A year ago my blog topic was about social media (LINK). It has been a challenge and continues to be a challenge; its negatives oftentimes outweighing its positives. Regardless, it is a part of society whether one does not participate, one only participates with family/friends, or one posts routinely.
I do not have a Facebook account, although my wife does, and there are times it is fun to stay connected with people I am not able to often see. I do have a Twitter account, however -- which has been "topsy-turvy" with Elon Musk’s purchase. I admit that there are times when I want to see what educators/schools are up to, to see what is happening in Chats, or to watch the reactions as they unfold during a major sporting event. But while I do participate, it certainly is not daily, and I do feel it is not affecting me personally beyond that I might not be up on the latest trend.
As for the apps on my phone, connecting me to the social media and beyond, I find that I do not have many…but I know that I am not the target audience for many of them. In fact, most of us are not the target audience either. Rather, their main audience seem to be teenagers and young adults, so it is important that we are all are knowledgeable about what is out there and available, knowing that we cannot possibly keep up with the amount of new ones that become accessible.
Sherburne County (LINK) offers a newsletter on this and other parenting topics. They recently shared a LINK to the Arkansa Attorney General with some great information and TIPS for parents about the most common apps. If you have some time, skim it over so if you see the apps on your child’s phone, you can have a conversation. Ultimately, having conversations with your child is thee best tip that I can see. As stated, we cannot keep pace with technological changes whether positive or negative. But what we can keep pace on is maintaining open communication with our children, helping them process and consider the outcomes when participating online and how digital footprints impact them now and in their futures.
Weeks in Review
- March 2023: National Reading Month - read, read, read!
- Friday, March 17: Mid-Semester - No School
- Monday, March 20: Teacher Professional Development - No School