Guiding children through a tech-saturated world—heavily influenced by social media—is a shared challenge for both parents and schools. To address this, Montessori De Sagrada Familia, Inc. (MDSF) equipped Sagradan parents with valuable insights during a live-streamed webinar titled “Raising Digitally Resilient Kids: Navigating Digital Well-being—The Impacts of Social Media and Gadgets on Children and Adolescents,” via the Parents R Partners group on September 17.
Education technology expert and webinar’s keynote speaker Mr. Francis Jim Tuscano addressed key concerns about the youth and social media, as well as the overexposure of children to it, which he said, primarily occurs outside of school, citing a study from the Education Commission (EdCom).
Tuscano also highlighted the increasing pressure teenagers face in a digital world, where social media could distort self-perception and affect emotional development. He referenced the book The Anxious Generation and ultimately called out for greater parental involvement.
School Directress and parent Ma. Cristina Silamor emphasized the importance of a collaborative effort between parents and schools to harness technology for good.
“We are grateful for technology,” Silamor said in her opening remarks.
“Technology has a lot of advantages and promotes effective learning when used responsibly,” the directress added.
During the Q&A session, parents’ insights and crucial roles in the “partnership” were even more underscored. Tuscano urged parents and guardians to set boundaries, become role models, nurture meaningful real-life connections, and most importantly, be present.
“Presence is not only monitoring but also about building relationships that children will remember,” Tuscano said.
The ed-tech expert further added that modeling balanced technology use will not only benefit children’s welfare but parents’ well-being as well. He also encouraged offline activities and creating a family media plan.
“It is a win-win situation for everyone,” Tuscano continued.
Silamor closed the event with words that resonated deeply with her co-parents in an era where the internet and social media are as essential as the air we breathe.
“We’re all in this together. Small steps toward digital resilience can make a big difference,” Silamor noted.
Despite the sudden suspension of classes, the timing was seen as an opportunity for parents to focus on ways to support their children in a technology-driven world better.
The event featured a morning session for pre-elementary and lower-grade school parents and an afternoon session for parents of upper-grade and secondary levels.
Did you miss the live webinars or want a replay? No worries, we have got you covered. To easily access the recording of the webinars, kindly click the links below:
UGS and High School Department: Watch here
LGS and Pre-Elementary: Watch here