This Thanksgiving week in the US, I'm thankful to have heard the following from two outstanding researchers and a well-known author in the bullying prevention field speaking at the just-ended International Bullying Prevention Association's (IBPA's) annual conference in San Diego: "We don't talk enough about the ecosystem around kids," said educational psychology professor Dorothy Espelage at … [Read more...] about Takeaways from premier US anti-bullying conference
Do surveys about parents’ concerns increase digital-parenting confidence?
Predictably, the media coverage of a new survey of parents on digital-age parenting focused mainly on their concerns about tech and the Net. We need to question that – question the value of repeatedly reporting about concerns if, as a society, we want parents to feel confident in helping their children navigate today's media. Here are some questions we might ask, for example: 1. UK psychologist … [Read more...] about Do surveys about parents’ concerns increase digital-parenting confidence?
The next version of ‘Internet safety’: A look under the hood
"Under the bonnet," colleagues across the Atlantic and Down Under might say. I put it that way because this post is a bit more e-safety geeky than usual. Parents and caregivers who don't geek out on this topic might find this mildly interesting, though, because we're talking about kids' wellbeing in media and in life. Going forward, the value of "Internet safety" – if the concept doesn't … [Read more...] about The next version of ‘Internet safety’: A look under the hood
Perfect digital parenting doesn’t exist
I'm stating the obvious – that perfect digital-age parenting doesn't exist – but let me explain why it doesn't. Writer Heather Havrilesky got me thinking about this with her commentary "The 'Mommy' Problem" in the New York Times this weekend. She focuses on mothers (since our culture does so much) and on offline parenting. I'll add the digital part. She writes that "the current culture demands … [Read more...] about Perfect digital parenting doesn’t exist
Less parental control, more support of kids’ self-regulation: Study
It isn't the first time research has found that "parental control" is not the best way to keep children safe online and on phones. "Rather than restricting or monitoring internet use, parents should let their children discover the net, both good and bad, themselves," the BBC cites a new survey as saying. It's encouraging to see news stories like this; they've been rare over the past decade+, so … [Read more...] about Less parental control, more support of kids’ self-regulation: Study