Advice for Parents in the Digital Age

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Our November issue covered a number of questions about parenting in the digital age, from screentime to safety to consent to why video games aren’t so bad, after all. In case you missed any of our great content, here is a quick roundup of the most popular ones and what you can expect from them.

On Modeling Behavior

Early Education Expert Julie Wolf's advice is to: “Watch your own intake. If every time your child sees you, you are checking your feed or posting pictures, that sends a message. If the main form of communication between you and your friends is text or WeChat, that will be their idea of a relationship. So, if you want them to learn to have deep, meaningful, in-person conversations, model putting the phone away and laughing in person over lunch. Let them see that Instagram FOMO is not a reason to miss out on what’s happening in front of them.”

From Tech Rules: The Ins and Outs of Handing Tech to Small Children

So how can parents help?

Glenn Lacon, a guidance counselor at Dulwich College Beijing (DCB), warns: "We need to set a good example for the younger generation. This starts at home and the foundation of values each parent has to establish in their kids. Parents have to be responsible for their actions and must be present in the lives of their children. Daily communication, knowing their friends and activities are essentials for guiding these growing kids.”

From Just An App Away: Safety and Social Media Friendships 

On Teenagers Using Social Media

Dad Terry Zhang says: “I do not object to my child registering for and using social media platforms. I often discuss with him some of the latest social media apps and websites currently on the market. However, I do realize that there is content out there on the internet that is not particularly suitable for teenagers, and parents really need to guide their children with regards to safe content online and communicate with them psychologically about posting on social media.”

From #Parenting: Parents From Different Cultural Backgrounds Share Their Views of Tech at Home

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On Self Confidence and Social Media

Blogger and Influencer Sally Tian says that teaching kids the lessons they need to be strong digital citizens “can only be done by creating a really healthy environment at home and instilling a sense of self-worth in kids that is separate from their looks, the number of followers they have, and where they have traveled to or what shoes and bags they have.”

From So You Want to Be a KOL: Keep Your Content Creating Kids Safe

On Putting Your Phone Down

Deputy Editor Cindy Marie Jenkins tried to “ease myself into a no-phone retreat by not looking at my phone while we did homework. I did have to stop myself from reaching for my phone a few times, but for that week, I was much more present and helpful to my children. Even when I had to check the homework app for help on the next assignment, I didn’t want to. And shocker! The only important message I missed was planning dinner with my husband.”

From It Can Be Done: A Phone Addict on Airplane Mode

On Screentime and Learning

“Mr. Devreaux Poole, Primary Learning and Teaching Coordinator at Yew Chung International School of Beijing (YCIS Beijing), also believes that games “offer a safe environment [for children]to explore and challenge themselves. They’re able to build self-confidence as they are able to ‘reset’ when making mistakes,” and in addition, “Delayed gratification is taught (acquired) as the ‘main reward/goal/prize,’ usually only achieved after completing several levels.”

From Screen Time Isn’t All Bad: Lessons to be Mined From Mario, Minecraft, and More

On Making a Career in Video Games

Guest writer Ben “Books” Schwartz says that in the gaming business: “Everyone needs to communicate and collaborate to solve problems and put the pieces together. If part of a game is boring, the fix could be in the form of a more engaging story (writing), a more intense challenge (design), cooler special effects (art), a smoother play experience (programming), or something else entirely!

From So You Want To Be a Game Developer: What It Takes To Make Gaming a Career

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Photos: Pexels, Unsplash, Public domain photos 

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