Parents need to speak to their children about what they access online and on screens
During the lockdown periods many parents reported they relaxed the rules linked to the amount of time their children spent on devices and I suspect at times it was hard to supervise what they were watching.
Now that most student are returning to face to face learning, it is an ideal time revisit these boundaries and renegotiate those boundaries. It is also an ideal time to revisit the classification rating system for films and computer games and make time to chat about your expectations for your children
Squid Games
This brings me to some concern expressed in relation to a series on Netflix, Squid Game, which has a MA 15 + rating. This rating implied that the series contains strong content and should be restricted to people over the age of 15. The series does contain elements such as sex, drug use and a strong impact on the viewers. It could be beneficial to get your children’s views on the series and how they felt when they watched it. You could remind them of the classification system for films and computer games and why those classifications are implemented.
Concern has been expressed that students may re-enact some of the games they saw in the series. I would like to encourage you to talk to your children about the expectations that they behave in a responsible and considerate manner when they return to college.
The eSafety Commissioner has resources to assist parents to conduct conversations about accessing technology with their children and how to set-up a Family Tech agreement. Click on this Link for more information on the resources for parents.
Honest Conversations are required
Children may have technical skills, but developmentally and emotionally they are in need of parental guidance. The role of parents is not to shut down the internet and their access to films, but rather to ensure that they are skilled, feel supported and have the understanding and critical skills to make the best decisions every time they are online or in front of a screen.
Mrs Jacoline Petersen
Director of Student Counselling
