Raising digital natives requires parents to mentor their children on their journey to becoming good and safe digital citizens. Get my top resource recommendations and consider questions designed to help you develop an approach that reflects your values and intention.
Here’s one thing you can rely on: Your kids will be exposed to an uncontrollable media assault on multiple platforms, as well as information – and misinformation – from friends and schoolmates.
As concerned and hungry for information as we, ourselves, may be, our job as parents in the face of this type of crisis is threefold:
· Control your kids’ environment
· Share only age-appropriate information
· Don’t answer questions they haven’t asked
Would you like to (mostly) guarantee your kids will still want to join you on a family vacation when they’re in their 20s? Or at the very least, will think of their childhood fondly – and repeat some of your best parenting practices? If so, you need to celebrate the sacredness, quirkiness and downright fun of your family unit from the second they’re out of the womb.
If you already missed that boat, it’s not too late to start today.
“You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,
Love like you'll never be hurt,
Sing like there's nobody listening,
And live like it's heaven on earth.”
William W. Purkey
I totally agree with Mr. Purkey’s sage counsel. Yet from a parenting perspective, I think his ditty is missing an important line:
“Make parenting decisions like no one’s opinion matters.”
