As a digital caregiver, whether a parent, guardian, or educator, navigating the digital world can be confusing and disconcerting. Today’s youth face rising levels of cyberharassment, a proliferation of mis/disinformation, and now, AI technology, which further threatens their sense of reality. You might be wondering: how can I help the young people in my life to be safe, responsible, healthy, and happy online? ReThink Citizens has expert-vetted answers, delivered to you by a young person with a window into the digital world and lived experience of digital ups and downs. Our ReThink Citizens Parents Workshops dive deep into the most pressing digital harms that today’s youth face, mapping the current landscape of online harms. Workshops then explore how you, as a digital caregiver, can support the youth in your life in tackling these challenges and building healthy, safe relationships with their devices. Topics include: when to get a child a phone; how to initiate/have conversations with a child about their digital experiences; how to help a child draw digital boundaries; how to model good digital behavior; giving a child the vocabulary to identify digital harms; and how to be a resource to a child if/when harm strikes. Attendees will come away with a good understanding of how to ensure youth get the best out of tech—while avoiding the worst.

This workshop can be delivered in-person or online (a virtual presentation is the most requested format). Workshops are either 45 minutes (with Q&A) or 30 minutes (without Q&A). Best of all, the cost of a virtual session is FREE, thanks to our generous funders. Following the session, ReThink will follow up with a one-pager that summarizes the takeaways from the workshop and offers attendees some additional resources.