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Swedish government says excessive screen time is causing a severe health crisis for youth – new legislation in the works to require schools to ban access to digital devices

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    I love the schools getting the brunt of the blame. This is primarily a parenting issue, not a schooling issue. Kids can be taught to use devices constructively, but the first step starts at home,...

    I love the schools getting the brunt of the blame.

    This is primarily a parenting issue, not a schooling issue. Kids can be taught to use devices constructively, but the first step starts at home, showing the kids what is appropriate use and usage time. Also when it's rude to be doom scrolling TikTok. Specifically:

    • Time spent on device
    • Use of devices around other people in public
    • Use of devices when having a normal ass IRL conversation with another human
    • Teaching them that social media is entirely bs, and none of it really matters unless they let it matter (except bullying/doxing)

    The second step starts at school, where students can be shown a wide variety of uses for technology, even really basic shit like how to properly format/write an email (e.g. don't put the message in the subject line). Examples of good uses:

    • Group work organization via Teams/Google calendar and spreadsheets
    • Shared diagrams for planning in OneNote or some other shared writing/drawing app
    • Digital note taking
    • How to make not shit tier PowerPoints
    • How to take said not shit tier slide decks and turn them into a high quality TED Talk style presentation
    • How to use org chat and reactions in a professional manner
    • Spreadsheets for math/physics/business
    • Simulations and graphing
    • Design (Sketchup)
    • Sound & video editing
    • OBS for live video/running a school "TV station"

    Anti-phone-addicted-helicopter-parent training:

    • Teach them that parents not knowing their kid's schedule and calling them in class is low class
    • Teach them that a quick text "In class, don't call, will message later" is ok to get their parents to knock it off
    • Even better, "call the school, not me"
    • Have them use DND, not vibrate whenever in a class/meeting

    There's so much that can be taught, but the only way it works is if the kids don't come in with the lack of expectation their parents have set at home that makes them think 24/7 access to their phone is a divine right. To put it on the schools to correct this is absurd, and quite frankly an impossible task.

    It's like sending an addict to rehab for 6 hours a day, then letting them go back to live in the lab where the meth is made the rest of the day and on weekends. What do people really expect to happen?

    11 votes