Resources For Parents and School Counselors
These resources for parents on digital citizenship and digital parenting provide many different perspectives. They are meant to help deepen your understanding of the topics.
Some of these resources include full parenting programs that schools or communities can implement, and it may be helpful to reference resources from those programs as needed. We recognize that each family and each student is unique. No one program or resource will answer all parent questions, so find the videos, articles, and tip sheets that fit your needs given your particular concerns and situations.
Some of these resources include full parenting programs that schools or communities can implement, and it may be helpful to reference resources from those programs as needed. We recognize that each family and each student is unique. No one program or resource will answer all parent questions, so find the videos, articles, and tip sheets that fit your needs given your particular concerns and situations.
Creating a Family Media Agreement: How to Have the Conversation Edutopia
"The virtue of this approach is that it enlists all stakeholders in a conversation and empowers and invites kids and parents to think about what they do with media, when they are on media, how they engage with media and how often they use media at home."
The Common Sense Census: The Plugged in Parents of Teens and Tweens Common Sense Education
On December 6, 2016, Common Sense Education released the results of a survey of 1700 parents of teens and tweens age 8 to 18. They asked them about their technology use for work and for pleasure, how they use technology when with their children, and how they talk to their children about technology use. The results of the survey are helpful when determining how adult behavior can influence our children. There are also a helpful video and infographic included.
Real Parents, Real Talk About Kids and Screens NPR
Advice for parents from media experts and researchers is detailed in this article and podcast. It is based on updated data from Common Sense's recent study on how much time teens and parents are spending using media every day.
Janell Burley Hofmann & iRules Huffington Post
Hofmann is a digital parenting expert who works with schools, shelters, and families. This link brings you to her Huffington Post blog where she write regularly with realistic recommendations for parents and educators. She is author of the best selling book, iRules: What Every Tech-Healthy Family Needs to Know About Selfies, Sexting, Gaming and Growing Up.
Teens, Technology and Friendships PEW Research Center
Social media and video games have become an integral part of how teens develop and sustain friendships. This report, which explores "the new contours of friendship in the digital age," looks at how much time kids are really spending online, and how their friendships are both challenged and strengthened through digital tools.
8 Ways to Help Cure Your Teen's Screen Addiction Time
"How do teens reform their technology habits? Author and voice actor Bill Ratner is probably the last person any parent would consult as an expert on the topic. The man made a career out of lending his voice to some of the most aggressive advertising powerhouses around. But Ratner is also a dad. And his lifetime of work in the industry make his perspective a useful one." Consider these eight guidelines based on Ratner’s recent book.
it's complicated: the social lives of networked teens Danah Boyd
Dr. Danah Boyd is an award-winning researcher, NYU professor, and founder of Data and Society. She wrote this book based on over a decade of research and then made it free online so that more parents and educators could better understand how the next generation uses technology to socialize.
Good Digital Parenting Family Online Safety Institute
"Family Online Safety Institute brings a unique, international perspective to the potential risks, harms as well as the rewards of our online lives." This link brings you to their blog where digital parenting experts post helpful articles sharing their experiences and approaches regularly. Here's one post that is specifically about helping high school students with college and career readiness with social media use.
Parent Guides from ConnectSafely
"By parents, for parents: A growing collection of short, clearly written guidebooks that demystify apps, services and platforms popular with kids and teens." Included are Snapchat, Instagram, and more. In PDF format.
Parenting from CyberWise
Scroll down a bit from the top to find an updated curated list of links to the latest news in online safety and parenting. As you browse, be sure to balance the alarmist articles with the articles that discuss the positive productive uses of technology. Help parents discover this balance as well.
Your Don't Have to be a Computer Expert to Keep Your Child Safe Online iKeepSafe
"Parents can help their children become responsible, ethical digital citizens with healthy online relationships. To do that, they use the same successful parenting skills that they're already using at home. Resilient digital citizens recognize and seek out the 3Cs—appropriate contact, content, and conduct—in all digital settings (e.g., iPods,instant messaging, chat, computer games, game consoles, cell phones, text messaging, webcams)." To help parents teach children to safely and ethically use their digital devices, iKeepSafe has created a few programs on this website.
Connecting Families: Family Toolbox CommonSense Education
"Connecting Families is designed to support and empower families in raising kids who think critically, participate responsibly, and behave ethically in their online lives. In the FAMILY TOOLBOX to further support the home-school connection. Pick from and share the following resources (printed or electronically) throughout the year to help parents continue authentic conversations at home with their children. "
"The virtue of this approach is that it enlists all stakeholders in a conversation and empowers and invites kids and parents to think about what they do with media, when they are on media, how they engage with media and how often they use media at home."
The Common Sense Census: The Plugged in Parents of Teens and Tweens Common Sense Education
On December 6, 2016, Common Sense Education released the results of a survey of 1700 parents of teens and tweens age 8 to 18. They asked them about their technology use for work and for pleasure, how they use technology when with their children, and how they talk to their children about technology use. The results of the survey are helpful when determining how adult behavior can influence our children. There are also a helpful video and infographic included.
Real Parents, Real Talk About Kids and Screens NPR
Advice for parents from media experts and researchers is detailed in this article and podcast. It is based on updated data from Common Sense's recent study on how much time teens and parents are spending using media every day.
Janell Burley Hofmann & iRules Huffington Post
Hofmann is a digital parenting expert who works with schools, shelters, and families. This link brings you to her Huffington Post blog where she write regularly with realistic recommendations for parents and educators. She is author of the best selling book, iRules: What Every Tech-Healthy Family Needs to Know About Selfies, Sexting, Gaming and Growing Up.
Teens, Technology and Friendships PEW Research Center
Social media and video games have become an integral part of how teens develop and sustain friendships. This report, which explores "the new contours of friendship in the digital age," looks at how much time kids are really spending online, and how their friendships are both challenged and strengthened through digital tools.
8 Ways to Help Cure Your Teen's Screen Addiction Time
"How do teens reform their technology habits? Author and voice actor Bill Ratner is probably the last person any parent would consult as an expert on the topic. The man made a career out of lending his voice to some of the most aggressive advertising powerhouses around. But Ratner is also a dad. And his lifetime of work in the industry make his perspective a useful one." Consider these eight guidelines based on Ratner’s recent book.
it's complicated: the social lives of networked teens Danah Boyd
Dr. Danah Boyd is an award-winning researcher, NYU professor, and founder of Data and Society. She wrote this book based on over a decade of research and then made it free online so that more parents and educators could better understand how the next generation uses technology to socialize.
Good Digital Parenting Family Online Safety Institute
"Family Online Safety Institute brings a unique, international perspective to the potential risks, harms as well as the rewards of our online lives." This link brings you to their blog where digital parenting experts post helpful articles sharing their experiences and approaches regularly. Here's one post that is specifically about helping high school students with college and career readiness with social media use.
Parent Guides from ConnectSafely
"By parents, for parents: A growing collection of short, clearly written guidebooks that demystify apps, services and platforms popular with kids and teens." Included are Snapchat, Instagram, and more. In PDF format.
Parenting from CyberWise
Scroll down a bit from the top to find an updated curated list of links to the latest news in online safety and parenting. As you browse, be sure to balance the alarmist articles with the articles that discuss the positive productive uses of technology. Help parents discover this balance as well.
Your Don't Have to be a Computer Expert to Keep Your Child Safe Online iKeepSafe
"Parents can help their children become responsible, ethical digital citizens with healthy online relationships. To do that, they use the same successful parenting skills that they're already using at home. Resilient digital citizens recognize and seek out the 3Cs—appropriate contact, content, and conduct—in all digital settings (e.g., iPods,instant messaging, chat, computer games, game consoles, cell phones, text messaging, webcams)." To help parents teach children to safely and ethically use their digital devices, iKeepSafe has created a few programs on this website.
Connecting Families: Family Toolbox CommonSense Education
"Connecting Families is designed to support and empower families in raising kids who think critically, participate responsibly, and behave ethically in their online lives. In the FAMILY TOOLBOX to further support the home-school connection. Pick from and share the following resources (printed or electronically) throughout the year to help parents continue authentic conversations at home with their children. "