Parent Education Seminar Recap & Resources: Screen Time Solutions

Last week, Franklin PTA sponsored a highly informative presentation on Screen Time Safety and Sanity from Digital Wellness Educator Julia Storm. She taught us how to handle screen time meltdowns, educate kids about online safety and gauge readiness for a smartphone. If you missed the presentation, Julia's ReConnect website is full of useful information, like this blog post, The Red Flags Every Child Needs to Know to Spot an Online Predator. She also offers private consultations. Two websites Julia recommends for Franklin parents are Common Sense Media, which provides age ratings for movies, shows, books and video games, and The Smart Talk, where you can craft a media agreement with your child. Remember, per the Franklin handbook, students are not permitted to have phones or smart watches on campus. This rule can help support parents who want to delay access until middle school or beyond. The organization Wait Until 8th can empower parents too, by creating a pledge to share with friends.