Parent Presentation on Social Media & Digital Citizenship

On October 7, WPGA hosted a presentation from Safer Schools Together on helping parents and caregivers provide support and guidance for children navigating their digital lives. The two-hour session included recommendations for family rules and parental controls as well as a snapshot of current trends and concerning applications.

 

Suggestions included setting clear boundaries that work for your family, including keeping devices in public spaces at home. Reducing device use at bedtime by having a central charge station outside of the bedroom could help minimize sleep disruptions. Monitoring usage through Apple Family or Google Family Link can provide insight into unusual activity.

 

Perhaps the most effective suggestion was building a culture of openness and trust in establishing a two-way dialogue about technology and social media with children, who should feel comfortable in turning to parents when, not if, a concern comes up in their digital lives. This relationship can provide greater insight into the digital choices a child makes than any monitoring tool.

 

The session concluded with a Q&A session and a link to a guide that summarized key takeaways: Raising Digitally Responsible Youth: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers.