Our older two teens are close to finishing high school, and we’re starting to think about moving them into the adult phase of their lives. That means managing their own online presence and technology, and making sure they have full ownership of their profiles.
And that led to the big password talk.
Digital wellness is an intentional state of physical, mental and social health achieved through mindful engagement with technology. Instead of worrying about total screen time, research shows that how you use your devices is more important for well-being than how many hours you spend on them.
The recently released Pew Report Teens, Video Games and Civicshas revived the question about whether video games can be a worthwhile activity. Another recent entry in this debate is Jim Rossignol's This Gaming Life, a survey of computer gaming culture and a chronicle of its role in the author's life.
This is a question I get asked a lot, and to be honest, I don’t think there’s an easy answer. Every kid is different and every family has different thoughts and experiences.
The four of us watched the Oscars last night. My youngest went to bed before it ended so the rest of us are feeling rather bleary this morning. I always wonder why they always do it on a Sunday. Don’t they know it’s a school night? Sigh.
MediaSmarts’ research shows that on average, Canadian youth spend 1-2 hours per day using digital devices each weekday (not counting time spent using them for schoolwork) and more than three hours per weekend day. Average weekday screen time, therefore, falls just within the range recommended by the Canadian Pediatric Society’s Digital Health Task Force, though weekend screen time does not. Other research has found that more than a third (37 percent) of Canadian youth exceeded screen time recommendations in 2023. There are often significant differences, though, between how much time we think we’re spending on media and how much time we actually spend.
Ottawa, ON (May 29, 2014) – There is little gender difference in those youth who have sent a sext of themselves – defined as “a sexy, nude or partially nude photo” – to someone, although sexts of boys are more likely to be forwarded,– according to a study of Canadian students released today by MediaSmarts. Boys are also more likely than girls to have forwarded a sext sent to them and are twice as likely to report having received a sext that was forwarded by someone other than the original creator.
Ottawa, ON (May 29, 2014) – There is little gender difference in those youth who have sent a sext of themselves – defined as “a sexy, nude or partially nude photo” – to someone, although sexts of boys are more likely to be forwarded,– according to a study of Canadian students released today by MediaSmarts. Boys are also more likely than girls to have forwarded a sext sent to them and are twice as likely to report having received a sext that was forwarded by someone other than the original creator.
The intense media coverage that accompanies traumatic events, such as war, acts of terrorism and natural disasters, can be very disturbing. Certain young people are particularly vulnerable and some can be seriously distressed simply by watching replays of such events.
Parents, educators, health practitioners and others who work with kids can help to lessen anxieties arising from the coverage of catastrophic events.
This outcome chart contains media-related learning outcomes from the Ontario Curriculum for Computer Technology, Grade 10, with links to supporting resources on the MediaSmarts site.