27% of children view pornography by age 11; this rises to 50% by age 13. First exposure often correlates with first device ownership.
Device time can crowd out family, friends, hobbies, and play. Through play, children learn problem solving, boundaries, and resilience.
Overstimulation can drive dopamine/adrenaline spikes. Problematic tech use correlates with anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts (Dresp-Langley, 2020; Abi-Jaoude, Naylor, & Pignatiello, 2020).
Set screen time limits, appropriate content, and online behaviour expectations.
Use age-appropriate platforms and parental controls where helpful.
Know who your child is interacting with and what they’re doing.
Keep conversations going about risks, kindness, and courage online.
We hope to host regular online Zooms where parents hear updates, ask questions, and share experiences. Consensus gets easier together. Let us know through WhatsApp if you have any questions.
Short, anonymous surveys each term help shape our policies. We share summaries back with the community.
As we all know now, there’s a blanket ban on ALL devices in the school. For some (especially those with children in the older classes who may be walking to school etc.) this seems tough, but it takes the pressure off all of us, as parents, to cave.
If any of you are still considering smart phones, this episode of Perfectly Imperfect Parenting is worth a listen. Dr Mary O’Kane (who came in to speak with us last year) is joined by Aisling O’Connor, a Parenting and Child Psychologist based in Sligo, who is passionate about highlighting the dangers of giving children access to the online world too early.
It’s well worth a listen and definitely reinforces the no smartphones at primary school ethos we are promoting.
Listen on Spotify →
While we work away behind the scenes on updating the school’s website to include a Parents Tech resource area, we came across the following website and thought we’d share it in the meantime.
There are lots of useful resources and links in here – including how screen time affects cognitive development, and how best to avoid what’s inevitably a slippery slope when it comes to screens. It’s easy to get caught up in the dangers of smart phones and social media for tweens and teens, but starting good and healthy habits early on is really key – and that includes modelling the behaviour we want to see. We could all do with putting the phones away more!
Screen time & family time article →
A short 3-minute watch that’s well worth your time.
Watch on YouTube →
Hello and welcome back to another school year!
A quick reminder: the Parents Tech Guide was started by a handful of interested and concerned parents. Our primary goal is to promote the delay of smart phones and/or social media for as long as possible. We also share articles and podcasts that help us keep our kids safe online – including potential dangers on YouTube, Roblox and similar games.
Every family will make the decision that is right for them when it comes to access to technology. We simply hope to share information as we come across it.
We hope to send out a Loreto Dalkey PS “Voluntary Code” asap, asking that you commit to not allowing your child to have a smartphone at primary level (there is strength in numbers!). If you would like to join the nationwide movement toward a smartphone free childhood, please check out:
Smartphone Free Ireland – sign the pledge →
As we head into the busy month of June, we wanted to thank you all for your support of the Parents Tech Guide this year. We hope to be back in September with fresh ideas on how to encourage no smart devices at primary level, and delay both smart phones and social media for as long as possible.
Join Smartphone Free Childhood Ireland here:
WhatsApp delay group link →
For our final post before summer, some interesting reading and viewing:
For anyone interested in hearing Eoghan Cleary speak about the impact of social media on children, he’ll be giving one final talk before the summer this Thursday in Monkstown Educate Together.
We came across this on Jonathan Haidt’s Instagram page and it really resonated, especially after some of our recent conversations:
“It takes courage to raise a free-range kid in an anxious world… But if we want stronger, happier, more grounded children, maybe it’s time to stop holding on so tight… and start letting go…”
Read the post →
We also wanted to share the Safer Phone Options for Children and Teenagers – A Guide for Parents & Guardians compiled by Smartphone Free Childhood:
Safer Phone Options guide →
Thanks so much to all who showed up to our first in-person Parents Tech Guide session, and to Alan for guiding folks through some of the interesting alternatives to smart phones.
This week we wanted to share:
As a follow-up to our parents’ webinar last month, we’ll be hosting a hands-on Practical Workshop on How to Keep Your Kids Safe Online in the school hall, 9–10am.
Please bring your devices – and any family devices you’d like advice on. Alan will demo the Brick and the Balance Phone as alternatives to smart phones and as a way to delay access to social media and harmful content. He’ll touch on Google Family Link and answer questions.
Please let your rep know if you’re interested in attending.
“How will children who are so constantly artificially stimulated ever learn to think, imagine, create or just be still?”
In her ARC 2025 speech, Sophie Winkleman lays out a compelling case for a return to an ‘analog’ upbringing for children and young people, warning of the adverse effects of excessive technology use, particularly in education.
Watch the talk on YouTube →
Many of you will have heard about the series Adolescence and the conversations it has sparked about social media, masculinity and the pressures our young people face. Politician Jennifer Whitmore recently highlighted the work of teacher Eoghan Cleary in this area.
If you have the opportunity to hear him speak, please do. In the meantime, his powerful Irish Times piece is well worth a read:
Adolescence: Five truths about our teenage boys →
Following up on last Friday’s presentation from CybersafeKids, we’d like to host a Loreto Primary parents’ webinar on Wednesday, March 12th at 8pm to discuss practical ways to manage network access and keep our kids safe.
We’ll look at monitoring network access, limiting access to specific times of day, and blocking inappropriate content, followed by a Q&A.
Join the Zoom webinar →
You can find more resources here:
Thanks again to all who showed up on Friday morning for our Cybersafe Start Smart programme. We’ll be following up with a webinar next week (March 12th) focusing on how to lock down devices at home – phones, shared devices, smart TVs and more.
In the meantime, we wanted to share this short but powerful video:
Dove – “10 vs 10: When did 10 stop looking like 10?” →
For 6th class parents
If you’re thinking of getting your child a smart phone in the coming months, a couple of things to consider:
This week is all about cyber safety in the school. Loreto was chosen as a pilot school for the new Cybersafe Start Smart programme, an initiative of DLR and Cybersafety Ireland. All classes from 1st–5th are taking part, with a full-day workshop for 6th class.
Reminder: there will be an in-person parents’ talk in the school hall after drop-off on Friday from 9–10am. Please come armed with questions!
Attached is CyberSafeKids’ latest booklet for parents – “Better Digital Parenting” – #SameRulesApply.
Hold the date: Feb 28th, 9.15am in the school – a parent talk is being delivered from the Safer Schools initiative. More information to follow.
“The most connected generation is the loneliest.” – Jonathan Haidt
Please take some time to listen to Haidt speaking with Brendan O’Connor about his book The Anxious Generation and the effects of smartphones and social media on young people, especially girls.
Listen to the interview →
As we head toward midterm, some of you with daughters in 6th class might be interested in learning how to delay giving them a smartphone or social media. You can find delay-group links and handy alternatives here: delay for secondary → and the Balance Phone →
Why are smartphones and social media causing mental health problems in younger people?
Around 2010, rates of mental illness in Generation Z suddenly and drastically increased in the Western world. Rates of depression in teenagers rose by 150%. Rates of self-harm by young adolescent girls tripled between 2010 and 2020 and doubled for girls aged 15–19.
Why? This 20-minute podcast is one of the best explanations we’ve heard:
Academy of Ideas – listen here →
Reminder: limited tickets are still available for Eoghan Cleary’s in-person talk on online safety in Dalkey School Project.
A couple of items of interest this week:
Happy New Year to one and all!
We’ll continue sharing weekly nuggets of information to help keep online safety to the fore.
Last post of the year! Thank you for all the positive feedback as we learn how to navigate this tech world with and for our kids. Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and looking forward to connecting again in the new year.
A couple of things to share this week:
Summary of a recent sold-out talk in the Harold, Glasthule (organised by parents from St Patrick’s) with useful tips and advice on online safety – see attached summary in the school’s communication.
For the week that’s in it, we’re sharing GenFree’s petition asking the incoming government to demand that big tech makes big moves to keep our kids safe online.
This week we’d like to ask you a few questions to help shape how we develop the Tech Guide. It should only take a few minutes.
Complete the short survey →
Food for thought:
Watch this short video →
For those of you with children in older classes, given the time of year we’d encourage you to think twice about smart phones. The evidence is mounting – we are stronger together.
Join the Smartphone Free Childhood pledge →
Part 2 – Simple steps to safeguard Android devices using Google’s Family Link (following last week’s focus on Apple).
Google Family Link guidance →
Where to start with your kids’ online activities? This week focuses on using Apple’s Screen Time and parental controls on shared devices. See school communication for the step-by-step guide.
This week, a challenge! Alongside CyberSafeKids:
From Friday Oct 18th at 5pm until Saturday Oct 19th at 5pm – a 24-hour digital detox.
No phones, TV, screens or devices. Just talk, play, read, walk, swim, create and be together. It’s only 24 hours – we can do this!
Another important article on smartphones, children and mental health:
Read the Independent article →
What can we do? Be open to a smartphone-free childhood, limit damage by restricting use, consider non-smartphone options, keep talking to politicians and learn more about the realities of the online world.
A concise video checklist of five things to be aware of if your kids have access to an iPad, tablet or borrowed smartphone – from age-appropriate apps to turning on Safe Search.
Watch the checklist video →
The Irish Medical Organisation has called smartphone and social media use a “public health emergency”. Concerns include exposure to inappropriate content, and the impact on childhood experiences, friendships and resilience.
GenFree’s campaign invites parents to lobby politicians for regulation, education and better supports – including template emails at genfree.ie.
A few links to share this week if you are interested.
The launch of Gen Free: Free to be Kids campaign is open to anyone — parents and those who work with children & young people who want:
The evening will open with a talk by Eoghan Cleary — “It’s time to Protect Children Online” — and end with a Q&A chaired by Prof Matthew Sadlier with an expert panel including Eoghan Cleary, Alex Cooney (Cybersafe Kids), Minister Stephen Donnelly and Dr Joanna Fortune.
Welcome back to a new school year everyone! There has been an upsurge in articles about online safety and how the government is starting to act, rather than waiting for big tech to do the right thing.
We are working with the school, other PAs and nationwide groups to figure out how best to mobilise parents in a way that is helpful and realistic. The first step is asking families to consider signing our voluntary “no personal smart device at primary level” code.
Sign the Loreto Dalkey voluntary code →
Why sign? So many reasons… but here are a few:
Source: Internet Watch Foundation “Sexual Abuse Imagery of Primary School Children”.
Irish Times: “Online platforms are harming children in really sinister, dark ways” →
Irish Times: Quarter of primary school children affected by harmful online content →
Irish Independent: Hidden danger — online bullying and smartphone ownership →
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