"Rather than a slow buildup to navigating their social lives, many kids go from parent-organized playdates to managing their own devices and social lives with no training wheels and little mentorship." - Devorah Heitner, from the book Screenwise.
This is an amazing quote and one not thought of before. The power that comes when a phone or other communication device is provided for our students. The floodgates of social planning, understanding the imapct of being "in the know" and the ever powerful, house guest that doesn't leave, Fomo. (Fear of Missing Out for all those who are Slang-Deprived--to be covered in the future)
What if the first steps of digital citizenship and supporting our teens (or pre-teens depending on how old you want to dive into this adventure with a new ending) is about understanding what it means to manage a calendar of events, emotions of plans that don't revolve around oneself, and the grit to understand that you don't have to be a part of everything.
Then you have to take care of the device.
Dad: Don't click on the spam, no matter how threatening or cool it might be, don't do it.
Dont. Do. It.
You did it.... gahhhhhh.
The illustration of diving into devices and social lives with "no training wheels" is a vivid scene of our kids flying down the middle of the road, feet flayling off the pedals, hands gripping the handlebars and the wheels wobbling out of control without hope or direction.
Does it mean our kids (or some adults) are at a total loss and we should cut the device out of their hands forever? No!
Kids can learn to ride bikes because they have an adult running beside them, holding the seat and saying "you can do it". Guiding them through the bumps in the road to better understand what is coming, preparing for what might be instead of reacting to what is.
There are a prolific number of topics, categories, and steps to support our students in digital literacy and citizenship to invest in.
Let's be better... all around.
More To Come!
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