Resources

Common Sense Media
A highly-regarded and comprehensive resource for parents and educators about thoughtful, age-appropriate use of all types of media.
National Online Safety (UK) - Platform Guides
One-page "cheat sheets" about different apps, activities, etc that parents will want to know about.

Family Technology Contracts

Additional Reading

Forget Screen Time: Lean In To Parenting Your Wired Child
An NPR interview with author Jordan Shapiro, who advocates for parents mentoring their child to have a healthy relationship with tech, rather than a “just say no” approach.

Media Mentors, Not Media Police
An international school teacher describes the role of parents as media mentors.

Dopamine, Smartphones, and You: A battle for your time
Trevor Haynes, Department of Neurobiology at Harvard Medical School, explains some of the brain mechanisms activated by technology use.

Why Social Media is Not Smart for Middle School Kids
The founder of Families Managing Media writes about how middle school development and social media can be a challenging combination.

I’m 14, and I quit social media after discovering what was posted about me.
A teenager reflects on the impact of finding out her digital footprint had already been formed -- by her parent’s posts.

Do Not Disturb: How I Ditched My Phone and Unbroke my Brain
A NY Times columnist struggles to define and limit his relationship with his phone.

10 Reasons Teens Have So Much Anxiety Today
By a social worker contributing to psychologytoday.com.

Previous Events

Parent Book Club Kickoff

February 11, 2020 6:00-7:30
Parenting in the digital age comes with plenty of challenges and opportunities. How can families navigate this new technology-saturated world? Join us for a series of face-to-face and online conversations about essential questions faced by every twenty-first century parent.

​Together, we'll read and discuss Raising Humans in a Digital World​ by Diana Graber. We'll begin our Parent Book Club with a face to face workshop on Tuesday, February 11, 2020 from 6:00-7:30. Even if you can't make it to the workshop, you can still participate in our online discussion! Please buy the book and RSVP today. Our online questions will be posted soon, and you can participate at your own pace. Join us!

The book can be purchased at Amazon.com or your favorite local or online bookstore.

Screenagers

May 14, 2019 6:00-7:30
This award-winning film provokes questions, raises awareness, and inspires viewers to think critically about the role of media in kids’ lives. If you missed our screening at Burley, you can check the Screenagers website for other local viewing opportunities.

Screenagers is recommended for children ages 10 and up. To decide if this movie is right for your children's viewing, please first:
  1. Watch the Trailer. 
  2. ​Think about your goals. Are you hoping to build your own background knowledge as parents and select what to share with your child? Or to have a shared family experience you can talk about together? 
  3. Prepare for co-viewing. Ask your children what they like and dislike about technology in their lives and what problems they think it can cause. Tell them that this movie will help them make sure technology is a positive part of their lives -- and it will also provide ideas for guarding against problems technology can cause for their feelings, friendships, schoolwork, activities, and goals.

Parenting in the Digital Age

May 7, 2019 6:00-7:30
We'd like to thank all the parents who joined us May 7 for our Tech Talk workshop. We enjoyed the thoughtful conversation about the benefits, drawbacks, and challenges of parenting in the digital age. While we covered a lot of ground, we also feel that we've just scratched the surface of a complicated and important topic. We look forward to future opportunities to talk, learn, and problem-solve together.