Help Your Children Lead Mindful Online Lives
At our Illinois summer camp, during the summer, we don’t have to worry about our campers being on their phones constantly because they are too busy empowering themselves. However, during their home lives, we recognize that, since electronics are allowed there, that it can be useful to guide young people appropriately. I recently read a good blog entry detailing how to navigate managing tablet and smartphone usage for young teens and pre-teens. Sociologist Christine Carter notes that:
“Tech devices are dramatically affecting our kids’ normal social, sexual, intellectual, and emotional development. What I’m most amazed by, frankly, is how uninvolved we parents tend to be in the online lives of our middle schoolers. Our tweeners tend to seem much more savvy than they actually are: They may have technical skills, but usually they don’t have the social skills they need to navigate the sophisticated online and social media world.”
Other issues:
- Our kids get addicted to them easily, and they often use them inappropriately.
- Middle schoolers are not old enough (or developmentally ready) to have as much freedom online as they often do these days.
So, if your middle schooler seems to be spending more time on Facebook or texting than she is in-person with her friends, take the steps below:
Step 1: Make it clear which SPACES are appropriate for device and computer use (i.e. not bathrooms, cars, bedrooms, or public spaces where others can overhear conversations)
Step 2: Identify appropriate TIMES to be on a device. (i.e. not during homework, meals, bedtime routines)
Step 3: Make it clear what is private (i.e. journaling or their bedroom), and what is not (i.e. any online communication)
Step 4: Teach kids to seek help when things go awry—and have a plan yourself as a parent when they do.
Step 5: Actively teach kids to use their devices and social media accounts as a force for good.
For more details on these steps, check out the full blog entry at this link.