May 2019

Portland Head Light, Cape Elizabeth, Maine | Photo by Judy Foley

Living and Learning in a Digital World....Survival Tips and Resources

Helpful Tips | Written by Ashley Bodkins, Greenlodge Elementary Principal (with assistance from her advisory team)

Here are a few helpful tips:

  • Create a Family Media Plan that all members of the family follow, not just rules from adults for children, adults modeling healthy behavior.
  • It is recommended that adults have full access to view all social media activity, text messages, and phone calls by children. This can be done by physically monitoring devices, or by using parental control apps or software. Parental controls can also lock your child’s device during certain hours, limit time spent on certain apps, and more.
  • Remind your child of respectful behavior that is sometimes forgotten with technology; they should never be posting anything they wouldn’t say in front of a respected adult, there is a person behind every screen, etc. Also, everything they post is permanent, even if it looks like they are able to delete it.
  • With your child, make sure that all privacy settings are limited (only friends can view, no location tags included, etc.)
  • Most social media apps and other website accounts legally require all account holders to be over 13 years old. This means it is actually illegal for children under 13 to have an account.
  • Set screen time limits for the whole family. It may be no devices in the bedroom at night, no phones during dinner, etc. Whatever works best for you!
  • Check out the Common Sense Media website which contains many resources for parents about all types of media, including reviews and recommendations for apps, websites, video games, and more.