Today we had our second instalment from Allison Ochs in supporting our understanding of how our children are navigating the digital world. The focus of today’s session was thinking about how we communicate both online and offline, with strategies and ideas to support his work.
Allison began by reminding us of how the digital world is impacting face-to-face interactions. The image below shows the decline of social interactions among 12th graders over the past decade or so.
One reason for the reduction in social interactions is the amount of time we spend on the screen instead of building relationships in-person.
Allison also points out that we often resort to social media and screens when we’ve had a bad day and to get through a tough patch. This can also lead to a vicious cycle of relief through screens instead of through personal interactions.
Allison shared some ways that we can help strengthen social interactions, by supporting opportunities for our children to engage in-person connections, through sports, activities and other social events. She also talked about how as adults we model the importance of social interaction through our own use of phones and media. Ensuring that we are not on our screens during times of connection is vital for our children to engage in deep and meaningful conversations.
The slide below illustrates how we can build interactions at deeper levels when we give our children the time and space to share their feelings and experiences.
If you have not developed a family media plan or feel that it would be beneficial to revisit your plan please see the resources available from Allison to support this discussion with your family.
Download the Summary from Allison
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