After reading the articles last week, I had a gut-wrenching feeling that I was not doing enough to prepare my sons for using Social Media responsibly and maturely.
The article “I’m 14, and I Quit Social Media” had me thinking about how, as parents, we might think that the picture we are posting is not a big deal, but we do not think of how our child might feel when they are older, and people are still sharing the image. Why do we think it is our right to share photos of our children on Social Media? If there was a picture of us in the same situation, would we want it posted? These are things that I have thought for a long time but this article hit home and reminded me that I have to be responsible and ensure that the Digital Footprint that I am starting for my children is a positive one.
This made me also think of how there are pictures of me from my youth that I would be mortified if they were out on Social Media for everyone to see. We need to find a balance between sharing and oversharing. This video from this weeks discussion really spoke to me ‘Oversharing: Think Before You Post‘. I have really shied away from sharing on Social Media especially when it comes to my kids.
This brings me to this weeks discussion on Digital Citizenship. This is something that I struggle a bit with as I teach Kindergarten. I use very little technology in my classroom as I feel that these young kids have enough screen time at home. I do believe that this is important to teach our students but, I am unsure of when or what age is the best to start this. I also think that it is one more thing that is being added to the plate of educators to teach students and is being taken off of the plate of parents.
At school this week we had to deal with students using videos/images that they had taken of a classmate at their house as blackmail. To be proactive and to help in teaching our students we have asked the
Do you feel that some parents are lacking the tools to teach their kids about digital citizenship? Is this something that families would benefit having an information night on? How can we teach digital citizenship to very young students in a meaningful way?
It’s sad how the onus for ethical behaviors is becoming more on the educators than on the parents, for us to raise responsible digital citizens, there is a need for a balance in the traditional and digital style. The best knowledge are those we learn from our parents and as much as some parents are busy with sorting the financial aspect for their kids, being present physically to help them navigate life challenges in this digital space is important as this support will be passed on to future generations. It is high time we incorporate DC education in parents’ meeting.
Haneefat, I agree. I have to sons and we work to make them understand their digital footprint. We all put our phones in the kitchen for the night and make sure that we set aside mealtimes and other times that are tech free times. I think that many parents fear technology and instead of educating themselves they put it onto the educators plates as one more thing to teach the kids.
I am still in pre-teen era, but the question about “would they want that picture shared of them now” really hit home for me too! I will be considering that more now as I post. I worry that so many of our youth are parenting themselves, and finding connection through their technology without any guidance from their parents at all. I’m hoping that open conversation, and guidelines, with room for exploration with technology will work for me and my children.
Lisa, we use open communication with our boys. It is not always easy and some days are easier than others but I like to believe that in the long run they will know that we are always here for them and that they can come to us if they are ever in trouble. I have had my sons teach me about some of the apps that they use so that I can stay up to date and aware of the changes that are happening constantly.
Thank you for sharing this insightful post, Andrea! I appreciate how you reflect on the delicate balance between allowing children to explore social media while being mindful of their digital footprints. It’s a constant challenge for both parents and educators to model responsible online behavior while guiding kids through the complexities of the digital world. I agree that educators are often tasked with digital citizenship, but parental involvement is crucial as well. Your post highlights the need for shared responsibility in shaping children’s online experiences.
Great read!
Hi Andrea! I can relate to your post and was hit hard when you said “. It seems that adults feel entitled to do the things they want to their kids without thinking how their children would fee. I just want to borrow a line from Vivian Paley, a renowned author. She said that “Children have ideas, and they have to be respected.”