Crucial Steps You Need To Raise Digitally Aware Kids

Reading time: 6.50 min 

Hey 👋  - Hello, there!! Hope you had a great week. 

How many phone numbers do you remember now, compared to your childhood? I could dial most of my friends without a phone book when I was younger, now I hardly call them and forget about remembering their numbers. 

Have we all stopped exercising our brains? Okay. This reminds me of a recent masterclass I attended by Jim Kwik. Guess what! I remember his name without looking in my mail who had given the masterclass. (how was this possible?)

Jim Kwik, is a world expert in speed-reading, memory improvement, brain performance, and accelerated learning.

I wanted to share some interesting things from the masterclass with you. 

1. He talks about kids being more creative than adults- What makes kids more creative than adults 

-They have no limits to learning 

-They have time to explore 

-They get to play with their ideas

2. Jim Kwick says that somehow we all believe that our learning capacity is fixed- But actually it's not so, what actually prevents us from learning 

-We don't know how to learn

-We don't believe that we can improve

-We don't know what to do to get better

But if we're to find the right way to learn, how would we do it?

1) Learning how to learn

This may sound obvious, but it is surprising how few people know how to learn effectively. Certain techniques can help us learn more effectively.

If you notice we were only to told to memorize definitions, formulas but never told in school how to learn, the strategies to learn were not given to us. 

2) Believe that you can improve

If you don't believe that you can improve, then you won't even try. But if you believe that you can get better at learning, then you will be more motivated to learn effectively.

In schools, students are categorized into pass/fail. Strategies to motivate kids to learn is not used in school.

3) Know what to do to get better

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to becoming a better learner. But certain things can help, such as finding a good learning method, setting goals, and practising regularly.

This is opposite to what happens in schools, where all the children are grouped under the same goal of achieving the highest marks. 

4) He says that all learning is state-dependent, We learn best when we are in the right state of mind. 

We were mostly in a stressed state in school and we were mostly driven by exam fear.

In schools, we were asked to gain knowledge, and memorize but were never taught the importance of learning, forgetting, and relearning. Learning is a process that we need to go through our entire life. The talk has inspired me to change my learning methods and strategies. 

If you want to read the full article on this topic , find the link in the end

In the last newsletter, I spoke about how mindless phone scrolling habits can be addicting and drive kids in the same direction. Most parents are concerned about their kid's digital habits. They are struggling to find what is permissible and what is not. 

The digital world is constantly changing, and parents of digital natives need to be prepared for the changes. Parents might have various concerns like 

1. The amount of time that kids spend online is increasing- My son has his sessions on a digital device, and most of his projects are online.

Need: I need to help him manage his time well so he doesn't get too caught up in the online world.

2. The types of content that kids are exposed to are changing- There is so much more content available online than there was even a few years ago.

Need: I need to make sure that my son is only exposed to appropriate content.

I picked up this book called Screenwise by Devorah Heitner. It is a great source for parents who want to learn more about the digital world and how to prepare their children for it.

Here are few learning from the book:

Don't mistake digital proficiency for good digital citizenship - Just because someone is good at using technology, doesn't mean that they are good at using it in a way that is respectful of others.

Though kids can adapt to new online platforms and technologies quickly, they still need guidance on how to use them in a way that is polite and respectful.

Anyone can learn the technical aspects of using an app but true screen wisdom is about relationships- This is something that I want to keep in mind as my son grows up.

It is one thing to know how to use an app, but it is another thing to know how to use it in a way that builds positive relationships. The skills kids need are to be able to read between the lines of texts, how not to respond, how to use the context

If you want to read the full article on this topic, find the link at the end

Connecting over a digital game:  We can use digital games as a way to connect with our kids. It can be a great way to bond with them and have some fun.

Do you have memories of playing mario with your family or car racing, create some gaming memory with your kids as well.

If your child has been obsessing over a game for long periods and you have no clue what makes it so interesting, dive into the game with them-

My son introduced me to Roblox where he was building a hotel, It was fun to join him and plan the hotel along with him.

I got to know about his likes, dislikes, and what he expected from the game. This was a great way to connect with him and also get an insight into his mind.

cheers, Priyanka

Here is the link to my talk on "Parents role in student's success", it covers the below topics:

• What schools should do and what parents should do 

• When it comes to supporting student outcomes✔How do parents drive student success?

• ✔What should schools do and what should parents do?

• ✔What do parents need to know to support their child/ward's education?

• ✔What are parents doing wrong?

• ✔What are parents not doing but should?

• ✔What are parents gaining or giving up when they homeschool?

• ✔It's school break, how should kids best spend it ?

While parents are worried about their kids being on gadgets and handling their social media presence, its important that they have proper guidance to navigate their journey. 

The book Screenwise by Deborah Heitner is a great book to guide parents through the digital journey their kids are taking.