Parenting the Online Child Forum Wednesday

"Blogging," "friending," "tagging," and “tweeting" are all verbs children use every day to talk about what they do online. While there are real benefits with social media sites, there can be serious challenges as well for parents who have an ever-increasing role in preparing their children for life in the online world. 

Livingston Public Schools will be presenting a special forum titled Parenting the Online Child from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday in the Heritage Middle School auditorium.

The forum will provide information on how parents must create a safe environment, set rules, and teach responsibility and accountability on social media sites.

“Parenting the Online Child” will include Sgt. Tom Rich, who created a workshop to help parents, schools and students of all ages utilize technology in a positive way. The forum will also include principals, an elementary counselor, and district Business Supervisor Monica Cohen.
 
Among the messages parents need to send is that “Words Do Matter.” At times, children don’t understand the seriousness or the impact of what they say or what they write in social media. If the words are inappropriate or threatening in any way, there are protocols that parents and educators will follow to ensure the safety and well being of all children. 

We also need to be sure children know what to do if they experience offensive or dangerous social media situations. It is important that students feel empowered to report information that gives them pause, and to trust the adults in their lives who help and guide them towards resolutions of anything they find upsetting while using social networking sites.
  
This is a timely and critical issue. At the elementary level, principals are seeing more cell phones and text messaging with mean content, and Instagram postings with messages or symbols that have caused hurt feelings.

By high school, cell phones are extensions of our students arms. It is usually students just texting the same way notes used to be passed in the class and in the hallways. But there are instances of students sending each other inappropriate and indecent photos of themselves and others. They post pictures from parties on Facebook not fully realizing that they create a permanent digital footprint every time they post, update, and tag photos or videos on social networks. 

This forum will help parents hear common concerns and suggest guidelines to help children better manage their use of social networking and the Internet.

-- By Manager of Communications for Livingston Public Schools Marilyn Joyce Lehren