DISCLAIMER: This newsletter was written prior to COVID-19 outbreak. We understand that times are different in relation to technology/screens. After you read this parent newsletter, take some time to consider how your child(ren) are/is using their FREE time with technology/screens. How can we decrease that specifically, as we know school is now completed on a screen?
SOCIAL MEDIA/SCREEN TIME
Recommended Daily Use:
Ages 0-1½: 0 hours per day
Ages 1½-2: Very little to none
Ages 3-5: up to 1 hour per day
Ages 6-10: up to 1-1½ hours per day
Ages 11+: up to 2 hours per day
Positives/Negatives of Social Media:
Positives:
Connect with family/friends/peers/teachers
Way to express creativity & share ideas/art
Negatives:
Can show interests, school, town you live in (easy target for predators or harmful people)
With location services, easy to track
Consumes a lot of a person’s time
Can lower self esteem because always competing/comparing with friends on posting the “perfect” picture and getting a certain amount of “likes”/comments
Can cause an increase in levels of depression, anxiety, and unhappiness in body image
Other Things to Think About:
“Liking”, commenting or sharing an inappropriate post can lead to a harmful reputation
Are your friends on social media, your friends in real life? Do you know all of your social media “friends”?
Are your settings set to private? Even if they are set to private, posts and photos can still show up anywhere
Future employers and colleges look at social media accounts, one inappropriate photo can ruin a reputation
EVEN IF SOMETHING SAYS IT IS DELETED, IT IS STILL OUT THERE! ONCE YOU CLICK POST, IT IS PERMANENT AND CAN BE TRACKED.
What Can Parents Do?
Allow screens after all homework/housework is completed
No screens at family meals/bedtime
Preview games/apps and play them with your student
Use screening tools to block inappropriate material
Discuss with your student that what & how to post (THINK before posting)
Discuss online bullying and what to do if they are experiencing this
Use privacy settings
Remind student to not “friend” anyone they do not know
Keep the screens in a common place so you can keep an eye out
Why??
Too much screen time can have damaging effects on a child’s brain affecting their language and cognitive development
We want to protect our students’ self-esteem, level of happiness
Be aware of apps called “Vault Apps”, that appear to be a calculator app but really are a type of app used to store photos, texts, posts, etc. that we don’t want available for everyone to see.
Phone’s Screen Time Settings:
Apple, Samsung and Android Products have a screen time control setting that can limit the amount of time spent on apps
Downtime is another feature that only phone calls and certain apps you allow come through during a set period of time
Parents can set up these settings on their child’s phone with a passcode or remotely
Check your phone’s settings for more details!
Students/Parents need to talk to Miss Schomaker??
sschomaker@odinpublicschools.org
504-356-2231 (call/text)