Teens and Screens

Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School is happy to provide an information evening for our parents and the broader community.  This presentation’s focus is for parents of teenagers.

Ms. Danelle Spence will provide some valuable information about the on-going and challenging parenting topic – how much screen time should my child be allowed. 

Ms. Spence will talk about:

● Brain 101: the importance of the emotional right brain and the logical left-brain

● How screens can affect: relationships, learning, attention, sleep and overall wellness

● Why boredom, downtime and play are essential for the developing brain

● How to set healthy boundaries around screen time (and why it’s neurologically necessary)

● The importance of creating good tech etiquette as a family.

In addition, she will address such age appropriate topics as:

● How to, for how long and why you should monitor your teen’s Social

     Media/smartphone use (with them – not in secrecy!).

● Understand the importance of sleep on the teen brain.

● How to manage screen time use when computers are essential for homework completion.

● Help your teen create healthy habits and self-regulation before they leave home.

● How to balance extra-curricular, relationships, academics, AND screen time.

● Why face-to-face connections with friends are essential in the teen years.

● How to create and implement boundaries and “family rules” while acknowledging teens’ natural movement towards independence.

Tickets are Free - register here

About our speaker: 

Danelle Spence is a teacher, a school counsellor and a registered psychologist with a passion for psychology and the developing brain rooted in over 24 years experience working with children and adolescents. In her work, she has seen the rise in anxiety, sleep disorders and learning problems – all of which are compounded by too much screen time.

She has recently authored a mini-book entitled, Simple Steps to Understanding your Teenager.  (Just Kidding, That’s Impossible)