Raising happy kids in the digital age

On Tuesday 28 February I am speaking alongside Mia Freedman from Mammamia and Sam Yorke from Google Australia at a free event about raising teenagers in the digital age.

I will do so feeling like a complete fraud.

As a dad of three boys (ages 3,6 and 8) parenting feels like a never ending game of chance. Every day my wife and I roll the dice of good parenting and despite our best efforts I worry that we are failing at least one of our kids. Every now and then we hit the parenting jackpot where all three are happy and well and I breathe a huge sigh of relief.

No matter what anyone tells you, good parenting does not guarantee great results but it does increase the odds your kids will be happy and well in the long run.

I am often asked whether parenting today is harder. The answer is no, it has always been hard.  However as the first generation to raise our kids in the digital age we are now making up some of the rules as we go along.

So what are some of my tips for parenting in the digital age?

Focus on outcomes not inputs – Many parents worry excessively about things like screen time (input) rather than their child’s happiness or school performance (outcome). If your child is happy and well then you probably have the inputs about right.  

Balance – Does your child have a balanced life? Are they doing well at school, have friends, exercise and help out the family? If so, an extra hour on social media won’t do them any harm.

The grandma rule – The easiest way to learn good digital skills is to teach them this rule. "If you wouldn’t be happy for grandma to see it, don’t put it online."

How they behave is more important than what they say – Young people are better at communicating through their actions than words. Acting out is often them saying that they are not well and looking for help.

Prepare to respond to mental health difficulties - Approximately 1 in 4 young people experience a mental health difficulty. Services like ReachOut parents can assist in knowing what to look out for and how to respond.  

If you are interested coming along to the event you can still register here.