Parents
WARNING- this blog post talks about suicide. If you, or anyone you know requires help in a crisis call Lifeline on 13 11 14. In recent weeks, if I’m really honest, I’ve found it incredibly challenging to be a digital wellbeing ‘expert’. I’ve been bombarded with horrific and devastating stories of kids, some of whom […]
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Have your kids/teens recently transitioned back to school after months of remote learning at home? They were probably spending more time than ever plugged-in and on devices during the home isolation period (I know my kids were). Their digital devices became their portal for leisure and learning: they used devices to complete school work, connect […]
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The global health pandemic forced many students into remote, online learning. Whilst many students initially rejoiced at the idea of learning at home on their devices (sometimes in their PJs), they soon discovered that online learning was both exhausting and very different to learning at school, in-person. One of the chief things students have struggled […]
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I’ve had the privilege of helping a number of schools adjust to online learning in recent weeks*. I’m in awe of the rapid transformation many schools have undergone as they attempt to shift their teaching approaches. It is a remarkable feat! You see teaching online is not simply a matter of ‘digitalising’ your existing teaching […]
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Parents, please lower the bar and release the pressure valve when it comes to adhering to strict screen-time limits during the Coronavirus lockdown period. Trying to stick to your pre-Corona screen-time rules, while we’re all bunkered down at home, will only add to already-elevated stress levels. For most of us, we’re experiencing uncharted waters. Stress […]
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The Coronavirus outbreak has thrust many of us into remote working situations, alongside our children and teens who may also be at home (and if it’s not a reality yet, it is imminent). As someone who’s worked at home for the past ten years, whilst raising three kids , I’ve learned a thing or two […]
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Young people are facing a mental health crisis, both here in Australia and internationally. There’s a concerning increase in the rates of mental health issues amongst young people and the finger is often pointed at technology, particularly social media and smartphones, which are contributing factors. But is technology to blame? The dominant, alarmist narrative suggests […]
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I have very fond memories of my childhood summer holidays. My first thirteen summers were spent camping for six weeks at Coffs Harbour (I’m in awe of my parents who did this on an unpowered site with three kids). We spent most of these holidays going to the beach, surfing, reading (Babysitters Club and Judy […]
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Calls crescendo from parents concerned that their sons are ‘addicted’ to online games. There are a few weeks that pass where I don’t hear from parents tearing their hair out about their son’s (problematic) gaming behaviours. Parents who tell me that their son has punched holes in the all when gaming consoles were peeled from […]
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A common question that many parents grapple with- when is the ‘right’ age to give kids a mobile phone? Put simply, there’s no universal, or prescriptive chronological age that’s deemed ‘right’ or ‘safe’ to give kids a mobile phone. Kids all mature at different rates making it difficult to specify an exact age at which […]
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