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Kids are glued to screens and it’s hurting their brain development
Look around the next time you’re at a restaurant. How many kids are quietly watching videos on a phone or tablet? Give a crying toddler a phone, and he or she is entertained for hours. But does that screen impact the way his or her brain develops? It does — much more than you might realize.
A new study documents structural differences in the brains of preschool-age children related to screen-based media use.A new study documents structural differences in the brains of preschool-age children related to screen-based media use. The study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, shows that children who have more screen time have lower structural integrity of white matter tracts in parts of the brain that support language and other emergent literacy skills. These skills include imagery and executive function -- the process involving mental control and self-regulation. These children also have lower scores on language and literacy measures.
The study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, shows that children who have more screen time have lower structural integrity of white matter tracts in parts of the brain that support language and other emergent literacy skills. These skills include imagery and executive function -- the process involving mental control and self-regulation. These children also have lower scores on language and literacy measures.
The Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center study assessed screen time in terms of American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations. The AAP recommendations not only take into account time spent in front of screens but also access to screens, including portable devices; content; and who children are with and how they interact when they are looking at screens.
McAdams calls on tech industry to protectNovember 21, 2019 Press Release Washington DC—Congressman Ben McAdams introduced a resolution designed to empower parents to protect their children from dangerous and exploitative content on digital apps. McAdams joined Congressman Mike Johnson (R-LA) on a House resolution (H. Res. 721) to resolve barriers that prevent adults from effectively protecting their children. children from dangerous app content
The resolution calls on technology and app development companies to establish an app rating board, comprised of industry representatives, and child development and child protection experts to 1) establish new criteria for appropriate content for age-specific app ratings, 2) review app ratings and descriptions of the most downloaded apps, and 3) impose sanctions for noncompliance. The model is based on the ratings provided to parents from the film and video game industry.
“As a parent to four kids, this issue really hits home for me. My wife Julie and I are always looking for tools that will help protect our children online,” said McAdams. “Salt Lake County police arrested 30 online predators in four days last month alone, in a crackdown on cybercrimes. This resolution is a commonsense step that parents, tech companies and law enforcement can all support. Nothing should get in the way of keeping our children safe from online exploitation.”
Research shows that children ages 8-12 are exposed to online content an average of six hours a day. McAdams says that parents do their best to monitor their kids’ exposure to harmful apps, but the tech industry can and should do more to give parents stream-lined app ratings and more user-friendly parental controls.
McAdams said the resolution is supported by the Fix App Ratings Coalition and the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, among others.
The "Real" Harm of Screen Time? The "real" harm caused by screens might be hidden in plain sight.
There has been much written about how screens are affecting us - including by me! Given that screens are so ubiquitous, and we are spending a LOT of time on them, it's important to understand their impact on us. This is particularly true for children and teens, who seem quite attached to their devices. Honestly, though, many adults struggle with putting their phones down about as much as teens.
One would be hard-pressed to find identify the introduction of any new technology (e.g., the automobile, radio, television) that changed the way that we communicated, socialized, sought information, and entertained ourselves so profoundly in such a short amount of time as the smartphone. When it comes to the importance of studying the effects of our screens, there is a clear consensus that this is a worthy endeavor. It's how they are affecting us that is still up for debate.
Do Screens Cause Us Harm?
A number of researchers, psychologists, and parenting experts have written at length about the many dangers of smartphones and social media. These include Dr. Jean Twenge (with her article Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation? and her book, iGen), Dr. Sherry Turkle (MIT professor and author of Alone Together and Reclaiming Conversation) and Dr. Nicholas Kardaras (with his NY Post article, It's 'digital heroin': How screens turn kids into psychotic junkies and his book, Glow Kids). You might have seen or heard about the documentary Screenagers, which details the many dangers of screens. It's beyond the scope of this blog to provide a literature view, but there have been quite a number of studies in which researchers have found various negative effects of screen use.
Domestic Violence Prevention and Coaching Teens on Healthy Relationships
Human Options CEO Maricela Rios-Faust discusses tools for coaching teens on healthy relationships during Teen Domestic Violence Prevention Month. Human Options' domestic violence resources can be found at HumanOptions.org and via their 24-hour toll free hotline at 877-854-3594.
HEALTH EXPERTS SAY PARENTS NEED DRASTICALLY CUT KIDS SCREEN TIME
https://time.com/5514539/screen-time-children-brain
Jan 28, 2019 · A new study found that too much screen time is linked to developmental delays in very young children Young kids spend 2-3 hours a day in front of a screen, a new study says
CHILDREN SEEKING SOLUTIONS PREVENTING SUICIDES
Ohio Hope Squad conference aims to reduce teen suicide
Ohio Hope Squad conference aims to reduce teen suicide by getting teens to talk to each other about the subject (WKRC)
SHARONVILLE, Ohio (WKRC) - Hundreds of local students found common ground Monday at the inaugural Ohio Hope Squad conference.
"I think Hope Squad has really opened up my eyes to what your actions can really do for a person." says Lakota West senior Amitoj Kaur. "Whether that's just checking up on someone and saying, hey, how'd your math test go? Or, hey, I noticed you were sitting alone at lunch. Do you want to sit with my friends? Or, hey, what's your Snapchat? I know you're new to the district. Being able to make one small action and change someone's entire perspective of their day, it's amazing and Hope Squad has truly taught me the value of that."
The idea is introducing peer to peer interaction, encouraging students to talk about feelings that aren't always easy to address.
500 students, advisers attend Ohio's First Hope Squad suicide prevention conference
Mental illness impacts 1 in 5 adults in the U.S., with the onset of 50 percent of lifelong mental illness cases happening between the ages of 10 and 14.
Dr. Richard Pan’s SCR 73 Establishes October 10th as Blue Light Awareness Day in California More research shows the long-term health concerns associated with cumulative blue light exposure from our electronic screen devises; October 10th is also World Sight Day artificial blue light on the developing human eye and mental health at a young age, along with long-term potential cumulative effects on adult eye health and mental development
SACRAMENTO – With more than 80 million electronic devices with digital screens in the state of California, and average screen time exceeding 9 hours per day, exposure to blue light has become a serious concern for public health. Dr. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento), Chair of the Senate Health Committee kicks off Blue Light Awareness Day by speaking to the health hazards posed by extended exposure to blue light from digital devices, in conjunction with World Sight Day.
“The impact of high energy blue light emissions on children is a significant health concern,” said Dr. Richard Pan, pediatrician and State Senator. “The resolution, passed by unanimous and bi-partisan support in both the Senate and Assembly, demonstrates that when it comes to protecting public health and educating around emerging health concerns, California will take the lead.”
Today’s announcement comes on the heels of the California State Legislature’s passage of SCR 73, a resolution which outlines the growing body of evidence and scientific research related to the long-term health impacts of extended exposure to blue light from digital devices. Those devices include: computer monitors, phones and tablets, that, absent blue light reducing filters, project high levels of toxic blue light into consumers’ eyes. With the passage of SCR 73, The State of California encourages all its citizens, particularly children whose eyes are still developing, to consider taking protective safety measures in reducing eye exposure to high-energy visible blue light.
California State Senate and Assembly Health Committees began looking at the issue of high energy blue light emissions from digital devices and screens in 2018, and in particular, the increased usage of, and access to, digital devices by young children and adolescents whose eyes are particularly susceptible to long-term damage from blue light.
Ophthalmologists, optometrists, and medical researchers continue to learn more about the dangers associated with blue-light exposure. The scientific community has produced a large and growing body of research, which identifies a multitude of known and emerging potential long-term health concerns for all age groups with cumulative blue light exposure due to digital screen usage.
Child sexual abuse images surge during pandemic
Child sexual abuse images and online exploitation surge during pandemic With tech companies' moderation efforts constrained by the pandemic, distributors of child sexual exploitation material are growing bolder, using major platforms to try to draw audiences. The coronavirus pandemic has led to a spike in reports of child sexual exploitation material on the internet, with some of it lurking on major tech platforms.
Michael Oghia was on a Zoom videoconference with about 20 climate activists last week when someone hijacked the presenter's screen to show a video of explicit pornography involving an infant.
"It took me a moment to process it," said Oghia, advocacy and engagement manager at the Global Forum for Media Developments. "At first I thought it was porn, but as soon as it clicked, I shut my computer. What the hell did I just see?"
Oghia's call had been "zoombombed" with images of child sexual abuse. He's unsure whether it was a video or a livestream. It left him feeling traumatized and unable to sleep. "It goes without saying that the real victim is the baby, but I can completely understand why social media content moderators develop PTSD," he said.
Oghia's experience is an extreme example of what people who track and try to stop child abuse and the dissemination of child pornography say is a flood of child sexual exploitation material that has risen during the coronavirus pandemic.
And with tech companies' moderation efforts also constrained by the pandemic, distributors of child sexual exploitation material are growing bolder, using major platforms to try to draw audiences. Some platforms are warning users that when they report questionable or illegal content, the company may not be able to quickly respond.
Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak
Distributors of child sexual abuse images are trading links to material in plain sight on platforms including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using coded language to evade the companies' detection tools, according to child safety experts and law enforcement. At the same time, reports of child sexual exploitation activity to cybertip hotlines are up by an average of 30 percent globally, according to InHope, a network of 47 national cybertip lines.
Reports to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the organization that receives cybertips in the United States, including from all of the Silicon Valley technology platforms, have more than doubled, from 983,734 reports in March 2019 to 2,027,520 reports this March. A significant chunk of the new reports are made up of a small number of videos that went viral, according to John Shehan, vice president of the center's exploited children division.
Zoom said that it was looking into what happened on Oghia's call and that any child abuse on its platform is "devastating and appalling" and prohibited by its policies. The company said that it uses a mix of tools, including automated ones, to proactively identify accounts that could be sharing child sexual exploitation material and that it notifies law enforcement when appropriate. Zoom also now defaults to password protection for all meetings. Oghia's meeting did not require a password.
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A GREATER GRASS ROOTS CAMPAIGN EFFORT EDUCATIONALLY TO STOP
My Child Saw Pornography, What Should I Do? Pinterest Apr 08, 2019
When Kids Are Home From School, Pornography Searches Increase 4700%
When Kids Are Home From School, Pornography Searches Increase 4700%
f your child has accidentally been exposed to pornography, it's normal to feel upset and concerned. As a parent, thinking of your child viewing online pornography is uncomfortable and scary. The reality is though, it's not a matter of IF your child will view pornographic material, it's a matter of WHEN.
According to Forbes magazine, the average age a child first views Internet porn is 11— shocking right? Well, it shouldn't be. In recent years, children are increasingly younger when using the Internet unsupervised. In fact, most children in the United States have a cell phone by the time they are seven years old, meaning that they have near constant access to the Internet. This highlights a new concern for parents— are their kids finding porn on their smartphones?
Parents looking for a solution to minimize accidental exposure and prevent intentional viewing of pornography should consider using Net Nanny parental controls. Net Nanny offers a number of features including the #1 rated Internet filter and porn blocker, that aid parents in managing what their kids are doing online. Utilizing Net Nanny’s porn blocking features can give parents peace of mind, knowing that their kids aren’t able to access adult content.
How to Talk With Your Kids About Pornography on the Internet
In a study posted by Shared Hope International, 42% of Internet users age 10-17 years old admit to viewing online pornography. Before getting too concerned, consider that 66% of these children reported that they viewed this material accidentally while attempting to access age-appropriate programs. This begs the conversation to parents and caregivers: How do we protect our children and if they do view pornography, how do we respond?
Parents sometimes wonder if their child will be traumatized from the exposure. While prolonged exposure to pornography can elicit negative emotional responses, the greater potential for harm and shame can come from a parent's reaction. The best course of action a parent can take is to address the behavior in an age-appropriate manner, being careful not to overreact.
Educating your child on the risks of inappropriate, adult content online should include discussions on sexuality and Internet safety. So, what does the conversation around Internet pornography look like between parent and child? Well, that varies based on the child's developmental stage and the family belief system but here are 5 suggestions to get you thinking about it:
When Kids Are Home From School, Pornography Searches Increase 4700%
When Kids Are Home From School, Pornography Searches Increase 4700%
When Kids Are Home From School, Pornography Searches Increase 4700%
According to Google Analytics, pornography searches increase by 4,700% when kids are using the internet in the hours after school ends.
Like it or not, teens are using their devices to access pornography on a regular basis in today's technology driven society. Where previous generations were cautious of a stolen Playboy magazine, current parents are looking for guidance on how to shield their teens from the ever available, internet pornography.
The average child is now accessing pornography at the age of 11 – and that is much younger than the legal age for viewing such material. Unfortunately, the access to adult content is easy and is available in a couple clicks. Even though most mature and pornographic sites have a pop-up warning away minors, there is nothing to stop them from clicking the ‘over 18’ button and viewing inappropriate material.
ONLY 3% OF TEENAGE BOYS AND 17% OF GIRLS HAVE NEVER SEEN ONLINE PORNOGRAPHY
If this sounds like a shockingly low number, consider the amount of hours teenagers spend on screens for entertainment, 9 hours a day according to a report from Common Sense Media. Given the overwhelming reality of this statistic, what should parents know about online pornography?
RISK OF ADDICTION
The rate of addiction to pornography has grown significantly since the introduction of the internet and the vast amounts of available material. The population at the highest risk for addiction? Teenage boys ages 12-17.
A study conducted by JAMA Psychiatry looked at the connection between compulsive viewing of online pornography and brain changes. Their results indicated alarming similarities between individuals who view online pornography for hours each week and individuals addicted to drugs or alcohol.
This same study suggests these individuals will develop stronger tolerance to the material and may also have difficulty controlling impulses.
Some other signs or symptoms that your teen may have a problem with internet pornography include:
- Trouble at school, due to poor performance or misuse of school computers
- Interruption in relationships with peer group
- Depressed or anxious mood
- Withdrawing from family activities and spending more time alone in his room
PROTECTING OUR TEENS
k-12 Google wants to spread positivity online, stop cyberbullying
When Kids Are Home From School, Pornography Searches Increase 4700%
k-12 Google wants to spread positivity online, stop cyberbullying
Written by Betsy Foresman
OCT 9, 2019 | EDSCOOP
In an effort to combat cyberbullying this October, Google has teamed up with two nonprofits to teach kids how to spread kindness and positivity online.
Cyberbullying is the number one online safety concern in the classroom, according to research from Google, and both parents and teachers have recognized that more needs to be done to teach kids to be safer, more positive digital citizens. Playworks, a nonprofit committed to teaching kids leadership skills through play, and DonorsChoose.org, an organization that provides teachers with tools to support quality education, have joined forces with Google’s ‘Be Internet Awesome’ program to tackle this issue.
“[Be Internet Awesome] is really designed to help teach kids the fundamentals of navigating the internet,” Jessica Covarrubias, who leads this program at Google, told EdScoop.
The program, which is targeted at children aged 6 to 11, addresses the basics of internet conduct, like how to create secure passwords, spot misinformation and communicate responsibly. But Covarrubias said her favorite lesson teaches kids how to spread positivity and kindness online.
“They forget that words online also have impact, whether negative or positive,” Covarrubias said. “We’re teaching them the golden rule.”
The partnership between Google, Playworks and DonorsChoose.org is meant to help spread awareness and impact of the resources available to students, teachers and parents.
Real Players Don’t Bully, a campaign against bullying from Playworks, shows kids the importance of practicing kindness and inclusion to prevent bullying in the real world. Google is its digital partner.
“They’re focused on teaching kids to be positive offline, so we came on as a partner to connect the dots and help teach kids how to be kind online as well,” Covarrubias said.
The partnership with DonorsChoose.org helps spread awareness to educators that there are resources available to help kids teach kids kindness.
“We wanted to be able to help empower educators with the tools to begin teaching kids about how to be kind online, and we wanted to be able to help teach children, overall, this idea of being kind online,” she said.
This program is expected to make a big impact, reaching upwards of 4,000 classrooms and 40,000 students and will feature a series of events with elementary school students around the country.
At each event, kids will learn the importance of positive behavior both online and in real life through Google’s Be Internet Awesome lessons — which cover topics like kindness, privacy and security — and an interactive online game called Interland, which is designed to reinforce key concepts of the program in a fun, engaging way.
By introducing these concepts at a young age, it helps kids to have open conversations both inside and outside their classrooms about appropriate online behavior and what to do when faced with challenges online. “Our intent is to make this really embedded into their lives wherever they are,” Covarrubias said.
-In this Story-
cyberbullying, Donorschoose.org, Google, K-12, online safety, Playworks, privacy, security
WHAT’S THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF SCREEN TIME FOR MY KID?
Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age to help spark change.
k-12 Google wants to spread positivity online, stop cyberbullying
Screen Time – How Much is Too Much?
“Chris, how much screen time should I give my kid?” This is the burning question for many parents and educators today, and we hear it often. No one seems to know exactly the right screen time answer, but everyone feels like kids spend too much time on screens.
Some say that glowing screens may be good for kids – an interactive educational tool. Others are skeptical.
I recently met with the Curriculum Coordinator for a large public school near Grand Rapids. We were creating a strategy for informing parents in the district about digital risks and solutions for protecting their kids. At the end of our meeting, he asked:
“Chris, have other educators talked to you about their younger grades? Kindergarten, first, and second grade? It’s almost impossible to get them to sit still. The teachers are saying it’s getting more and more difficult to keep their attention. These are teachers with decades of experience. They know kids. Is it the technology? Are they getting too much at home? What are you seeing?”
I had to admit that other educators had expressed similar concerns to me during in-class presentations that we do around the country.
Related Link: Request a Protect Young Eyes presentation @ your school
Recently, I decided to read the book Glow Kids by Dr. Nicholas Kardaras. It turns out that Dr. Kardaras has been counseling kids with troubling digital behaviors for years and has discovered screen time patterns worth sharing.
What Makes Screen Time Addictive?
The simple answer is neurology. We were wired to respond favorably to actions that have a feel-good result, like sex, finding water, or finding food. These actions cause a feel-good neurochemical called dopamine to be released, which causes the brain to repeat whatever action just caused it to be released.
Certain behaviors cause different levels of dopamine to be released.
- Eating chocolate – can raise dopamine levels 50%
- Sex – can raise dopamine levels 100%
- Snorting cocaine – can raise dopamine levels 350% [1]
Brain-imaging research is showing that glowing screens – iPads, iPhones, Kindles – are as stimulating to the brain’s pleasure center and dopamine release as sex. Therefore, when a parent puts a glowing iPhone in the hands of a crying child, it’s as if a brain orgasm is being released. Which is the reason why kids and adults can’t put them down.
Have you ever just watched a young child who is fixated on a screen? They are zeroed in. Engrossed. You might have to call their name 2-3 times to get their attention. Their eyes are dilated. This is due to dopamine.
Science shows us that dopamine:
- Focuses our attention
- Motivates us forward; and
- Activates and enhances rewards circuitry that make you feel good.
Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age to help spark change.
Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age to help spark change.
Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age to help spark change.
Recently at a screening at a school of Screenagers NEXT CHAPTER, the principal told me she had a group of boys who were posting inappropriate things about each other on social media. When she told the boys that this could come back to haunt them—i.e., things can last forever on the internet—they responded:
"Yeah, we hear that, but we never hear a story of anything bad happening."
I encourage you to listen with your teens to an episode of a podcast about an emotional story of a student who posts inappropriate comments in a "private" group chat and the subsequent severe consequences.
In today's Tech Talk Tuesday, I explore the huge range of emotions that kids and teens experience from interactions online. It is so important to start a conversation about these emotions, so they can learn to better cope with painful situations elicited from internet interactions, be it small or big.
Host a screening of Screenagers NEXT CHAPTER: Uncovering Skills for Stress and/or Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age to help spark change.
Find event listings on our site.
Here are a few other TTTs you might be interested in:
Anxiety, Screen Time and Skills
Why 3 Hours is Too Much
Unhooking From Video Games
Stay in touch with the Screenagers community on Facebook, Twitter and at www.screenagersmovie.com.
Warmly,
Delaney Ruston, MD
Screenagers' Filmmaker
www.screenagersmovie.com
415-450-9585
School-Based Health & Wellness
Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age to help spark change.
Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age to help spark change.
Strong Partnerships
Rowland Unified School District has established strong partnerships with various community agencies to ensure that poor health is not a barrier to student achievement.
Why?
Health care (medical, dental, vision, and mental health) should be accessible and available where kids are.
Schools in the Rowland Unified School District have services needed to ensure that poor health is not a barrier to learning.
Research shows a positive impact on:
- Reduced absences and tardies
- Increased promotion to the next grade
- Decreased dropout rates
- Reduced discipline including suspensions and expulsions
Counseling Services
Referrals to outside agencies
Schools or parents can request counseling services for RUSD students. Agencies include:
- Children's Bureau
- Pacific Clinics
- Enki Health and Research Systems, Inc.
- Foothill Family Services
- Masonic Center for Children & Youth
- Five Acres
RUSD Counseling Services
The GEAR Up (Growth Education And Resilience) program provides school-based individual and group counseling services at various schools throughout RUSD. For more information, please find the GEAR Up brochure under resources.
Substance Abuse
Group and individual substance abuse counseling is available at Santana High School, Nogales High School, Rowland High School, and the Alternative Learning Program. Substance abuse prevention services are available at Giano and Alvarado Intermediate Schools. These services are provided through a partnership with Pacific Clinics. Please find the list of topics included below in the resources section.
Suicide Prevention
Click here for more information on suicide prevention.
National Suicide 10th-leading cause of death in the U.S.
Is a suicide prevention hotline scaring callers away?A counselor worries that a new message could cause people to hang up.
Since September, the last thing a caller to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline hears before being connected to a counselor is this: “Your call may be monitored or recorded for quality assurance purposes.”
As a Lifeline counselor, this alarms me.
Suicide is 10th-leading cause of death in the U.S.,is the and rates have increased in nearly every state from 1999 through 2016, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A person contemplating suicide is often dealing with societal prejudice surrounding mental health. When people call the hotline, they are often sharing secrets. Children may worry they are disappointing their parents by struggling with depression or other problems. Adults may fear losing their livelihood if their struggles become public.
In contrast, a suicide hotline counselor is a stranger on the phone who has been trained to connect and provide help. A private conversation used to be implicit. Now this sense of confidentiality is at risk, and it could have dire consequences.
When Lifeline counselors were informed that callers would hear the call “may be recorded” addition to the greeting, I felt ill. I quickly emailed the director of our local call center in Pennsylvania, expressing concern about what experienced Lifeline counselors know with certainty: A sense of anonymity is essential for many callers.
The response I received explained that many Lifeline call centers already record the calls. Since our calls are routed, they’re directed to a call center based on area code. For example, if someone is standing in California with a phone number starting with 609, their call will be sent to a New Jersey Lifeline call center. The notification prompt was added to comply with differing state wiretapping laws.
Federal and most state laws require one-party consent, meaning the recorder does not have to reveal the call is being recorded. But 11 states — including California and Pennsylvania — require two-party consent; all parties must be informed the call is being recorded.
AT&T SECURE FAMILYTM Your kids are mobile. Keep them safe. Take charge of your family’s security with our smartphone app. Track location, filter content—free for the first 30 days.
Peace of mind. Now close at hand.
- Track your kids' locations in real time, or get arrival/departure alerts.
- View up to 7 days of location history.
- Limit or block internet during specified times.
- Pause your kids' Wi-Fi® access from your phone.
Managing your child’s screen time is important. Thats why we’ve come up with a few ways to help manage screen time!
So many people have become reliant on technology. Unfortunately, kids are no different. Whether it’s because they need a tablet for school or want a cell phone to play fun games or to chat with their friends, we get it. We also understand managing your child’s screen time is equally important. No one wants to ever feel like their child is becoming dependent on technology. Having a few, pre-determined rules and guidelines for screen time is the best way to control your kid’s screen time!
Have clear rules when it comes to screen time
Having clear rules about screen time is the perfect way to get your kids off on the right foot and avoid a meltdown when it’s time to put away the devices. Kids are more likely to be successful when they have clear rules and guidelines to follow. When it comes to screen time rules, they should be discussed and reinforced with a list posted somewhere near where screen time is going to take place, so there is no confusion.
Allow kids to earn extra screen time
If screen time is seen as more of a reward, kids will do whatever it takes to earn it! Create a chart of different tasks for kids to complete in order to earn their screen time. Making your bed? 5 minutes of screen time. Taking out the trash? 10 minutes of screen time!
Create a fun timer to limit screen time
Having a timer or a time limit is the perfect way to cap kids’ screen time. No one likes having to pry their child off a device. Instead, you can set a timer on their device, in the kitchen, or find a great kid-friendly timer that your child will like. There are also tons of great apps that live right on their device, to limit screen time.
Have designated areas in your house kids can take their devices
Implementing screen time approved areas can help kids naturally limit their screen time. By not letting them to lay in their bed or lounge all afternoon on the couch with a tablet in hand can help train your kids to understand that a phone or tablet isn’t something that always needs to be used to fill time.
It’s important to find a healthy balance when incorporating phones and devices into your life, especially with kids. Limiting screen time is one way to make sure that balance don’t get out of whack. Setting kids up to succeed it what it all boils down to. It’s so much easier to implement rules and guidelines for screen time with your kids from the get-go as opposed to trying to throw in rules after they’ve already developed habits while interacting with devices.
Screen Ready from AT&T is a program that helps families learn how to manage many aspects of what happens while their kids are taking part in the world of computers, phones and tablets by offering age and concern specific information. You can also take a look at our article on how to choose a cellphone for your kid and which tablet is the best for your kid for more helpful information.
This article was written by Tiffani Anderson, a TechBuzz contributor. The statements in this article are her own and don’t necessarily represent the positions, strategies, or opinions of AT&T.
HUMANE EDUCATION IS SO,SO,CRTICAL TO TEACH EMPATHY
HUMANE SOCIETY LEGISLATIVE FUND ENDORSES REP. AMI BERA OF CALIFORNIA FOR RE-ELECTION TO CA’S 7TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
WASHINGTON (September 28, 2016)—The Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announces its endorsement of Rep. Ami Bera, D-California, for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives. Citing his strong advocacy for animal protection policies, the HSLF urges voters in California’s 7th Congressional District to support Rep. Bera in November’s general election.
Help hard to find for teens struggling with mental health, thoughts of suicide
- Parents, suicidal teens often wait days for in patient psychiatric beds.
- The suicide rate for young people ages 10 to 19 rose by 56% from 2007 to 2016
- Washington, D.C., is the only place in the U.S. that the psychiatric academy says has the right ratio of child psychiatrists for the population.
Milwaukee-area teen TJ Esser told his family he was transgender when he was 13 and found them very supportive. Many teens aren't that lucky.
Transgender students "suffer from so much mental health because it's not always an open place in schools to be who you are," says Esser, who is now 16.
Whether they get that care often depends on their parents and the availability of treatment in their area. Dr. Wun Jung Kim, a child psychiatrist and professor at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Rutgers University says psychiatry is made more challenging by the lack of awareness many parents and grandparents have about the field, as well as the lack of specialists.
"The lack of access to psychiatric care has been a problem for a long time, and it's not improving because of the increasing demand for care of our nation's youth," says. "We have a lousy system of care."
A therapy dog named Moose who has helped thousands of students at Virginia Tech has been awarded an honorary doctorate in veterinary medicine. -
Good boy! Therapy dog given honorary degree for helping thousands of students cope
PREVENTION EDUCATION IS WORTH AN OUNCE IS POUND OF CURE !!!
We empower parents to say yes to waiting for the smartphone.
The Family Resource Center was founded on the belief that every student and family
We empower parents to say yes to waiting for the smartphone.
There is a reason why top Silicon Valley executives are saying no to the smartphone until at least 14 for their children. In fact, there is a long list of reasons and parents need to know them.
SMARTPHONES ARE CHANGING CHILDHOOD
Childhood is changing for children. Playing outdoors, spending time with friends, reading books and hanging out with family is happening a lot less to make room for hours of snap chatting, instagramming, and catching up on You Tube. With children spending anywhere between 3 to 7 hours daily in front of a screen, many childhood essentials are pushed aside for online amusement.
SMARTPHONES ARE ADDICTIVE
New research shows dependence on your smartphone may produce some of the same addictive brain responses similar to alcohol, drug and gambling addictions. Smartphones are like slot machines in your children's pocket constantly persuading them to crave more. The tech industry intentionally designs smartphone apps and social media for people to use for long periods of time because this is how they make their money.
SMARTPHONES ARE AN ACADEMIC DISTRACTION
Elementary and middle school years establish the foundation for your child's academic success. Children learn how to productively manage time, projects and homework. Introducing a constant distraction with a smartphone is paving a path for academic mediocrity. The early results of a landmark study on brain development by the National Institute of Health show children who spent more than two hours a day looking at a screen got lower scores on thinking and language tests. Research from the University of Texas suggests the mere presence of your smartphone reduces cognitive capacity and test-taking brainpower. One study demonstrated that using smartphones in classrooms can even lower a student’s grade. Another study found that children who attend schools with smartphone bans did better on tests.
EXCESSIVE SMARTPHONE USE IS ALTERING CHILDREN’S BRAINS
Initial results from a groundbreaking study by the National Institute of Health reveal that MRI's found significant differences in the brains of children who use smartphones, tablets, and video games more than seven hours a day. Children who spent an excessive amount of time on screens were found to have a premature thinning of the cortex. That's the outermost layer of the brain that processes information from the five senses.
SMARTPHONES IMPAIR SLEEP
Studies show that the use of smartphones and other portable devices with screens affects the quantity and quality of sleep in children and teens. Adolescents are likely restless because they anticipate receiving texts and social media messages from friends, which affects their nighttime routine. Some children even wake up in the middle of the night to check texts or social media. Sleep disturbance in childhood is known to have adverse effects on health, including poor diet, obesity, weakened immune system, stunted growth, and mental health issues.
SMARTPHONES INTERFERE WITH RELATIONSHIPS
Many parents regret allowing their child to have a smartphone because they have experienced the way the smartphone is destructive to relationships. The parent child relationship suffers. Children are often inattentive with the constant distraction the phone brings. Face to face relationships dwindle as children shift their time and energy to investing in their online “friendships.”
SMARTPHONES INCREASE THE RISK FOR ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION
Children are not emotionally equipped to navigate tricky social media waters at such an early age. Viewing someone else’s highlight reel on social media often leads youth to think they are missing out or are not enough compared with their peers. Research shows that the more time someone uses social media the more likely they are to be depressed. A Harvard Business Review showed the more you use Facebook the worse you feel. Another report demonstrated that adolescents’ psychological well-being decreased the more hours a week they spent on screens.
In addition, when children overuse technology, the constant stimulation of the brain causes the hormone cortisol to rise. Too much cortisol can inhibit a child from feeling calm. The loss of tranquility can lead to serious anxiety disorders.
Suicide rates are on the rise especially for girls between the ages of 10 and 14 years old. For this age group, suicide rates have tripled over the past 15 years.
SMARTPHONES PUT YOUR CHILD AT RISK FOR CYBER BULLYING
Bullying is no longer limited to the playground or locker room. Bullies seek to harm children through social media and texts often making retreat for the victim impossible. The most common medium used for cyber bullying is the phone. About one out of every four children has experienced cyber bullying, and about one out of every six children has done it to others. Only one in 10 victims will inform a parent or trusted adult of their abuse. Recent research indicates that children who receive smartphones in elementary school versus later in childhood are more likely to be involved in cyber bullying. According to the researchers, the increased risk of cyber bullying related to phone ownership could be tied to increased opportunity and vulnerability.
HOAG HOSPITAL MENTAL ILLNESS SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTIONS
The Family Resource Center was founded on the belief that every student and family
We empower parents to say yes to waiting for the smartphone.
HOAG AND CAPISTRANO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT SPEAKER SERIES
HELPING TEENS AND FAMILIES NAVAIGATE MENTAL HEALTH & WELLNESS.
The Family Resource Center was founded on the belief that every student and family
The Family Resource Center was founded on the belief that every student and family
The Family Resource Center was founded on the belief that every student and family
The Family Resource Center was founded on the belief that every student and family should be supported with dignity and compassion.
The Rowland Unified School District Family Resource Center (FRC) opened its doors at Northam Elementary School in La Puente, California in 1996. This site at Northam was chosen because it was adjacent to the Children's Clinic, which was founded in 1974 to provide dental and later medical services to the families in the community. The FRC was originally established as part of a Healthy Start Grant. FRC staff serves Rowland U.S.D. students and families with dignity, compassion, understanding with the goal of eliminating barriers to school success. Services include supporting improved access to health, medical, vision care, dental services, preventive health care, group and individual counseling, nutrition, alternatives to gang involvement, preventing violence, improving communication between school and community, and empowering parents. All work is done in collaboration with numerous agencies such as Pacific Clinics, ENKI Health and Research Systems, Options Preschools/After School Care, Rowland Heights Library, La Puente Public Library, East Valley Community Health Center, L.A. County Sheriff’s Dept., Lion's Club Vision Care Program, Rotary, California Highway Patrol, PTA, Children's Bureau of Southern California, American Cancer Society, Red Cross, Costco, Rowland Adult Education, Shoes that Fit Program, Mt. SAC Community College REACH program, Project Access, GEM, Foothill Family Services, Kiwanis, Rowland Heights Senior Pathfinders, Herald Christian Health Center, and many more. Additionally, we continually add new services and revise existing ones to better service children and families. 'Like' us on Facebook: Family Resource Center/RUSD Follow us on Twitter: RowlandUSDFRC.
When a Video Game Obsession Starts to Look Like Addiction
When a Video Game Obsession Starts to Look Like Addiction
The Family Resource Center was founded on the belief that every student and family
“Turn OFF the computer!”
“Oh my God. Done. You are addicted to that game.”
“No more Fortnite. You. Are. Obsessed.”
I have heard parents say these things to tweens and teens spending too much time gaming. But how strong is the actual pull of gaming and is it really anything more than a power struggle?
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) and The American Psychiatric Association included Internet Gaming Disorder in a list of conditions to study, but to go so far as to say it can be an addiction, especially in our youth, could be a stretch. As of right now, video gaming addiction is not considered to be a mental disorder. But as Dr. Sina Safahieh, Medical Director of the ASPIRE program at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach and Irvine, CA tells Scary Mommy, negative impacts can occur when video game playing gets out of hand. I am not saying it is impossible to become addicted to gaming, but I don’t take the word addiction lightly.
When you become physically or psychologically dependent on something, you are addicted to it. I depended on alcohol. It numbed a lot of pain while creating a false sense of happiness with the rising levels of dopamine that resulted from drinking. It was a damaging cycle of feel bad, drink. Feel better, keep drinking. Feel bad again, drink more to feel better. The thing that hurt me was what I thought I needed to feel better. Even though I knew I was causing damage to myself, I kept drinking. The anxiety, depression, and physical discomfort of not drinking made sobriety feel impossible. And honestly, I liked to drink. I still miss it. But I also know I am so much better off without it.
Kids Online | FTC Consumer Information
When a Video Game Obsession Starts to Look Like Addiction
Kids Online | FTC Consumer Information
Net Cetera is a guide for parents, teachers, and other adults who spend time with kids. This guide offers practical tips and ideas for getting the conversation started about social networking, privacy, mobile devices, computer security, and dealing with cyberbullying. First Lady Melania Trump has shared a version of the guide with kids.
https://www.bulkorder.ftc.gov/publications/net-cetera-chatting-kids-about-being-online
Net Cetera: Chatting with Kids About Being Online; View PDF (2 MB) Net Cetera: Chatting with Kids About Being Online. May 2018. ... Net Cetera: Chatting with Kids About Being Online - select quantity to add to cart ... Use FTC.gov/bulkorder to order FREE publications for consumers and businesses. Shipping also is free and takes 3-4 weeks.
5.5" x 8.5", 28 pages
The best thing parents can do to protect their kids online? Talk to them. This guide can help. It covers topics like social media, mobile devices, cyberbullying, and computer security.
Are ESAs Allowed on College Campus?
When a Video Game Obsession Starts to Look Like Addiction
Kids Online | FTC Consumer Information
Emotional support Animals also referred to as comfort animals, are pets that provide support and comfort to those individuals experiencing mental and emotional disabilities by giving them full-time companionship and unconditional love. Emotional Support animals do not fall into the same category as service animals and are thus not mandated to carry out certain tasks that will assist a disabled person. They offer unconditional support and emotional comfort, and owners of ESAs should show that managing their specific disability is substantially easier by having a pet around.
An increasing number of Americans are equating animals with happiness, whether they are at home, at work, or in the stressful environment that is the modern academy. More and more students believe that having an emotional support animal around helps them cope with their daily struggles better, and improves their overall mental health. And those diagnosed with mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, and panic attacks are stressing their right to keep ESAs in college campuses and university residences, for instance, US Berkeley.
Even though psychotherapy or counseling may be essential to deal with the real and growing needs, pets in the form of emotional support animals can be a valuable source for restoring the emotional balance of troubled students.
So, Are Dogs Allowed In College Campuses?
SOCIAL MEDIA SEXTEXTING ADDICTIONS NEWS STORIES BAN ACCESSS
Former assistant coach at high school in Riverside gets jail time for having sex with underage
Former assistant coach at high school in Riverside gets jail time for having sex with underage
Former assistant coach at high school in Riverside gets jail time for having sex with underage
Windell Thompson, 21, an assistant football coach at La Sierra High, was arrested Oct. 13, 2017, on suspicion of unlawful intercourse with a minor and annoying and molesting a child, both felonies, the Riverside Police Department said. (Courtesy of Riverside Police Department)
In October of that year, detectives spoke with multiple girls from La Sierra High about their interactions with the defendant, culminating in a warrant for his arrest, according to Officer Ryan Railsback.
“It was determined the assistant coach had been having inappropriate contact with various female students at the high school through social media platforms,” Railsback said previously. “It was also discovered he had (sexual) contact with at least one of the involved students.”
The Alvord Unified School District employed Thompson on an at-will basis, and he was fired as soon as the allegations came to light.
At the time of his arrest, he had no documented prior felony onvictions.
San Bernardino Unified assistant superintendent Wiseman charged with child pornography
Former assistant coach at high school in Riverside gets jail time for having sex with underage
Former assistant coach at high school in Riverside gets jail time for having sex with underage
Perry Wiseman, the San Bernardino City Unified School District’s assistant superintendent of human resources, shown in a 2017 photo, was arrested on suspicion of possessing and distributing child pornography on Aug. 16, 2019.
ber 9, 2019 at 11:58 am | UPDATED: November 9, 2019 at 3:07 pm
The San Bernardino City Unified School District assistant superintendent of human resources who was arrested on suspicion of possession and distribution of child pornography in August was charged with that crime on Oct. 29, San Bernardino County Superior Court records show.
Perry Philip Wiseman, 42, has posted $100,000 bond and is scheduled to be arraigned on the single charge Jan. 8 in San Bernardino.
Wiseman was arrested at 9:59 p.m. Aug. 16 in the 7400 block of Tuolumne Lane in Highland and booked into West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga.
The school district placed Wiseman on paid administrative leave upon his arrest. He subsequently was placed on unpaid leave, according to spokeswoman Linda Bardere.
Wiseman did not routinely have contact with students in his current position, and the images that the Sheriff’s Department said he possessed came from the internet and did not appear to depict district students, a sheriff’s news release said.
Wiseman was the director of student programs for the Los Angeles County Office of Education from 2012 to 2013.
California man, 22, who admits having sex with 12-year-old girl he met on on Tinder
California man, 22, who admits having sex with 12-year-old girl he met on on Tinder gets just 16 months in prison in VERY lenient plea dea
11 July 2019 | https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7237297/California-man-22-pleads-guilty-having-sex-12-year-old-girl-met-Tinder.html
- Sean Rickard, of Anaheim, on Wednesday pleaded guilty to unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor
- Prosecutors dropped charges of lewd acts with a minor younger than 14 and one count each of distributing porn to a minor and luring a child
- Victim initially told Rickard she was 19 years old, but later admitted she was 12
- Police learned of assault from victim's schoolmate, who saw her with Rickard and told her parents
- Rickard was arrested in a sting operation after being lured by undercover officer pretending to be the 12-year-old victim
A 22-year-old man from California has admitted to having sex with a 12-year-old girl he met on Tinder, and was then handed a 16-month jail sentence.
Sean Rickard, of Anaheim, on Wednesday pleaded guilty to unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor three years younger than the perpetrator, even though the victim was actually nine years his junior at the time of the incident.
During their initial interactions on the dating app, Rickard said the girl told him she was 19 years old.
s part of Rickard's plea agreement, prosecutors dropped three counts of lewd acts with a minor younger than 14 and one count each of distributing pornography to a minor with the intent to engage in sexual conduct and luring a child with the intent to commit a specified crime, reported NBC Bay Area.
Officers from Santa Ana Police Department responded on February 27 to a charter school where the 12-year-old student was reported to have been sexually assaulted by a man.
The victim told police she had posed as a 19-year-old woman on Tinder, where she first met Rickard last year.
A Tinder spokesperson sent a statement to DailyMail.com on Thursday, stressing that the dating app is 'an adults only community' for users 18 years and older.
'We utilize a network of industry-leading automated and manual moderation and review tools, systems and processes - and spend millions of dollars annually - to prevent, monitor and remove minors and other inappropriate behavior from our app,' the statement reads.
'The bottom line is this: we are consistently evaluating and refining our processes to prevent underage access, and will always work with law enforcement, where possible, to protect our users as well. We don’t want minors on Tinder. Period.'
The victim and Rickard had exchanged messages for eight months via social media before she revealed her true age in February, but apparently that did nothing to deter the man.
According to police, the 12-year-old girl skipped school on February 25 and was picked up by Rickard, who then took her to a parking lot in Santa Ana and sexually assaulted her.
Police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said at the time that they learned of the assault thanks to one of the victim's schoolmates, who saw the girl with Rickard, snapped a photo of the pair and showed it to her parents, who then contacted the authorities.
After learning that Rickard communicated with the victim through Snapchat, detectives posed as the victim and began talking to him.
OPINION
NOW WE GIVE 12 YEAR OLD A CHILD ACCESS TO THE WWW FOR WHAT JUSTIFIED REAL REASON.?? THIS GIRL OR ANY MINOR USE THE WWW AS A TOY!! THIS VERY GOOD EXAMPLE HOW OUR STATE MISSED THE CHILD PROTECTION A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE DANGERS LURKING ONLINE.
The Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) (42 U.S.C.A. ... "Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation"; or. "An act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm."
NOW WHY OUR CA STATE GOV NEWSOM PERMIT AB 272 2019 INTO LAW SMARTPHONES OR ANY COMPUTER DEVICE TO GIVEN TO A MINOR PLEASE WRITE OR CALL ASKING IF HE WOULD CALL FOR SPECIAL SESSION OF LEGISLATORS TO ENACT TOUGH LAWS AND GOVERNMENT OVER SIGHT OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS TIME WITH SOCIAL MEDIA AND SCHOOL MANDATES.l !!
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