March Media Mentor Month

There has been a lot of talk in the media about the distractions digital devices bring, especially smartphones. The discussion is a complex one that doesn’t have a silver bullet solution (bans are not the answer). For a good, well-rounded read on the issue, please check out this article called, “Teens and Tech: Distinguishing Addiction from Habit.”

A friend of mine recently published a post about how we, as parents and teachers, need to be media MENTORS, not media police. Three different approaches to parenting children with technology are explained, with the key approach being that of a mentor parent. A mentor parent is defined as a parent who guides their kid(s) online. They enjoy spending time online with their kids, cultivate their kid’s digital skills, and foster online learning. Be sure to read the article to understand how this differs from other approaches.

The article then shares a great resource called, March Media Mentor Month. This is a daily set of activities parents can do with their children throughout the month of March to develop this mentor approach and mindset as a parent. Here it is:

You can download the PDF here.

If you have children of any age, I highly recommend doing this during March. Let’s develop positive relationships with our kids around technology so that we create balanced users who learn to make better decisions with their devices throughout their lives.