Family Matters

At St Joseph's, students in all year groups engage in units of learning about the responsible use of technology, child safety, and respectful relationships.

Happy Families

St Joseph’s families are welcome to access the school membership to Happy Families.

PASSWORD: happysjcpsb

Have you got 5 minutes?

Click here to view a quick tip video from Dr Justin Coulson and related to the Insights article attached below.

INSIGHT- Principles for Savvy Parenting in a Digital World

insights-principles-for-savvy-parenting-in-a-digital-world (1).pdf

More Tips for Children's Technology Use

It can be difficult for parents to moderate the use of technology and below are some tips that may assist you.

Be insistent, consistent and persistent about the rules

in your home for the use of devices.

Some tips for parents and carers

It is strongly recommended that children use devices while under the supervision of parents. Below are a few tips that may assist you to monitor your child’s use of technology:

Avoid the use of devices in bedrooms.
Don’t allow the use of devices when they have friends over to play or sleepover.
Insist that devices are not left in your child’s bedroom when they go to bed.
Devices are best charged overnight in another area of your home. This removes the temptation to access the internet or apps when they should be sleeping.
Set up a home agreement for the use of devices and be clear about your expectations.
Set time limits for the use of devices each day.

Messaging apps

Many of you will rightly be of the view that primary school children do not need to use messaging applications. Most online platforms require users to be of an age much older than they are. Of course, the use of messaging applications is always a parental decision made for a variety of reasons. However, keeping up with the online world is tricky for many parents and children are often ahead of the game. Some students are using Messenger Kids via a Facebook account- usually that of a parent. This allows parents to monitor their child’s contacts and to whom they are messaging.

The eSafety Commissioner website provides some additional information for parents.

A ‘Parents Need to Know’ review of Messenger Kids can be found at Common Sense Media.

Setting some boundaries will support your child to get it right. This could include:

Getting permission from a parent to message anyone
Setting a time that the latest messages can be sent so as not to disrupt other children’s night time routines and sleep
Avoid messaging before school- children can speak with each other at school
Only one message to one person and avoid group messaging or
Only inviting others into a group chat with verbal permission from those children or their parents.
Not inviting other students back into a group chat if they have left the chat.
Ignoring and not replying to any messages sent by other students outside the times
set by you.
Only sending purposeful messages.
Being patient for a response and not continually sending the same message.
Resolving problems with friends face to face and not on iMessage or any other digital means.
Only using kind and friendly words- no inappropriate or foul language. Be a light to others, not darkness.
Speaking up and reporting any misuse of messaging to parents, teachers, or a trusted adult.