YouTube Alternatives

YouTube is the largest video streaming site out there, but is it the best? Kids are obsessed with watching videos, but with all of YouTube's user-generated content, it's hard to know if they're watching the good stuff or the not-so-good stuff.

Read more: 
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/youtube-alternatives

Improving Well-Being Online

 

For Safer Internet Day this year, ConnectSafely spoke to parents, educators and young people across the country to find out what’s on their minds when it comes to online safety and wellbeing in 2022. We took the questions and concerns — and a few of our own — to experts in online safety, parenting, bullying prevention, security, and executives at popular apps like Instagram, TikTok, and Roblox. The results were some great conversations with a wealth of advice and insights. To spark discussion at home and school, each video includes discussion prompts. We hope you’ll find these resources helpful for encouraging positive, productive discussions about online wellness on Safer Internet Day and all year long.

https://saferinternetday.us/get-involved/

Insanely Awesome Adventures Online

Brand new resource! To help parents support their young kids’ use of digital technology, the faculty at the MARC (Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center) have created a new addition to the Insanely Awesome Book Series. Insanely Awesome Adventures Online uses rollicking rhyme, colorful illustrations, and gentle humor to help kids aged 5-7 understand how to use digital technology safely and responsibly. https://amzn.to/3ypTRTv 

How to Kick Your Kids Off the Wi-Fi | PCMag

Were you one of those kids who secretly stayed up late, watching TV or reading comic books under your covers after bedtime? Kids today are no different—except they have the internet. If you need to give your children a forced break from the web, or just need them to stop hogging all your bandwidth during the day, a few router settings can help make that happen.

Read the article:
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-kick-your-kids-off-the-wi-fi

My Son’s First Phone

 

By Justin W. PatchinAugust 18, 2021

Tags: cell phonesparentingtweens

I was sitting in the bleachers of my son’s recent hockey practice when another parent came up to me and sheepishly asked: “Does your son have a phone?” “Funny you should ask,” I replied. Coincidentally enough, we gave our son his first full-functioning phone that very day. I don’t think this particular parent knows what I do for a living, so he wasn’t asking “the expert,” he was simply asking another parent. This led to a nice conversation about what I have learned about kids and devices in my research over the years.

Read more: https://cyberbullying.org/my-sons-first-phone

50 Ways to Make the Last Month of Summer Fun - While Using Technology Together

From "FOSI", "Family Online Safety Institute"
https://www.fosi.org/good-digital-parenting-tool/summer-fun-checklists

Each checklist has 10 unique ideas (socially distanced or not) that give parents a chance to boost family time. Categorized by Learning, Fun, Social Change, Digital Citizenship, and Go, there are plenty of ideas suitable for all types of families looking to reincorporate a few pre-pandemic habits back into their routines. 

Try the free Family Link parental controls app from Google

Whether your children are younger or in their teens, the Family Link app lets you set digital ground rules remotely from your own device to help guide them as they learn, play, and explore online. For children under 13 (or the applicable age of consent in your country), Family Link also lets you create a Google Account for your child that's like your account, with access to most Google services.

Teaching Internet Safety to Young Kids: Into the Cloud™

Source: https://www.missingkids.org/netsmartz/intothecloud#usingintothecloud

Teaching Internet Safety to Young Kids: The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children has released season two of Netsmartz’s "Into the Cloud," a series of videos to educate children ages 10 and under about Internet safety. While season one addressed reporting unsafe and inappropriate interactions and content, season two addresses online exploitation, reporting and removing online inappropriate content. 

Using Into the Cloud™

Each episode of Into the Cloud™ is between 3-6 minutes long, making them ideal for a variety of environments, from technology class to afterschool and home use.

Each episode has a corresponding discussion guide that can be used in one-on-one and small group settings.

Additionally, classroom activities on the themes of trust, identity, and reputation are available for use with the complete first season.

Keep kids engaged after the episodes with "Cloud Chaos!" the Into the Cloud™ game, available online and in the app store.

Bullying Resolution: Help for Parents

This Bullying Resolution page provides parents with insight to assist them in achieving an effective resolution of the more serious or chronic situations where their child is being repeatedly bullied or harassed. This service is for residents in Oregon. However, the information will be relevant in other states. 

http://www.embracecivility.org/resolution/

Being Solution-Focused is More Important than Ever

 

School counselors, teachers, and other educators need an approach to working with children remotely that comes with low-risk and high positive impact. The Solution-focused brief counseling (SFBC), consultation, and conferences approach is perfect for the job. SFBC empowers kids and caretakers to navigate the intense and unpleasant challenges we all face while unlocking their past achievements and discovering their future potential.

The SFBC approach is perfect for working with others online, even addressing social and emotional issues, for several reasons:

• SFBC is Low Risk. Because of SFBC's focus on strengths, resources, and opportunities, the model reduces the importance of confidentiality and privacy. Students, parents, and others are more apt to speak freely, even in an online environment.
• SFBC is Structured. Students and school counselors both love how SFBC is structured, focusing on techniques that are simple and easy to follow.
• SFBC Works. Focusing on students’ assets almost always produces some return on your investment. SFBC is an approach that can help students enhance their confidence, believe in their abilities, and do more of what works.
• SFBC is Brief. Being in an online environment is tiring. We need an approach like SFBC to help us get our work done efficiently.
• SFBC is Adaptable. School counselors and other educators can apply SFBC in many different situations. For example, school counselors deal with numerous cases across various domains, including academic, career, social, and emotional.
• SFBC is Transcultural. The SFBC model embraces diversity because the focus is on the student’s unique experiences within their own frame of reference.
• SFBC is Teachable. The solution-focused model also lends itself well to online classroom lessons, where students can learn a novel approach to coping, self-regulating, and working out problems on their own. School counselors can bring the SFBC principles, techniques, and processes to students starting in elementary schools. Teaching students how to apply SFBC mindsets and behaviors in their own lives gives them the knowledge, skills, and attitude to navigate the world better, cope with adversity, and understand their own powers.

The virtual SFBC workshop can be delivered in various formats including a half-day (3 hours) or full-day (6 hours). We can connect all at once or space the workshop out over several meetings, whichever works best. If you want to do a full day and include two or more topics, we can make that happen.

SFBC Workshop Objectives:

• Understand the process of solution-focused scaling.
• Recognize and understand techniques including detailing, mind mapping, mine fielding, cheerleading, amplifying, and possible reframing/refocusing.
• Recognize and understand how to use the “hypothetical” or exploring future progress.
• Understand four ways to move from complaints/wishes to SMART goals.
• Understand a technique for how to inspire internal motivation.
• Understand how to conduct solution-focused small groups. 
• Understand how to team with all stakeholders (parents, students, and staff) using the solution-focused approach.

Check out Dr. Sabella's professional development page for other workshop options at https://schoolcounselor.com/professional-development/

To inquire about doing a SFBC or other workshop, complete this brief online form to get things started: https://schoolcounselor.com/professional-development/request-a-training/.

 

Or, please forward this email to the person who coordinates professional developing for your district, agency, or organization.

Sabella & Associates, LLC
8249 Preserve Point DR, Fort Myers, FL 33912
sabella@schoolcounselor.com

25 Myths About Bullying and Cyberbullying with Dr. Elizabeth K. Englander

Source: https://www.blogtalkradio.com/biteradiome/2020/07/09/25-myths-about-bullying-and-cyberbullying-with-dr-elizabeth-k-englander#

Bring The “How To Be A Good Digital Parent” Program To Your School Or Organization

The toolkit provides you with all the resources you need to plan and deliver the “How to Be a Good Digital Parent” program. The presenter’s guide, accompanying PowerPoint presentation and quick-start guide will prepare you to host a successful learning event for parents and caregivers.

GDP Toolkit https://www.fosi.org/gdppresentation/