Parents, Kids, & Technology...

A Parent's Role

Since the year 2000, our ability to "stay connected" has expanded exponentially.  The internet is available 24 hours a day, on our phones, tablets, and computers. This proliferation of technology is unprecedented, with no manual, or instructions, to guide parents.  We are forced to learn from experience, our own and others', to create boundaries, norms, and expectations of our children and their relationship with technology.  Parents continue to engage in a tug-of-war between technology as a tool, and protecting childhood. It is evident, that technology is negatively impacting social skills development, increasing the rates of childhood obesity, and creating a new category of addictive behavior.  While we sprint to keep up with all the changes, it's more likely this is going to be a marathon. The following are some tips to help parents navigate technology responsibly with their children.

Develop Rules

• Create a list of rules with your child
• Set time limits for usage
• Identify clear consequences if rules are not followed

Talk to your child

• Ask who your child is interacting with online
• Check the sites your child is visiting
• Review the browser's web history
• Look through social media communications

Explore the internet

• Spend some time on the websites your child likes
• Ensure your child knows not to click on certain advertisements

Talk to others

• Engage parents in a conversation around the challenges of technology and parenting
• Share tips and strategies
• Learn about the "hot" websites and apps being used

Connect with the school

• Seek out community resources
• Share any concerns regarding harmful websites with administrators
• Use your PTA to sponsor internet safety seminars

1:1 Learning Devices

As we move further into the 21st century, our classrooms are beginning to incorporate technology that children use everyday, like ipads, tables, chromebooks, and laptops. While the 1:1 classroom may be the most significant transformation in recent educational history, it is not without a unique set of challenges for children, teens, and parents.

Managing The Device

Parents, particularly of elementary and middle school students, need to recognize that a device is no different than having notebooks, folders, and textbooks. Be sure your son/daughter has the device charged, with updated apps, and report any problems to the appropriate school employee. This device needs to be consistently brought between school and home.

Learning Choices

Parents need to help their children become media literate, by reviewing different websites, identifying bias, and confirming the validity of the sources listed. 

Problem-Solving 

Online forums like google allow students to collaborate at school, and home.  It's important to remind your children that online communication still requires active listening, patience, and compromise.

Protect Your Work
Just like the excuse "My dog ate my homework" doesn't explain missing assignments, neither will my device doesn't work.  It is imperative that your child learns to save often, use dropbox, and know who has editing rights to their documents.

"If we continue to develop our technology without wisdom or prudence, our servant may prove to be our executioner."

                                                                           -Omar N. Bradley