Thursday, August 11, 2011

Media Use for Parents

Last night, I gave a presentation at the PEP program in Kensington on developing a household approach to Media Use for younger kids, aged 6-14. From my perspective it went generally well, but not as well as I would have liked. I know when I feel "on point" but I felt a bit scattered and I feel it came through in the presentation. A clear throughline, a clear theme is critical when delivering content of such magnitude. It's too easy to throw out facts and a bunch of anecdotes without actually giving parents anything to walk away with. I always want them to leave with a message in mind and a clear plan of action. Can you tell I am Type A? Last night, I did not leave feeling as if everyone got that POA.

There was a good question raised that I must ponder, really think hard about: Now that computing is ubiquitous and pervasive, how can you restrict usage by using things like filters? Even if you as a parent are sitting with the child and helping them process that information they see (another one of my messages), you can't always be there. How can you possibly require computers in public spaces--one of the key messages I send to parents of younger kids--when things like their iPod Touch and other devices can access Internet. No iPods or iPads in their rooms? How realistic is that? I answered that a guideline should be set and that they will likely no abide that guideline completely, but as long as you set the guideline and explain why it is being set, the intention is clear to the child that you have boundaries on the issue--that THEY should have boundaries on the issue. But I'm not completely satisfied with that answer and seek to come up with a better one.

Having said that, I promised I would post the presentation here, and so I have:

2 comments:

Steve P. said...

Alecia, I attended your Web 2.0 seminar last Wednesday and told you I would send you a copy of the cell phone contract we entered into with our daughter. How do I get a copy of it to you? Thanks. --Steve P.

Alecia Berman-Dry said...

Hi Steve and thanks for following up. I'm not sure how to email you, either! Please send an email to PEP with the contract and they will forward it to me. I will then respond so that you have my email. If I post mine here, it'll be captured by all kinds of bots :(