I recently read an article posted on Rowena Thomas’ site from Amazing Me that quoted the following statistic; “only 33% of parents have regular conversations with their kids about internet use, even though of the same parents, 68% were highly concerned about online activity.” (Dr. Fiona Ghiglione).
Rowena Thomas has spoken at our school at various events before and a strong message that comes across in her talks is the importance of having open and positive conversations with our children when it comes to a range of topics. As Rowena says, “conversations strengthen relationships and make sure you are the ‘askable’ parent that your child needs.”
With screen time significantly increasing across all age groups in recent years, we need to make sure we are being proactive in our approaches to technology as parents and ensure you are cultivating an open environment whereby your children feel comfortable to have shame-free conversations with you. There are several really helpful tips in the aforementioned article.
Another excellent resource when it comes understanding the issues and receiving advice in and around screentime is the esafety commissioner website on screen time. This particular page has a wealth of information and resources for parents wrestling with this topic. Some of the questions considered are, ‘how much is too much?’, ‘what to do if you are concerned’ and ‘help your child manage their online time’.
Mr Peter Richardson
Head of Secondary School
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