It’s ten o’clock—do you know what your children are watching? Dr. Steven Schlozman poses the question in regards to his upcoming Eat Chat Parent workshop.
It might feel like the time when the family gathered around the TV, negotiating a one-hour program before bed are long gone. Now, young people have so many avenues to take in media from Netflix to YouTube and even the free apps when on an airplane. Our job as parents is to be open to talking about what’s on the screen because as the saying goes, “the more things change, the more they stay the same.”
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to helping solve who is watching what—but that's why Mountain Youth is teaming Eagle Valley Behavioral Health and Epic Promise for the the final Eat Chat Parent workshop in the 2019-20 school year. Dr. Scholzman will focus on the challenges of ubiquitous technology. He’ll talk about digital entertainment and how you can talk to your children about how they (and you!) can remain media savvy, while maintaining your child's sense of independence and sharing family values. He will discuss TV shows, online videos and programming and how it relates to the teenage brain and behavioral health.
“Kids are always going to try to get away with watching something [forbidden], it’s a coming of age thing,” he says. But, it’s how we, as parents, react. “It’s more about helping families stay true to their values and understand the strengths about what is out there.”
Although the format has changed, Dr. Schlozman is quick to point out that parents have been dealing with various types of technology for generations—from the introduction of the rotary phone right to today’s diverse menu of offerings. Whether the content is a horror film, sex scene or series about suicide, it’s important for parents to know what kids are watching—and be ready to talk about what may be a sensitive topic.
It was one year ago Dr. Steven Schlozman opened many of our eyes to anxiety in our children. Yes, all young people have anxiety and certain levels are healthy. He helped us talk openly about anxiety and presented clear tips on how to help young people cope with stress. It’s with this same down-to-earth approach that Dr. Schlozman will return this year to share his expertise with us in the arena of technology.
“Talking to your kids about technology should be an ongoing conversation. There are many ways to start the conversation and Dr. Schlozman will bring up some perspectives that may be surprising, and helpful, to having that ongoing conversation in your home. Please join us!” says Carol Johnson, community education manager for Mountain Youth.
The evening will conclude with a robust question and answer session, where the community shares advice—how we really learn.
If You Go:
March 3, Eagle Valley High School
March 4, Battle Mountain High School
5:30, dinner
6 to 7:30, presentation
Free childcare, dinner and Spanish interpretation.
Children ages 10 and older are welcome to come with an adult.
Learn more: www.mountainyouth.org/eatchatparent
Register: www.surveymonkey.com/r/MarchEatChatParent2020
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