EDUCATION MATTERS—SANFORD SCHOOL'S PRIVATE SCHOOL BLOG

Whether we like it or not, social media is here to stay. As the adults in our children’s lives, it’s smart to be savvy in our quest to keep them safe while still preparing them for life in a digital world. Are you starting from scratch to comprehend the vast world of social media? You’re not alone, and there’s a lot to learn! For starters, here’s our primer on the ABCs of Social Media. 

Once you know what social media is, the next step is learning how kids use it. You’ll want to learn what sites your children are interested in using and find out what accounts they may already have. (Though your rules may be different, most social media platforms require users to be at least 13 years old to create an account.)

Ask your child:

• What do you like about social media sites?
• How do social media sites make some things more complicated?
• Do you ever find it hard follow the rules of digital citizenship?
• What happens when users don’t follow those rules?
• Have you ever been cyberbullied or do you know someone who has?
• How do you and your friends handle that?
• How do you keep yourself safe online?

By the time your child arrives at school, are both of you already exhausted? Rushing, tears and raised voices in the morning create negativity that lasts well into the day. Starting the school day off in a peaceful, well-planned manner will make everyone feel in control, creating a positive mindset for what lies ahead.

A great morning starts at night! By creating a pre-bedtime routine, most of the morning’s tasks will already be complete.

• Lay out clothing for the day ahead, including coats and shoes. End scrambling for lost items or early-morning disagreements over outfits. Involve your child, so they do not balk when it is time to get dressed.
• Put items to be taken to school in a convenient location. This includes homework, backpacks, musical instruments, sports gear, permission slips- anything that they will need the next day. Consider creating a checklist and hang it by the door-—and following this plan yourself.
• Prepare lunches and plan out the morning’s breakfast. 
• Discuss any schedule changes for the day ahead. Include after-school plans and pick-up times.
• Have your child bathe before bed. One less task for the morning.
• Get to bed early. This means parents, too. We are all at our best with plenty of rest!

Create a morning routine that is as simple as possible.

• Rise before your child and do something for yourself. Take time for a spiritual reading, exercise, snuggle or get yourself dressed in peace. You will start the day feeling more in control and emotionally centered, allowing you to deal with your child from a positive place.
• As age appropriate, create a morning schedule and list tasks to be completed by your child. Allow them to feel in control by making decisions on how they will get themselves ready. Try posting a timetable in a conspicuous spot. 
• Electronics remain off. Televisions, games and social media can become a distraction for children, as well as parents.

Digital citizenship is a way to teach students how to use technology responsibly and respectfully—and it’s an important aspect of developing good character in our students. Because using digital media is a part of our everyday lives, we teach them how to manage their school Gmail accounts and Google Apps for Education for their learning. We also talk with them about how to manage themselves online, especially when using social media.

As educators, we think a lot about social media and how to use it effectively and responsibly. We work with our students to make sure they know how important it is for them, too. The guidelines our school uses for our own posts are designed to create a positive atmosphere online. We teach appropriate technology use to develop good digital citizens.

Recently I was driving behind a license plate that read, “Be A Dad.” My thoughts were instantly transported to the night before, when my daughter said, “I want to tell Dad something” as I was kissing her good night. I replied with, “Dad’s in with your sister reading her a book, can you tell me? No, you’ll be mad at me” she responded. In that moment, I was completely grounded. I felt terrible that I had reacted in the past in a way that would communicate that she could not tell me just about anything. Many instances in my mind replayed when I had been tired and therefore irritated, when I had told her to “GO TO BED AND STOP THIS NONSENSE.” I did not listen. I shut her down. Where was my compassion, my caring and understanding?