Technology Boundaries

There’s no denying it. Parenting in the digital age can be extremely tough, no matter the age of your child. Technology is part of our everyday lives, and many children today are brought up in an environment surrounded by digital devices such as smartphones and tablets. Although this technology brings with with it huge advantages to our society, there are also massive negative impacts that can greatly affect your child.  

Our Families raise concerns such as:

• I worry about how much time they spend online
• It ends in conflict when we ask them to put technology away
• Their mood changes when they are online
• I want to know they are safe

At the school level we have concerns such as:

• Issues that happen online outside school hours take up a lot of time in school hours and impact on relationships or belonging at school as well as having an effect on learning
• Concerns regarding the number of students using apps and games that are not age appropriate and contain high levels of violence and anti-social content at a critical time when young brains are developing
• Students using devices to ‘self sooth’ when anxious means they are not practicing other strategies 

Parents and teachers play an important role in helping young children develop positive behaviours regarding technology use.  In the video below, Behavioural Specialist, Jason Gibson talks through some areas of our childrens' technology use that are important to put 'fences' (boundaries) around. 

Source: Schoolzine (Video will open in a new tab.)

More advice on how you can help keep your child safe online is available at iParent website (from the Office of the eSafety Commissioner).

Paul Anderson

Student Wellbeing Leader

The Young Carer Project 

We’re excited to be participating in the Young Carer Project, developed and led by Little Dreamers Australia. To do this, the Project engages key teachers and wellbeing staff, Young Carers and the broader school community, conducting training, workshops and online modules.

In every Australian classroom, two to three students will be providing unpaid care for a family member with a disability, chronic or mental illness, or addiction. The Young Carer Project believes in a school community where Young Carers have equal access to educational opportunities as their peers. Please email  Bree Russell (brussell@staroceangrove.catholic.edu.au) or Marnie Hallam (mhallam@staroceangrove.catholic.edu.au)  if your child is a young carer and you would like further information.