Riverside School PTA Wellness Committee 2023/ 2024

Bringing awareness to Digital & Mental/ Emotional Wellness

This year we hope to spark some conversations amongst parents, with teachers, and most of all with our children about how we use technology as a tool, and how we protect ourselves from the dangers inherent in it. We will also attempt to bring tools and conversation about our mental wellbeing in an effort to reduce stigmas and help each other to find ways to reach out and reduce feelings of shame, isolation, and anxiety.

Here you will find some resources to help you get started, please reach out to Dianna Kassen and Kim Kois at riversideschoolwellness@gmail.com with ideas, suggestions and how to get more involved or even just to have a conversation!

Resources for Parents on Digital/ Tech Wellness:

Video:

• https://youtu.be/AI8jWdD-_Lc  “Parenting in a Digital Age” video

Books:

• https://www.amazon.com/dp/1734885904?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

Creating a Tech-Healthy Family: Ten Must-Have Conversations to Help You Worry Less and Connect More With Your Kids by Andrea Davis

• https://www.amazon.com/dp/0262047357/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_E23RAA4G997CXNVFV8NP 

Behind their Screens by Emily Weinstein

Guides and Tools to work with at home with your children or just to educate yourself:

• https://beinternetawesome.withgoogle.com/en_us/families  

Digital Safety Resources Tools for the Home

• https://www.commonsensemedia.org

Reviews for what your kids are into (before they get into it)

• https://www.commonsense.org/education/toolkit/family-engagement-resources

Family Engagement Toolkit

• https://www.commonsense.org/education/sites/default/files/tlr-asset/document-common-sense-family-media-agreement.pdf  

Family Media Agreement

• https://www.everyschool.org 

a resource some schools are using to proactively work with digital wellness

• https://consumer.ftc.gov/identity-theft-and-online-security/protecting-kids-online  

• https://www.fosi.org/good-digital-parenting-resource/family-online-safety-agreements

Family Online Safety Institute

• https://www.connectsafely.org/cyberbullying/

Parent’s guide to Cyberbullying

Resources for Parents on Mental & Emotional Wellness:

• https://www.amazon.com/dp/1250212839/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_S7P4JJ0G2F1XH3S18ZW3

Permission to Feel, a book  by Marc Brackett (also offered on audible.com)

• https://www.rulerapproach.org 

a resource many schools, including some local private schools, are using to proactively work with mental and emotional wellbeing

• https://apps.apple.com/us/app/breathe2relax/id425720246

Breathe2Relax app

• https://youtu.be/H77PL7SlI1M

Headspace Guide to Meditation Netflix Trailer

• https://www.calm.com/app

TheCalm app and meditations