In today’s digital age, social media plays a significant role in our children’s lives, offering opportunities for connection, learning, and creativity. However, it also comes with challenges, such as cyberbullying, privacy risks, and exposure to inappropriate content. At the School District of Washington, we are committed to supporting families in helping their children use social media safely and responsibly.

To assist families in navigating these challenges, we’ve compiled several resources and tips to promote healthy social media habits:

Common Sense Media: A trusted resource for parents, Common Sense Media provides comprehensive reviews of apps, websites, and games, offering insights on appropriate content and age recommendations. They also offer valuable tips on setting privacy settings and managing screen time.
Visit: Common Sense Media

Family Discussion on Social Media Use: Establishing open lines of communication with your child is crucial when it comes to online behavior. We encourage families to have regular conversations about social media use, including the importance of protecting personal information and recognizing the signs of cyberbullying.

Setting Boundaries and Monitoring Usage: Setting boundaries around the time spent on social media and the types of platforms your child uses can help create healthy habits. Consider using parental control tools and apps to monitor usage and ensure that your child is engaging in safe online activities.

Digital Citizenship Education: The district integrates digital citizenship lessons, teaching students about responsible online behavior, including respecting others, understanding privacy, and recognizing credible information. These lessons start in elementary school and continue through high school, preparing students to navigate the digital world safely.

Social Media Safety Cheat Sheets: We’ve created easy-to-read cheat sheets to help families understand the safety features of popular platforms like Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok. These guides offer practical advice on privacy settings, managing content, and blocking/reporting inappropriate interactions.

Learn more about social media safety with NetSmartz and ConnectSafely.

By utilizing these resources and maintaining active involvement in your child’s online activities, we can work together to promote a safer and more positive digital environment for our students. Staying informed, setting clear guidelines, and fostering open discussions are key strategies to help protect your child in the ever-changing world of social media.

Additional Resources:

Raising Digitally Responsible Youth: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers Safer Schools Together offers a parent guide that includes an overview of multiple social media platforms, common internet and social media slang used by youth, as well as descriptions of common internet safety issues and tips for setting digital boundaries with youth.

ConnectSafely: Online Safety Guides ConnectSafely provides easy-to-understand guides on a variety of online safety issues, including managing online threats, privacy, and responsible social media use for both parents and students.

Common Sense Media: Digital Citizenship Common Sense Media offers lessons and guidelines for students and parents on responsible social media use. Emphasizes the importance of understanding the consequences of online actions, including threats. 

Cyberbullying Research Center Offers resources specifically addressing online threats, including prevention strategies and legal consequences for students. It also provides detailed reports on how cyberbullying and threats are handled in schools.

FBI Safe Online Surfing Program The FBI’s program educates students about internet safety, including the seriousness of online threats. It provides interactive lessons for kids from grades 3 through 8 and can be a great resource for school-based discussions.

National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) NASP provides resources for dealing with the emotional and mental toll of school threats. This is particularly important for students who feel anxious after seeing or hearing about online threats.