Part Two of Social Media and the Parent/Child Relationship

 

As mentioned in Part One of our series on Social Media and the Parent/Child Relationship, it is suggested that parents set up age appropriate ground rules for use of social media and enforce the consequences for any rule violations.  For guidelines on such ground rules we are once again looking to our social media hostess, Joanna Jullien of Banana Moments.  Ms. Jullien produces the Sacramento Cyber Safety Examiner column for Examiner.com. (For Ms. Jullien’s background information please see http://bananamoments.com/about-banana-moments/ )

Ms. Jullien points out that it is important for the parents to recognize they are the primary teacher for their child (ren), as such, they have the authority and responsibility to guide them.  Furthermore, she states, “mobile connectivity brings the world in closer and exposes youth to adult issues at earlier ages”. Both the parent and the child need to recognize the cyber world is a very PUBLIC space, thus instruction needs to take place between the parent and child on what should remain PRIVATE in this public space.  Additionally, the child should not have access to everything which is available on the internet; some of it can actually be very dangerous for the child.  Access to social media should be presented to the child as a privilege not a right, therefore, the need for rules and guidelines within a family (and/or between biological parents and the child (ren) if there is a separation/divorce in place). 

If you’re like the rest of us, you find yourself darting from one activity to another in a sort of whirlwind, so we thought you might appreciate the video link, with text summary, of Ms. Jullien’s Cyber Rites of Passage: How to set age-appropriate boundaries for children using smart devices, as a helpful quick reference (hint it is less than 7 minutes long).  

http://bananamoments.com/bmblog/cyber-rites-of-passage-for-children-of-all-ages/

 

However, if you have the time and are seeking more details on the subject then check out Ms. Jullien’s eBook at the following link:http://bananamoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/2014_October_Cyber-Rites-of-Passage.pdf

We would like to thank Ms. Jullien and her Banana Moments Foundation for generously providing our readers with these resources.  Please stay tune for further posts regarding our Social Media and the Parent/Child Relationship mini-series.

"Halloween Fall Festival" Tabletop

 

Halloween has shown up in our office reception area; beginning with apple picking at the Harvest Apple Orchard and pumpkin patch.  Then you move down the lane to the Halloween Fall Festival with hay rides, pumpkin carving, and a carnival with a Spinning Pumpkins ride and glowing Ferris Wheel. Additionally we appear to be in luck, 'cause we are here just in time for the annual Neighborhood Halloween Parade with scary mummies, skeletons, witches, ghosts and even Dracula. If you look closely you'll catch a sneak peek of kids performing their favorite Halloween activities such as jumping into piles of autumn leaves and Trick-o-Treating.  Nothing too frightening here, just lots of fall fun and excitement under a harvest moon.  Feel free to stop by and check out the fun.

(Below are pictures from our office Halloween tablescape entitled “Halloween Fall Festival”.)

 

Attended My Sister's House 7th Annual English High Tea

Karen Martinez and Nilda Valmores, Executive Director of My Sister's House

My wife, Karen, had the joy of attending the 7^th Annual English High Tea, put on by My Sister’s House of Sacramento, this past Saturday.  Karen enjoyed viewing all the beautiful and creative tables set up for the high tea.  Karen and I would like to remind everyone that My Sister’s House does important work by helping and supporting women and children in crisis; with an emphasis on those dealing with Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking. You can help support this important mission by stopping by the My Sister's Café, located at 455 Capitol Mall, #110 in Sacramento, for either breakfast or lunch.  



"Tea by the Seaside"

Pictured below is the winning table # 21 entitled, “Tea by the Seaside” complete with sandcastles, swimming mermaids, starfish and even live swimming gold fish; good job ladies.