in and be the guide, teacher and limiter of access to such a dangerous entity as online life. After all, we restrict by age the access to the dangerous activity of driving and teach youth how to be safe drivers. Mary Alvord, a clinical psychologist and American Psychological Association panel member, suggests rather than banning all device use, parents should encourage kids to spend time on other activities they enjoy. If electronic devices are interfering with sleep, schoolwork, face-to-face social interactions or physical activity, there is a problem. If kids are lying or accessing devices when they aren’t allowed or demonstrating an inability to stop, it’s becoming an addiction.

Parents can and should be the buffer, by taking actions such as removing devices from the child’s bedroom at night so that child can get a healthy amount of sleep necessary for proper development. Research shows adults should closely monitor kids’ social media exposure because adolescence is an important brain development period. Developing brains may be particularly susceptible to social media features and algorithms.

As children mature, parental guidelines should evolve. Screen time settings are featured on most devices and should be used to help kids learn some self-control. Frequently discussing social media is also necessary as is the more obtrusive but prudent activity of monitoring social media postings and content viewed, especially in early adolescence. This may require parents to educate themselves on the common social media platforms and how they work.

Setting good examples is also important. Good plans include no social media use at the dinner table and while driving. Another is establishing family “holidays” away from social media in lieu of other activities.

For more information, see “Keeping teens safe on social media: What parents should know to protect their kids” at apa.org/topics/social-media-internet/social-media-parent-tips.

Also see the American Psychological Association’s “Health advisory on social media use in adolescence” at apa.org/topics/social-media-internet/health-advisory-adolescent-social-media-use.

Gee, of Lewiston, is a retired special education teacher.