The Boston Medical Center recently launched a study to measure the dynamic interaction between smartphones, parents and children as children continue to feel that they are competing for attention with their parent’s gadgets.  The study indicated that as parents continue to be absorbed by emails or apps on their smartphone, more negative interaction with their children takes place.

Dr. Jenny Radesky, specializing in developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Boston Medical Center, was curious to inquire how the distraction of smartphones affects quality time with children.  Her research concludes that the more parents use their smartphone in front of their children, the more negative the children’s interactions become.  She therefore recommends starting the following at home:

•  Establish a no-device rule at certain times of the day and specific areas in the home. For example, setting aside the device during meal time, story time and bed time is a great start.
• Recognize that responding to email or scanning Facebook while your kids are waiting or attempting to get your attention isn’t fair to them as it can change the nature of your relationship with your kids. We don’t want them to feel that they are not as important as your device.   

For more information, useful links, practical advice and suggestions please ‘like’ our Digital Citizenship Facebook Page where we are celebrating our one year anniversary this week.

Have you ever stopped to think about the importance of your digital footprint and what you can do to clean it up?  The Platform for Good and Family Online Safety Institute have created a detailed spring cleaning checklist, highlighting seven easy steps to clean up your digital footprint which includes everything from checking your privacy settings to thinking before you post.  Find out why it is important to search yourself online, use strong passwords, update software, maintain your mobile device and build a positive reputation.  As a parent, you are the role model for your children.  What you do is what they see and consequently, what they emulate.

For more information, useful links, practical advice and suggestions please ‘like’ our Digital Citizenship Facebook Page.

This week, Grade 4 took part in a Digital Citizenship presentation with Mr. Potts and Ms. Leiske in order to complement their Unit of Inquiry on “How We Express Ourselves”.  Throughout the presentation, students interacted in small groups to discuss the importance of digital citizenship and how to interact in the online world as a savvy digital native.  Together they brainstormed answers to questions such as: “What is communication?” and “What is technology?”  Through discussion they realized that both communication and technology are different for the digital native and the digital immigrant.  In addition, they viewed a short film displaying the importance of using ones security settings and how crucial it is to know the audience that you are communicating with.  Quick responses were shared when asked: “Do you communicate to your friends the same way you communicate to your grandmother?” and “Do you know who you are communicating with when you participate online (such as in an email, text message, social site or online game)?”

The digital native students went home that evening to their digital immigrant parents to help promote online safety by sharing the GWA Digital Citizenship Weebly and taking part in an online survey.  When asked what their take away was that day, it was concluded that “the online world can be as dangerous as the real world” and it is “important to know who your audience is”. Parents, be ready to have these conversations with your students and feel free to fill out the survey together as these questions are important conversation starters you can have with your child.

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Have you ever asked yourself if computer screen time affects your child’s sleeping patterns?

Have you ever wondered about the effects of screen time and sleep patterns?  Recent studies suggests that having a television, computer or mobile phone in a child’s bedroom causes anxiety and prevents sleep therefore affecting school academic performance.  Psychologist Dr. Jennifer Vriend, of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada suggests that one of the biggest culprits for inadequate and disturbed sleep is technology.  She notes that many teenagers sleep with their phones and are awakened regularly when they get a text, email or Facebook message.  Further, the Journal of Pediatric Psychology warns that losing as little as an hour’s sleep can ruin a child’s performance at school.  Thinking again where to place your computer, television and game consoles in your home?  Your child’s bedroom is definitely not the place.

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