Snapchat, WhatsApp, Instagram … teenagers love to spend time online and with technologies changing so rapidly, it’s not surprising that parents can feel out of step with the latest trends in social media, apps or websites.
How much technology should we let our children use and how do we supervise it, especially as they grow older?
What advice can we give them about privacy issues, like posting too much information on their Facebook profile for example and how can we protect them from cyber bullying?
The Internet and social media are so much a part of 21st century life, especially with the widespread availability of powerful smartphones and tablets, that it’s now almost impossible to restrict online access.
So it is important for parents and schools to teach children and teenagers how to stay safe online, while they explore the many benefits the digital world has to offer.
Monere Development Services, a learning and development company based in Tallow, Co Waterford, will be speaking to Loreto Fermoy students about social media awareness on Wednesday next, April 27. This will be followed by a free talk and Q&A session for parents in the school that evening.
The talk for parents will cover a variety of issues including: Controlling technology at home; Social media and digital footprinting; What to do if you think your child is being cyber bullied; and, a practical demonstration of changing privacy settings on social media.
ONLINE SAFETY
“We have developed this programme in response to the growing need to inform our children, teachers and parents of the digital world and how to keep safe and secure online,” said Monica Murphy, who runs Monere’s Social Media Awareness Community Programme. “We have been successfully delivering these talks for the past two years and regularly update the content to ensure it reflects the ever-changing trends.”
Monica holds a degree in Applied Computing, a masters in Education and Training and is currently pursuing a PhD on the impact of learning and enterprise. She is also co-founder of The Savvy Teen Academy (www.savvyteenacademy.com).
Parents are welcome to attend this talk, which has been organised by the school in association with Loreto Parents’ Association and will begin at 7.30pm on Wednesday evening. For more information log on the school’s website loretofermoy.ie or follow Loreto on Twitter @LoretoFermoy.
