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Helping Your Tween Be Part of a Supportive Online Community

Whether your tween just started texting with friends or they’ve been interacting online for years, you can show them what being part of a supportive online community feels like. While there are many hallmarks of a supportive online community, in this blog we’d like to focus on shared expectations about how to interact. When expectations …

March 14, 2022

Five Ways to Teach Your Tween How to Avoid Being Misunderstood Online

Texts or posts that require tone, context, and knowledge of intention to make sense are what TDSU calls problematic. Online written communication can become problematic in the absence of tone, context, and knowledge of intention because people have to make a host of assumptions about what they are reading or seeing. Words aren’t always enough. …

February 14, 2022

Preparing Your Child to Handle Disturbing, Disparaging, or Dangerous Posts (The 3Ds)

It isn’t enough to just teach your child what the 3Ds are – they also have to know what to do when they encounter one! That’s why we suggest that you create a 3D Reach Out Plan with your child. Why have a Reach Out Plan? Having a plan can reduce stress and make it …

December 14, 2021

Three Steps To Teach Your Tween How To Get Permission Before Posting Photos

Posting Photos without permission can be problematic. Help your tween become safe, responsible, and eventually independent online. Teach them how to get Permission Before Posting with our three easy steps! How do you teach your child to Get Permission Before Posting? Teaching your child to get permission before posting photos is as easy as: Communicate …

November 15, 2021

Why Emotional Regulation Matters When Interacting Online

When your child feels in control of how they respond to strong emotions, they are better able to be thoughtful, intentional, and responsible online. We’ve talked about the six developmental tasks and changes during adolescence which are particularly relevant to the ability to engage responsibly with social media: An increased ability to see things from …

September 14, 2021

Ways to Have a Smarter Conversation With Your Child About Social Media

Preparing kids to be responsible and eventually independent online starts with a conversation, but sometimes conversations with tweens can be challenging. Developmentally, tweens are starting to separate and individuate from their parents, so they may be reluctant to share their thoughts and feelings with you. Sometimes shifting the focus away from them will encourage conversation. …

August 16, 2021

Is Your Child Ready To Start Using Social Media?

At TDSU we believe that there are a set of Thumbs Down skills kids can be taught to help them be responsible and eventually independent online. But how do you know when your child is developmentally ready to start learning these skills? What signposts should you look for to know if your child is ready …

June 15, 2021

Three Things Your Kids Should Never Post on Social Media

When to Thumbs Down In order to act responsibly online, children need to know when and how to disengage from social media. We call this Thumbs Down. When our children started engaging with social media, we did what the experts advised. We turned on parental controls, monitored their activity, had them sign technology contracts, and …

May 5, 2021

Don’t Just Follow Your Kids on Social Media. Lead Them.

Thumbs Down. Speak Up. (TDSU) bridges the gap between merely monitoring our childrens’ online behaviors and supporting them on their journey towards independent and responsible social media use. How It All Started Like many of you, we were blindsided by the emergence of social media in our childrens’ lives. We found ourselves playing catch up. …

April 10, 2021

Teaching Social Media Skills to Kids

What Is Speak Up?Children need to be actively taught and supported as they learn to be responsible and independent users of social media. We call this Speak Up. We’ve all helped our children develop many skills over the years. Teaching them to be responsible, and eventually independent, social media users isn’t any different. Think back …

April 9, 2021