21st Century Mamas and Papas: Management Hints

Okay, you 21st Century mamas and papas, are you completely intimidated by your child's proficiency at social networking?  Are you feeling under-educated about what you know about Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, etc., vs. what your child knows.  Rachel Maleski, ECMS CTI,  and I thought that we might invent a little list of Rights and Responsibilities for Parents.  This is our unabashed reflection in response to the Arizona Attorney General's Office presentation and some of the comments that parents have made to us privately vis a vis their frustrations with child internet usage.

Rachel Maleski is amazing! I am so grateful that she is on our staff as Curriculum Technology Integrator!  Rachel used to teach English and Journalism at Catalina Foothills High School but

made the move to Esperero in 2011.

21st Century Rights and Responsibilities for Parents (Unofficial, of course)
by Rachel and Mary (#10 is a suggestion from Nick Debus, from the Office of the Attorney General)

1.  My child's IPHONE, IPAD, computer, digital camera belong/s to me, his/her parent.
2.  I allow my child to use these devices but I can reclaim them at any time.
3.  I have the right to monitor and supervise my child's online and social media life.
4.  It is my right to know all of my child's passwords.
5.  I have a right to set limits and boundaries in regard to my child's online and social media usage.
6.  I have the right to give my child increased freedom and independence when he/she has demonstrated a deep understanding of how to use technology responsibly, respectfully, and lawfully.
7.  I can and will be an active participant in my child's online and social media life.
8.  I have open lines of communication with my child regarding his/her online activity and social media life. We have frequent conversations about his/her communications on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, InstaGram, etc.
9.  I have a right to know who my child has "friended" or is interacting with online.
10.  I understand that if my child receives inappropriate pictures or other material that he/she needs to inform me so that the inappropriate material can be deleted. My child and I will then sign a document that reads:  On September 14, 2013, I watched my child delete inappropriate material from his/her account.  This material was sent by ___________(if you know).  

A parent at Thursday's AZ Attorney General's Office presentation stated something that I thought was particularly powerful  in ensuring open communications with kids.  Confirming the unconditional love you have as a parent might sound like (paraphrasing):  "Nothing that you do can ever take away my love for you.  If you make a mistake, if you do something wrong, I will still love you.  You can tell me anything . . . bring it on.  I will help you.  We will walk through this together."

Thanks to the 30 parents who attended (on a U of A basketball night, no less).  In my next entry, I will talk about how your child's activity on Facebook can follow him/her to even through the college admissions process and into the work world.