September 30, 2021
The 7th graders had a heated debate in Language Arts class today: Should parents limit their children’s screen time? With passionate arguments on both sides, some students argued that they need limits in order to protect their physical and mental health, while others argued that they needed the opportunity to make their own mistakes and build personal responsibility as they enter their teenage years. Many praised the limits their parents put on their technology use; others felt they had outgrown them. They brought up a number of issues, from the validity of scientific studies to what rights to privacy you have as a kid.
This discussion was timely, as the middle school began an advisory unit on technology use this week. Since most kids use technology to communicate with their friends— whether they’re texting, chatting on Discord, or having a marathon Facetime session— we started out with discussing how we use to technology and what the pros and cons of communicating online are (verdict: it’s fun and convenient, but probably not great for serious discussions or resolving conflicts).
As we continue through this unit in the months of October and November, we’ll discuss a myriad of issues:
- mental health and anxiety with social media
- assessing our use of technology and trying to find media balance
- why drama tends to escalate online and how to stop it
- identifying instances of cyberbullying and ways to prevent it
Obviously, this is a multilayered issue that a series of 15 minute lessons— unfortunately!— can’t fix, and trying to tackle it as a teacher can feel daunting. Clearly, it’s even more daunting for parents: research shows that parents are sharply divided in how they deal with their children’s technology use, though a majority believe that technology has made parenting harder.
As you probably know by now, TDS, along with other local independent schools, is hosting a series of parent seminars this October from Devorah Heitner, author of Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in their Digital World. Devorah’s expertise is helping parents navigate the social and emotional minefields with everything from group chats to Discord.
There are three sessions available: October 6th at 7 PM, October 20th at 9 AM, and October 20th at 7 PM. The three sessions will feature the same content, so you are welcome to attend whichever session best works for your schedule. We’d love to have you join us!
