You know you thought having the ‘Birds & Bees’ talk was difficult? – try having it these days as digital tech has transformed sexual culture. Helping teenagers to cope with this, as they mature, is not only a task for schools or parents. It really needs to be addressed by big tech & governments too. […]
“In a digital world where the landscape is ever-changing, parental digital literacy isn’t just a choice; it’s a responsibility to equip ourselves with the knowledge and skills needed to guide our children safely through uncharted waters.” ~ Sue Atkins In today’s digital age, where technology permeates almost every aspect of our lives, digital literacy has […]
If you have time I highly, highly recommend watching or listening to this absolutely fascinating parliamentary evidence on screen time, digital poverty and education, with Baroness Kidron who’s career has taken her from making movies for Stephen Spielberg to groundbreaking protections for young people online Screen time and Wellbeing Speakers include: John McGee, Senior Policy […]
Managing a child’s smartphone use can be challenging, but there are several strategies you can use to ensure your child’s safety and well-being even if they have a smartphone already! Set Clear Rules and Expectations: Establish clear guidelines for smartphone usage, including when and where it’s appropriate to use the device, as well as time […]
Smartphones have become an integral part of modern life, offering a multitude of benefits that enhance communication, productivity, entertainment, and convenience. Here’s just a few ways they have transformed our lives which I love: Communication: Smartphones revolutionised communication by allowing people to stay connected regardless of their location. With features like calls, texts, emails, […]
Ctrl+Alt+Delay: I talk to lots of parents about all sorts of things, naturally, in my work but I’ve noticed not many parents think to use parental controls on their child’s devices. There seems to be quite a few reasons why not from: 🕹️Lack of Awareness: Some parents aren’t aware of the existence or capabilities of […]
I’ve been thinking about how to help parents delay giving their child a Smartphone and I thought about my own kid’s milestones. Childhood is a kaleidoscope of experiences, a journey punctuated by significant milestones that shape our children isn’t it? From their first tentative steps to the exhilarating triumphs of independence, these moments mark […]
Using smartphones as ‘digital pacifiers’ or ‘dummies’ is an increasing phenomenon in our modern society, where smartphones serve as soothing tools for both toddlers and teens. While the term ‘pacifier’ or ‘dummy’ traditionally refers to a rubber object designed to calm babies by satisfying their innate sucking reflex, the concept has evolved in the digital […]
Giving a child a smartphone without guidance is like giving them the keys to a 4×4 without teaching them how to drive – it can lead to terrible accidents and enormous dangers on their digital journey‼️ 97% of 12 year olds now have access to a smartphone and 45% are online ”almost constantly” So the […]
After more than a decade of stability or improvement, the mental health of adolescents plunged in the early 2010s. Rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide rose sharply, more than doubling on many measures. Why? In The Anxious Generation, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt lays out the facts about the epidemic of teen mental illness […]
97% of 12-year-olds in Britain have a smartphone ‼️📱 You may have seen or heard the campaign that’s gone viral (in a good way‼️) by Daisy Greenwell who shared a heartfelt post on Instagram, outlining her worries about the expectation that children in year 5 and 6 at Primary School will be given smartphones, mostly […]
The Phubbing Epidemic I learnt a new word this morning‼️ The word “phubber” is used to describe a person who pays too much attention to their smartphone! Phubbing, a contraction of the words “phone snubbing,” is the act of ignoring a person you’re with in favour of using your mobile phone! Who knew? 🤷♀️ Are […]
I’ve just been interviewed by BBC Radio Sheffield about a new report suggesting that children who sit down and eat and TALK WITH their Mums and Dads have better social skills, do better at school and have better self esteem. IS THAT A SURPRISE ? Yet I heard many parents on the radio show […]
Tracking children on apps can be a controversial topic with both pros and cons. Are you ‘failing’ as a parent if you don’t track your kids ? 📍🤳 Listen to my conversation on BBC Radio 4‘s flagship news and current affairs programme discussing ‘Navigating Boundaries: The Pros and Cons of Child Tracking Apps’ If you […]
Esther Ghey, the mother of the murdered transgender teenager Brianna Ghey is campaigning for social media apps to be blocked on smartphones for under-16s and stronger parental controls to flag potentially harmful searches to parents, in the wake of the sentencing of her daughter’s killers. A group of parents are campaigning on Whatsapp for a […]
