This week we have Digital Learning Day, last month we have Data Privacy Day and coming soon we have Safer Internet Day. All these days to remind us that the internet is here to stay and we need to embrace it and respect it.
Last fall I wrote a about series about how parents, teachers, students and our community can become cyber-shields for our kids — teaching digital citizenship and implementing cyberbullying prevention skills and comforting those that have been harmed by online harassment. This was a collaboration with Mike Miles, Social Media Manager at SmartSign, who created the #TakeNoBullies campaign.
Currently I am working again with Mike Miles, on a new series about how everyone can be mentors to our kids, and people in the lives of our children can become cyber-arms — that extra layer of protection. We are exploring how coaches, from sports teams to martial arts, are not only teaching our children an activity – they offer much more!
I relate to like when you are driving in the car and though we always wear our seat belts, I was reminded last week, when I had to stop suddenly I automatically swung my arm across my friend’s chest area — as if protecting her from going forward. It was that extra arm of protection. She laughed – as she recalled, we all did that with our kids when they were younger – and still do!
We started the series with a person that everyone remembers from school, your Librarian! Mike interviewed a wonderful librarian in North Carolina and I shared how a local Ponte Vedra Beach Librarian brought magic into her libraries.
