I was just listening to a recorded ALSC webinar by Cen Campbell (founder of the Little eLit blog). She made an analogy that made a lot of sense to me. She suggested that no matter how we feel about kids spending time interacting with screens, sticking to abstinence-only education when we talk to families about it is not as helpful as giving them information to help deal with the reality they are experiencing in today’s connected, high-tech world.
This analogy really clicked for me, and I thought I’d share it with you in case it does for you, too.
And if you are looking for ways to be more prepared to act as a Media Mentor in your community, please check out two upcoming workshops, made possible by an LSTA grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services:
September 18, Rice Lake WITC Campus: New Media, Early Literacy, & Libraries with Carissa Christner, we’ll talk about evaluating apps, finding apps, and practical ways to use new media effectively in your library. Register here.
October 6, Florian Gardens in Eau Claire: Media Mentors with Erin Walsh and Chip Donohue, we’ll talk about child development, technology, and how to help families navigate all the information to find the media diet that is most healthy for them. Register here.