Expert Michelle Mitchell Shares Insights with Broome Families
On Wednesday night, parents from St Mary’s College gathered in our beautiful Secondary Library to hear from renowned expert Michelle Mitchell, who offered valuable advice on navigating the tricky space of teenagers and technology. Michelle, the author of the best-selling “Everyday Resilience Journal”—which has sold over 100,000 copies worldwide—delivered a powerful talk that left attendees with a practical toolkit for understanding and managing technology in their households.
Michelle, who has been termed the ‘teenage expert’ by the media, shared her compassionate and grounded advice on how parents can best guide their teens through the challenges of today’s digital landscape. Her work, featured on major programs like The Today Show* and Sky News, and publications like The Age and The Daily Telegraph, emphasises a judgment-free approach to fostering resilience and wellbeing in teens.
Key Takeaways for Parents
Michelle’s talk highlighted several crucial strategies for managing technology use in the home:
1. Crystal Clear Agreements: It’s essential to establish firm, transparent agreements between adults and teens when it comes to technology use. Boundaries should be clear but also include input from the teen to ensure mutual respect.
2. Wellbeing and Technology: Your child’s current emotional and mental wellbeing plays a significant role in how they interact with technology. As a parent, you know your child best—let their emotional state guide your technology-related decisions.
3. Developing Discomfort Tolerance: Technology is often preventing teens from developing the ability to handle uncomfortable emotions, such as boredom or anxiety. Michelle stressed the importance of allowing kids to navigate these feelings without turning to technology for distraction.
4. Non-Negotiables: While collaboration with teens is important, some rules should be non-negotiable, particularly when it comes to their digital wellbeing.
5. Social Media in High Schoo: While social media is almost inevitable for high school students, Michelle advised finding the least amount of time and access necessary for your child to stay connected, without it dominating their social life. Help them manage screen time by showing them how to set limits and transition off social media.
6. Delaying Social Media for Younger Children: For those under 13, delay social media as long as possible. Begin with simpler platforms, like texting, while remaining aware of the risks associated with gaming, group chats, and YouTube.
7. Trial and Error Approach: When introducing technology or social media to your child, frame it as a trial: “If this isn’t working, we may have to backtrack.”
Parents left the session feeling empowered to engage in open, judgment-free conversations with their children about technology. As Michelle emphasized, understanding your child’s needs and making thoughtful, collaborative decisions around technology is key to fostering a healthy digital environment.
Cyber Safety and Digital Wellbeing for Year 7 and Year 9 Students
Next week, our Year 7 and Year 9 students will also have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of online safety through a Cyber Safety and Digital Wellbeing incursion, delivered by experts from Project Rockit. This engaging session is designed to equip students with the skills they need to navigate the online world responsibly, understand online risks, and foster positive online interactions.
At St Mary’s College, we are deeply committed to ensuring that digital safety and wellbeing are at the core of our pastoral care and technology programs. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, so too must our approach to safeguarding our students. This incursion aligns with our commitment to equipping students with the tools to make informed choices and navigate the complexities of the online world.
A big thank you to all the St Mary’s parents who attended Michelle’s talk. It was an enriching evening that provided a valuable toolkit for navigating the challenges of parenting in the digital age. For those looking for further resources, visit Michelle Mitchell’s website at https://michellemitchell.org
Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to prioritise the digital wellbeing of our students at St Mary’s College.
