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Plugged-in Parents: Grades K-8

Keeping kids safe, happy, and healthy in the digital age.

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This brave new world isn’t easy for parents.

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What are your biggest concerns �about digital media?

What are some of �digital media's strengths?

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How do we use media in balance as �a family, find quality content, set expectations around healthy use to prevent conflict, and raise media savvy consumers and creators?

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All About That Balance

Physically healthy �and sleeping enough?

Source: "New screen time rules from the American Academy of Pediatrics," Sonia Livingstone

Ask yourself — is my child:

Pursuing interests and hobbies (in any form)?

Connecting socially with family and friends (in any form)?

Having fun and learning in their use of digital media?

Engaged with and achieving �in school?

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Set Yourself Up For Success

What are best practices around digital media and devices ?

Use media with your kid.
Know your own rules.
Set expectations and rehearse.
Connect media to real life.
Talk about commercials and other advertising.
Encourage creation as well as consumption.
Talk about digital citizenship.
Model the media behavior you want to see in your kids.

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Since they’re using it...

What do you want them to get out of digital media?

Fun
Learning
Connection
I just don’t want it to mess them up!

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Did you know?

The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) is a law created to protect the privacy of children under 13. The Act was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1998 and took effect in April 2000.

The Act specifies:

That sites must require parental consent for the collection or use of any personal information of young Web site users.
What must be included in a privacy policy, including the requirement that the policy itself be posted anywhere data is collected.
When and how to seek verifiable consent from a parent or guardian.
What responsibilities the operator of a Web site legally holds with regards to children's privacy and safety online, including restrictions on the types and methods of marketing targeting those under 13.

https://searchcompliance.techtarget.com/definition/COPPA-Childrens-Online-Privacy-Protection-Act

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Be Choosy

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ABCs and 123s

Look for apps, TV shows, and movies with positive messages and educational value.

In terms of learning, research shows...

Coviewing helps kids learn letters and numbers.
Parent interaction during an ebook reading plays a positive role on children's understanding of story content.
Beloved characters can boost learning and empathy

How to maximize the learning potential of media?

Check if educators were involved in development,
App should provide feedback and adapts to a kid's level,
Delivers experience only a screen can deliver.

If a piece of paper/blocks/toys would work just about as well, it's probably not worth it.
When in doubt, stick with the winners: You can't go wrong with Sesame Street and most PBS shows/apps, some of which have independent research to prove learning potential and appropriateness.

Real-world activities you can do together that could extend learning?
Choose a media friend like Daniel Tiger
Use our learning ratings

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Declaring Independence

As kids get older, they go their own way

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Make your own family media use plan.
Treat media as you would any other environment.

Know your children’s friends, both on and offline. - (video games allow players to chat with others).

Set limits and encourage playtime.
Screen time should always be alone time.
Be good role model.
Know the value of face-to-face communication.
Limit digital media for your youngest family members

Resource: healthychildren.org

TIPS for Parents

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Create tech-free zones.
Don’t use technology as an emotional pacifier.
Apps for kids
Warn children about the importance of privacy and the dangers of sexting.
Kids will make mistakes. Have empathy and use these opportunities to teach a valuable lesson.

Resource: healthychildren.org

TIPS for Parents

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Best Apps for Kids

Resources for parents

Best Websites for Kids

Best Games for Kids

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List Of Popular Online Games:

Call Of Duty
Halo Reach
Minecraft
Clash Of Clans
Club Penguin
Age of Empires Online
Eve Online
Far Cry
Battlefield
Red Dead Redemption
World Of Warcraft
Free Realms
Fortnite
Overwatch

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What was most important to you� as a tween?

Friends
Family
Fitting in
Self-expression
All of the above?

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Same child development, more powerful tools.�

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Common Sense Media Focus Groups, 2014.

Adults don’t get it. They think I’m addicted to technology — but I’m not.

I’m addicted to my friends.

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Be the training wheels

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Responsible

Do they show basic responsibility with time, valuables, and behavior toward others?

Safe

Are there reasons you need to be in touch for your kid to stay safe?�

Social

Is there a social benefit to having a phone? A social cost to not having one?

Respectful

Do they generally follow rules? Will they agree to the limits you set?

A phone: To buy or not to buy?�

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Social media alienates kids.

Myth!

Myth or Truth ?

57 percent of all teens have made new friends online

84 percent of boys who play networked games with friends feel more connected when they play online

68 percent of teen social media users have had online friends support them through tough or challenging times

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Social Media Mashup�

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Social Media Red Flags

Age-inappropriate content

Public default settings

Location tracking �and sharing

Real-time video streaming

Ads and in-app purchases

"Temporary" pics and videos

Subpar reporting tools

Anonymity

Cyberbullying/negative culture

Don't worry if you can't keep up. Knowing titles is great, but looking at key features of an app is even more important (will include in handout).

Age-inappropriate content: Is it easy to find porn, violence, or substance use? How prevalent is it?

If it's an app with a feed, you can get a sense of what people post and try searching for different types of content.

Public default settings: When you share something, does it automatically go out to all users unless you change that setting?

Some apps are meant to connect with friends and some with the world. Go through the settings to get the lay of the land.

Location tracking and sharing: Does the app track your location? Why? Does it share your location with others? Is there a way to opt out?

Some apps offer features that allows teens to share their location, and some are location-based, which means they connect users to people close by. Check the settings and the app description to see if and how it uses location.

Real-time video streaming: Is live streaming a feature? Why and how do people use it? What are your rules around sharing personal info and taking risks just to get viewers?

Lots of live streaming is mundane and tame, but it's easy to share social media info and other personal information with anonymous viewers. Sometimes kids also do things they wouldn't to get more views and follows.

Ads and in-app purchases: Are there ways to spend real money, and is it necessary to spend to "get ahead" in the app?

Though the majority of social media apps are free, many have options to spend money. Descriptions in the app store usually outline them.

Temporary pics: Is there a feature that promises that content will "disappear"?

Though this trend is slowing down not that more users are learning that it's easy to capture "temporary" pics, it's still a good idea to remind teens that nothing really disappears.

Subpar reporting: Is it easy to report and flag inappropriate content and users who harass others?

Many apps make it very obvious how to report and block people and content, but it's good to know how to do it before something happens.

Anonymity: Is being anonymous a big part of the app?

When people can hide, they're more likely to make poor choices, so while an app built around being anonymous isn't negative by default, many of them are.

Cyberbullying/negative culture: What's the overall feel? Are people on the app to have fun and connect or be cruel, rate others, one-up others, etc.?

Some apps are bad news right out of the gate because people use them to make fun of others and share iffy stuff.

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Self-reflect Before You Self-reveal!

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Privacy Settings

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Keyboards Can Make Us Careless and Cruel

It’s never too early to talk to your kid about digital citizenship, being kind online, and calling out cruelty!

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Learn more about these apps...

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Best �Approach �to Bullying

�Report abuse �Encourage "upstanding"

Collect proof

Involve others

Limit online access

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GuardChild citing Pew Internet and American Life Project, National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, Cox Communications Teen Online and Wireless Safety Survey, YISS study

20–54%

of teens have sent or posted sexy �pictures of themselves. Most sexy pictures are sent to a significant other.

51%

of girls say they felt pressure from �a guy to send sexy pictures.

30-40%

of teens say nude photos are �shared beyond intended receiver.

Keeping Our Kids Safe

Worst-case scenarios exist, but they are not the norm!

9%

of kids receive unwanted online sexual solicitations (as of 2010).

4%

of kids have online interactions where a predator attempts to �make contact offline

Beyond bullies, there are other digital media-related worst-case scenarios we want our teens to avoid: sexting, self-harm, and online predators. But keep in mind -- even though bad things can happen, they're not the norm!

Statistics around these issues vary quite a bit, so take them all as ballpark:

20 to 54 percent of teens have sent or posted nude or seminude pictures of themselves.

Most sexy pictures are sent to significant other
36 percent of girls and 39 percent of boys say nude photos are commonly shared with people other than the intended receiver
51 percent of girls say they felt pressure from a guy to send sexy pictures

Some teens visit pro-ana, cutting, and other self-harm sites
9 percent of kids get unwanted online sexual solicitations
4 percent have online interactions where a predator attempts to make contact offline

Teens run into rough patches figuring out who they are (many of us did, too). Remember that shame and anger can shut kids down, so a gentle, open approach often works best around these sensitive topics

When it comes to sexting...

Try to talk before it happens
Remind them that once a pic is out there, they've lost control of it
Resisting pressure is easier than dealing with embarrassment is pic is shared

In terms of self-harm ...

Teens go online to get support more often than to reinforce negative behaviors
If you have concerns about your teen's mental health, it's best to get help from a professional

Then there are online predators …

Teens who overshare or post sexually explicit material are most targeted, so talk to them about who can see what.
If they tell you someone approached them, get proof and report it.
If they're getting gifts, hiding online activity, or withdrawing (more than usual), it's time to intervene and find out what's up, as teens often like the attention and the predator builds trust.

That said, it's all about awareness rather than anxiety. Though it's unlikely (and not necessarily advisable) that you'll know every single thing your kid says and does online, it's good to stay involved and have the uncomfortable conversations to help keep them safe.

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It’s never too early to talk to your kid about digital citizenship, being kind online, and calling out cruelty!

Digital Citizenship

It’s never too early to talk to your kid about digital citizenship, being kind online, and calling out cruelty.

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There’s some iffy stuff out there.

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Sneaky Selling

Can't avoid, �but can be aware!

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Choose�Help kids make �good choices.��Check�Check what�they're doing.��Chat�Follow up �with a chat.

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What can we do at home?

AT HOME

I will monitor my child’s online use closely. I will set rules and time limits.
I will engage in conversations with my child about their homework when it is online.
I will do my best to provide my child access to technology or internet to complete school work (homework, projects, etc).
I will talk to my child about internet safety and digital citizenship:

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We are a trusted guide for the families, �educators, and advocates who help kids thrive. �We provide resources to harness the power of �media and technology, and to shape public policy to �improve the well-being of every child.

We are

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We Can Help!

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50 %

of teens feel addicted to technology.

59%

of parents feel teens are addicted.

Over 1/2

of teens multitask while doing homework, and most believe it doesn't hurt the quality of their work.

Over 80%

of parents and teens feel technology makes no difference or helps their relationships.

Use Media: Don't Let It Use You

Fear of missing out (FOMO) and social media anxiety are very real for teens.

But what about the sheer amount teens use media? What if it seems like they can't stop?

Since we haven't truly defined technology addiction yet, our research talks about feeling addicted.

Many of us can relate - it can be hard to stop
Many of us think we can multitask, even though research shows that it hurts performance (University of Utah, 2013)
Remember that quality matters!
FOMO is real for teens: Digital communication and social media can create a new kind of social pressure that we can't dismiss as parents
There are ways we can limit device use at home, starting with how we use it ourselves and model it for our kids
We'll also talk about device-free zones and times to help curb use so it doesn't feel like a runaway train
But first, there are some questions to ask to get a gut-check on whether there's a problem...

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Myth!

Myth or Truth ?

Parents spend less time on devices �than kids/teens

Parents spend 9:22 with screen media daily, including for personal and work use. 7:43 of that time is devoted to personal screen time. Tweens spend an average of 6 hours/day and Teens an average of about 9 hours/day on screens.

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Model

Be a media mentor �and set the standard.

�Monitor

Use limits, not lectures, and be up front about checking their media use.

�Mediate�Be ready to step in if necessary, but let teens make some choices on their own.

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Device-Free Zones and Times

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When all else fails, tracking software might, too.

Nick Shaw of Norton Security

"Technology is going to help you," he says, "but it's not going to get away from the fact that you should be having more conversations about this with your kids."

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Use media to connect, have fun, and guide kids as they start to navigate on their own.

Instead of shutting it all down, build it up!�

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Resources for Support

Connect with us � @commonsensemedia

@CommonSense

commonsenseorg

Sign up today for our�tips and updates.

Tell your school about our �digital citizenship curriculum.

Tell�

commonsensemedia.org

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You got this!

(image positive thumbs up, slightly humorous ok)

YOU GOT THIS!

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�Common Sense, associated names, associated trademarks, and logos are trademarks of Common Sense Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, FEIN 41-2024986.

Lifestyle image credits: Getty Images, Jen Siska Photography

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Thank You