Speaker Resources

The following resources were shared by program speakers and include some paid services. Connecting for Kids does not recommend or endorse any paid services and has included them for informational purposes only.

Websites

• American Academy of Pediatrics Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health offers a QA portal with parent questions and answers. Caregivers can also ask a question using an online form.
• American Academy of Pediatrics conversation starters for tweens and teens give guidance for conversations about social media
• Common Sense Media is a subscription-based service parents can use to get reviews on movies, books, TV shows, games and more. The site suggests appropriate ages, shares tips on what to discuss with your child and includes reviews from other parents. Common Sense also offers digital citizenship learning resources for educators and homeschoolers.

Books

• Behind their Screens: What Teens are Facing and Adults are Missing, E. Weinstein & C. James
• Growing Up in Public: Coming of Age in a Digital World, D. Heitner, PhD

Software and Add-ons for Laptops

• Freedom is a paid service that can be used to block specific sites or applications for a specified period of time.
• Postlight Reader is a free extension that blocks pop-ups and improves readability.
• RescueTime is a paid service that can be used either to track time spent online or block distractions.
• StayFocusd is available as a free Chrome extension or with a premium paid service. The tool allows you to set a timer with a password to avoid distracting websites.

Accessible Script

Download the script from this program in an accessible PDF file.