Technology and Parenting

Below are some tips and resources to help you guide and direct your child through the rapidly emerging and changing world of technology.  Please feel free to contact Andrew Oldham should you ever have any questions about how to help your son or daughter navigate his or her digital world.  We are here to help you.

Educate yourself:

• Don’t take your teen’s word at face value.  If you don’t understand something, take the time to figure out what it is and how it works
• Talk to other parents
• Talk to educators you trust and ask for their opinion and guidance

Set ground rules and apply sanctions

• Set limits on screen time
• Put technology to sleep at night by asking your student to put devices in a dedicated location outside of the bedroom before going to sleep
• Have tech free zones and times
• Be a good digital role model yourself
• Make use of parental controls and filters that are available to you but don’t over do it.
• Negotiate with your son or daughter what limits are reasonable

Monitor your teen’s tech and social media use

• Encourage your teen to create a good digital reputation
• Require your teen to share  passwords with you
• Friend and follow but don’t sneak or stalk.  Respect a teen's online space
• Browser history, app purchases, photos, videos, text messages are good to monitor or check from time to time.  Remember that teens are forming habits and need guidance

Talk and listen often

• Be honest and unapologetic about your involvement 
• Find out what they like doing in the digital world and try to understand why 
• Do not over react to things you don’t understand
• Ask questions
• Trust your instincts 
  
  

Digital Dangers for Teens
Marist takes seriously the safety and well-being of your student.  We have taken every measure possible to limit exposure to inappropriate content and set sensible guidelines and restrictions regarding technology.  Still, dangers exist.  Your son or daughter likely has at least one device that allows him or her unrestricted access to the internet and that has limited safeguards.  The information below is not intended to scare as much as it is to educate.  Digital dangers are real and they are very different than the dangers we faced when we were adolescents.  Active and educated parenting is the single most effective factor in the digital safety of adolescents.

• “Adult” Content and Pornography (links to an Irish website, but very relevant for all parents)
• My Child is Viewing Porn.  Now What?
• Cyber harassment and bullying
• Sexting
• Technology Addiction
• Online Grooming  
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Resources for Parents
CommonSense Media
A comprehensive and invaluable site with tips, video, and reviews of all things digital, technological, and media related.
Cyberwise
Website clearing house designed to help educators and parents understand and use digital media safely and wisely
Netsmartz
Internet safety from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
Apps and websites parents should know about
A technology blog written for parents by a parent  

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