In the old days, girls chatted endlessly on the house phone and boys ran around the neighborhood playing games, making up the rules as they went along. Technology wasn't part of the lexicon and certainly nothing parents had to worry about or schools had to address. Today, things have changed dramatically and schools are compelled to invite experts to speak with parents about the use of technology and its impact on their children. Here's a sample of presentations at schools this week.
"Facebook Ate My Daughter; My Son Won't Stop Playing Call of Duty!"
McDonogh School’s Parenting Education Committee is pleased to announce that Dr. Leonard Sax, a leading expert on the role that gender plays in child development and education, will be speaking at the school on Wednesday, January 16.
Dr. Sax will discuss the association between Facebook usage and depression in girls, the reasons behind this association, and what parents need to understand about the world of social media. He will also discuss why boys are more likely than girls to be vulnerable to the addictive appeal of video games such as Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto, and Halo. His remarks apply not just to teenagers, but to kids as young as fourth graders. Dr. Sax will specifically address how much time children should be allowed to spend playing video games, what games to allow, and how parents can become better informed.
Dr. Sax is the founder of the Montgomery Center for Research in Child and Adolescent Development. He currently works with schools throughout the country offering insight into the main differences between teaching boys and girls. His work with parents focuses on how best to navigate the unique and ever-changing challenges faced by today's children. Dr. Sax is the founder and executive director of the National Association for Single Sex Public Education and author of:
- Why Gender Matters: What Parents and Teachers Need to Know about the Emerging Science of Sex Differences
- Boys Adrift: The Five Factors Driving the Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underachieving Young Men,
- Girls on the Edge: The Four Factors Driving the New Crisis for Girls--Sexual Identity, the Cyberbubble, Obsessions, Environmental Toxins
The program will take place on Wednesday, January 16 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. at McDonogh School, 8600 McDonogh Road in Owings Mills in the Horn Theatre.
Technology Parenting Made Simple…A Conversation to Support Parents
On Thursday, January 17 at 9:00 AM and again at 6:30 p.m., St. James Academy counselor Jill Rowan and IT consultant Joe Edel will host an event for parents designed to provide parents with knowledge and confidence about guiding their family’s use of technology. To reserve a spot, please email Dianne Fowler at dfowler@saintjamesacademy.org.
Comments