Happy, Healthy, Safe, and Responsible Digital Natives - Let’s work together.

As an educator and parent, a topic that is always at the forefront of my mind is technology, especially mobile phone use. Also, how rapidly and desperately our youth want or think they need to be connected all the time. In talking with my Year 8 class last week about the progression of visual arts styles due to technology advancements, the conversation made me realise how far technology has advanced since my teenage years. Devices like the VCR, desktop computers, and fax machines are seriously things of the past, relics, just like me! Most of our children don’t know what it is like to stretch a telephone cord around a wall to get some privacy while in a conversation. And many will never experience what it is like to start a car or open something with a real key. 

For our children, life is based on and around the use of technology. Their mobile phones almost appear like an extension of their arms. The past few years of the COVID pandemic and lockdowns have not helped the situation. As a society we relied heavily on technology to try and continue with some type of ‘normal life’. As parents and educators, we allowed for or even encouraged screen time and digital interactions rather than isolation. 

Now we are realising the gravity of this screentime and our children’s addiction to technology and social media platforms. The impact has been and is significant on their physical and mental health. There is ample research that suggest that excessive screentime and social media use has negative or adverse effects on our children’s mental health, and this is not new information. In 2005 a newspaper article indicated a warning from Psychologists. The article stated - As mobile phones become increasingly popular among children, some experts have issued a new warning.

They say some adolescents are becoming so addicted to mobile phones that their long-term health is under threat. It is estimated 85 per cent of young people have phones, and many sleep with them.

Clinical psychologist Andrew Fuller says the dependence adolescents have on mobile phones is contributing to the epidemic of teenage and pre-teenage depression. "They actually end up with disrupted sleep and poor social habits as a result of their addiction to their mobile phones," he said. "And so it certainly contributes to lower mood, cranky behaviour in their families and of course greater difficulty in learning at school." He says he advises parents to ban mobile phones from the bedroom at night.

And again, 10 years later in 2015, we are warned - heavy social media use leading to depression among teens. APS clinical psychologist Andrew Fuller said while there are benefits to using social media, heavy use can be harmful to a person's wellbeing. "More than half of all Australian teenagers (56%) are heavy social media users. They reported benefits including stronger relationships, more effective goal setting, ability to seek help through social media, as well as feeling part of a global community," Mr Fuller said. "However, those teens who were heavy users also reported higher levels of FOMO.  They report fearing their friends were having more rewarding experiences than them (54%), being worried when they find out their friends are having fun without them (60%) and being bothered when they miss out on a planned get together (63%)." 

Statistics and data have not changed. Counsellor caseloads and pastoral & wellbeing matters being dealt with in schools due to the impact of technology use and social media use on teenage mental health is concerning. Children are facing exposure to negative content and cyberbullying. Parental vigilance is crucial in supporting healthy technology use and mentally healthy teenagers. Social issues and bullying online, occurring most of the time at home or over weekends, is being brought into the school yard. The children’s mental health and their learning is greatly impacted.

Together, we must teach our children to be safe online and reinforce good digital etiquette. We need to teach our children that their mobile phone is not an extension of them, rather a tool to use in our digital age. Just as we teach them to eat, talk, walk and drive, guiding them in safe and responsible technology usage is paramount.

Parents, I encourage you to talk to your children about healthy mobile phone use.

• Do not allow phones to be taken into their bedrooms, especially at night as this definitely causes disrupted sleep.
• Check your children’s phones. Do you know what apps and platforms your children are using and how? Also look for the hidden apps.
• What type of content are they viewing and how are they interacting socially with their peers? Review their web browsers and history.
• Are their online ‘chats’ positive and healthy? Have the conversation to support them with what this should look like.
• The e-Safety commissioner website can help you navigate this - eSafety.

At Mount Carmel, to support the focus on learning, mobile phones must be switched off and away from use or sight from 8:45am to 3:15pm the duration of the school day. If required for educational purposes, students will be guided by their teachers as to when and how they may be used. Any student in possession or use of a mobile phone during the school day will have it confiscated by a staff member and placed in the college front office. Multiple occurrences or offenses will see an afternoon detention issued by staff and parents contacted to collect the device from the college office.

Parent support in this matter is imperative to ensure we keep children engaged and focussed on their learning, achievement and growth. If you need to contact your child during the school day, please do so through contacting the College front office and a message will be delivered to your child. As leading Australian Child Psychologist writes: "Banning phones in high schools from first bell to last, including recess and lunch, would be an investment in students' mental health," Dr Michael Carr-Gregg The Sydney Morning Herald in 2022.  

Together, we can make positive changes to support the wellbeing of our children, to create happy, safe, mentally healthy, and responsible digital natives.

Mrs Theresea Moore

Elevate Education Term 1

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