LIVE OAK CHARTER SCHOOL
100 Gnoss Concourse, Number 1, Petaluma, CA 94952 | 707.762.9020 Aug 15, 2013 • Agenda for the Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors
OPENING (7:00 pm)
PUBLIC COMMENT (7:05 pm)
This portion of the meeting is set aside for members of the audience to make comments or raise issues that are not specifically on the agenda. These presentations are limited to three minutes per presentation and the total time allotted to non-agenda items will not exceed fifteen minutes.
OPEN SESSION (7:20 pm) A. Approve the agenda B. Reports
1. Committee reports 2. Executive Director Report
C. Consent agenda (8:00 pm)
All matters listed under Consent Agenda are considered to be routine, and all will be enacted by one motion and vote. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a Board member requests items to be removed from the Consent Agenda for separate action.
1. Board Minutes: July 18, 2013
2. Monthly Financials for June 2013 and July 2013
D. The Board will consider the following for discussion and approval (8:05 pm) 1. Homeless Education Policy
2. Signature authorization for accounts 3. FOLCS MOU revision
4. FOLCS board membership and officers
E. The board will consider the following for discussion (8:30 pm) 1. Review of LOCS Media policy
2. Update draft of the re-charter documents 3. 2013-2014 LOCS board goals
CLOSED SESSION (9:30 pm)
A. Pursuant to Government Code 54956.8 Conference with Real Property Negotiator
Property: 100 Gnoss Concourse, Petaluma; Negotiating Parties: Sonoma-Marin Fair; under negotiation: price and terms
B. Pursuant to Government Code 54957.6: Conference with Labor Negotiator Agency Designated Representative: Matthew Morgan, Executive Director Employee
I.
Opening 7:10 PM
- present Sara Jordan, Cliff Schlueter, Karna Dawson and
Matthew Morgan
II.
Public Comment
(up to 15 minutes)- none
III.
Board Agenda for August 15
th: Discussed items and set agenda
IV.
Schedule for 2013-14 of executive committee: Discussed options and
agreed to set meeting for Thursday after Board Meetings.
V.
Adjournment
Live Oak Charter School
Executive Committee Minutes
I.
Opening 5:14 PM
- present Sara Jordan and Matthew Morgan
II.
Public Comment
(up to 15 minutes)- none
III.
Review draft sample policy hiring and firing
- team drafted elements of
policy on HR Preliminary Board Engagement and will continue draft and run it by
legal.
IV.
Discussion of development of salary scale for specialty teachers
: Matthew
presented updated contracts, classified teacher salary scale and FTE chart.
Proposed policy language: Specialty teachers shall have an equitable and
consistent matrix to be developed by Administration in accordance with adopted
annual budget and to be reviewed by HR Committee Annually. Committee also
discussed development of policy on “Compensation of Staff”.
V.
Calendaring next meeting: Thursday September 19
th5:30PM
VI.
Adjournment
Live Oak Charter School
HR Committee Minutes
1
LIVE OAK CHARTER SCHOOL
Executive Director Report
August 15, 2013
Facilities
The 2nd grade portable has finally arrived! After 18 months of wait, it was installed in 18 hours. We just received our permit to inhabit from the local state fire marshall who was very
accommodating and supportive. We also had our fire alarm system fully analyzed in the
process as it was showing a fault on one of the lines. This may lead to a need for a future repair, but it does not effect the function of the alarms themselves, only the ability to clear a warning light at the panel. The portable arrived with the wrong ramp, but this is being correcting in the coming days. Our 2nd grade teacher, Ms. Meierding is already hard at work moving into her new room.
At the middle school campus painting is almost complete. All of the lights are now electronic with a fuller spectrum lamp with a color temperature that is recommended for academic settings. Carpet and flooring is due in the coming week. We will be cleaning all carpets after installation to remove as much of the manufacturing smell as possible and then sealing the carpets to minimize the off gassing. This arose from parent concerns of the smell from the new carpets. We have discussed the best approach to deal with the new installation and will
provide increased ventilation after the carpets are prepped. The rear yard of the middle school has also started its makeover with the help of our new heavy equipment operator John Gerber.
The elementary campus exterior painting is almost complete, including the 2nd grade portable. Our paint crew has been very professional and responsive. Given that the new portable is installed we will also be moving forward with placing the swing set and closing the retaining wall. The climbing wall has also been installed due to the help of Tom Gallup.
A special mention on the school garden is absolutely essential here as one of our parents, Brenda Verza has spent an inordinate amount of time working on our site this summer. Her leadership, dedication and care are nothing short of amazing. We are indebted to her work for the school this year. I would like to ensure that we acknowledge her work as we move into the new school year.
Many, many volunteers have put in countless hours this summer. Several families in particular have almost set up camp in the lower campus working daily on finishing the projects. As always, I am awed by the support that this community provides to the school.
Enrollment
2
prospective Kindergarten pool to get a sense of what occurred differently this year. This was an unexpected outcome given the effort put into a revitalized kindergarten enrollment process this year and the parent initiated buddy program.
Staffing
We are currently fully staffed with the exception of the campus supervisor position tough there have been several changes in job assignments as staff has shuffled to new positions. Though we have not completed the supervisor hire, current staff hours have been expanded to provide additional coverage during drop-‐‑off, break, lunch and after school. We will be reviewing our needs in the coming week to determine the final shape of the campus supervisor position.
Charter
We will be bringing the charter document to the board at the September meeting. Sara Jordan has provided her experience and wisdom as we have worked through the document. Our goal is present a final document that respects the vision and direction of the school, and provides a stronger foundation to bring forward to the PCS Board.
STAR Testing
LIVE OAK CHARTER SCHOOL
100 Gnoss Concourse, Number 1, Petaluma, CA 94952 | 707.762.9020 July 25, 2013 • Minutes for the Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors
OPENING (7:08 pm)
Present:
Karna Dawson (KD) John Gerber (JG) Sara Jordan (SJ) Debbie Elam (DE) Cliff Schlueter (CS)
Not present:
Rachel Kaplan (RK) Julie Yarnall (JY)
Also present:
Matthew Morgan (MM), Executive Director
PUBLIC COMMENT (7:09 pm)
No comments
OPEN SESSION (7:09 pm)
A. Approve the agenda
• SJ moved to approve agenda - all approved
B. Reports
1. Committee reports including 2013-2014 goals
Communications - KD reviewed committee's goals, which include continuing the Buddy Program for new families, planning an all-school, non-fundraising event (i.e. community-focused picnic), and continuing to support administration regarding getting messages out to parents. The committee will meet once a month.
HR - SJ reviewed the minutes included in packet.
Board Development - DE shared that the committee is looking for more members
Facilities - MM shared that the committee is looking for more members
Finance - members include MM, JG, and Pam Tambe but are looking for others to help round it out.
FOLOCS - DE reported that the Board will be expanded to seven members. They have hired a bookkeeper and are looking at developing a website as well as different avenues for payments.
2nd Grade Portable - contract with architectural engineer and plans will be taken to state fire marshall in a couple of weeks. Once approval is secured, things can happen quickly.
Lower Campus - Math teacher will relocate to Lower Campus to be with Middle School team. Library will now be in old math room, which will also be used for reading and intervention groups.
Summer Work - there are many projects that need to be completed.
Enrollment - currently enrollment is looking solid. There are changes at the state level regarding class size reduction - waiting for more details.
Staffing - campus supervisor position will be advertised soon.
C. Consent Agenda (8:23 pm) 1. Board Minutes: June 13, 2013
2. Monthly Financials for June 2013 - tabled
3. Table the review of the LOCS Media policy until August board meeting 4. Draft minutes of the special board meeting on June 17, 2013
• SJ moved to table approval of June 2013 Monthly Financials - all approved
• SJ moved to approve Consent Agenda as amended - all approved
D. The Board will consider the following for discussion and approval (8:25 pm)
1. FOLOCS MOU
DE reviewed the MOU.
• SJ moved to approve - all approved
2. Facilities Improvement budget
• SJ moved to approve the additional expenditures as outlined - all approved
3. Homeless Education Policy
MM reviewed the proposed policy.
E. The board will consider the following for discussion (9:20pm)
1. Review of charter agreement and re-chartering process
2. Discussion of the impact of the state budget adoption of the funding formula on single adoption budget
3. Discussion of methods to support CREDO charter school viability as Waldorf alternative
CLOSED SESSION (10:25 pm)
Property: 100 Gnoss Concourse, Petaluma; Negotiating Parties: Sonoma-Marin Fair; under negotiation: price and terms
B. Pursuant to Government Code 54957.6: Conference with Labor Negotiator Agency Designated Representative: Matthew Morgan, Executive Director Employee
Organization: Live Oak Teachers Association
ADJOURNMENT 10:26
No actions taken in Closed Session
BP
Last Adoption August 8, 2013
1/4
[page
LIVE OAK CHARTER SCHOOL
BOARD POLICY
Homeless Education
Title IA (Section 111(a)(1)) requires that a district (including independent charter School) receiving Title IA funds include in its district plan a plan to provide services to homeless students to ensure compliance with the McKinney‐Vento Act. The McKinney‐Vento Homeless Assistance Act, reauthorized in
December 2001, ensures educational rights and protections for children and youth experiencing homelessness.
DEFINITIONS
Homeless children and youth means children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, and includes children and youth who are:
• Living in a primary nighttime residence that is a private or public place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings, such as cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings or substandard housing (for example, condemned buildings or garages), bus or train stations, or other similar settings
• Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks (does not include trailers or mobile homes in a mobile home park), or camping grounds due to a lack of alternative adequate accommodations.
• Sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason
• Living in emergency or transitional shelters
• Abandoned in hospitals or awaiting foster care placement
• Migratory children who qualify as homeless because they are living in circumstances described above
“Unaccompanied youth” includes a youth not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian.
A child or unaccompanied youth shall be considered homeless for as long as he/she is in a living situation described above.
HOMELESS LIAISON
The Live Oak Charter School (LOCS) Homeless Liaison is: Matthew Morgan
Executive Director
100 Gnoss Concourse, Petaluma, CA 94952 707 762-9020
The Homeless Liaison is required to:
BP
Last Adoption August 8, 2013
2/4
[page
• Ensure that homeless students enroll in, and have full and equal opportunity to succeed in, the School of the Local Education Agency (LEA).
• Ensure that homeless families, children, and youth receive educational services for which they are eligible, including Head Start, Even Start, and pre‐school programs administered by the LEA, and referrals to health, mental health, dental, and other appropriate services.
• Ensure that parents and guardians are informed of educational and related opportunities available to their children and are provided with meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their children.
• Ensure that public notice of the educational rights of homeless students is disseminated where children and youth receive services under the Act (such as school, family shelters, and soup kitchens).
• Ensure that enrollment disputes are mediated in accordance with the dispute resolution provisions.
• Ensure that the parent/guardian of a homeless child or youth, or any unaccompanied youth, is fully informed of all transportation services and is assisted in accessing transportation services, if available and feasible.
• Assist unaccompanied youth in placement/enrollment decisions.
• Ensure that unaccompanied youth are immediately enrolled in school pending resolution of disputes that might arise over school enrollment or placement.
• Assist homeless children and youth who do not have immunizations, or immunization or medical records, to obtain necessary immunizations, or immunization or medical records. • Collaborate and coordinate with state coordinators and community and school personnel
responsible for the provision of education and related services to homeless children and youth.
GENERAL ASSURANCES
Live Oak Charter School provides the following general assurances:
• Homeless children and youth shall not be segregated into a separate school or program based on their status as homeless and shall not be stigmatized in any way.
• Homeless children and youth shall be provided services comparable to those received by other students in the school, including transportation services, and education programs for which students meet eligibility criteria, such as services provided under Title 1 or similar state and local programs; programs for students with disabilities; programs for students with limited English proficiency; vocational or technical programs; gifted and talented programs; and school nutrition programs.
• Homeless children and youth will have access to district administrative level reservation of funds (set‐asides) for serving homeless students.
• LOCS shall provide homeless students with access to education and other services necessary for these students to meet the same challenging academic standards as other students.
• LOCS shall provide and post notices of the educational rights of homeless children and youth.
IDENTIFICATION AND REPORTING
Homeless children and youth will be identified through: 1. The application process for enrollment (self‐identification) 2. School personnel recommendations
3. Coordinated activities with other entities and agencies
LOCS will comply with all federal, state, county and other data collections and reporting requirements regarding homeless children and youth.
SCHOOL SELECTION
BP
Last Adoption August 8, 2013
3/4
[page
• The school he/she attended when permanently housed (School of Origin) • The school in which he/she was last enrolled (School of Origin)
• The school in the attendance area in which the student currently resides (School of Residency)
A homeless child or youth’s right to attend their school of origin extends for the duration of
homelessness. If a child or youth becomes permanently housed during the academic year, he or she is entitled to stay in the school of origin for the remainder of the academic year.
ENROLLMENT AND RECORDS
Homeless students may be identified at the time of enrollment (through self‐reports). As Live Oak Charter is an independent charter school, and therefore a school of choice rather than assigned district, placement decisions are based solely on parent request through the application process. In order to provide equal access, the LOCS annual student recruitment plan shall include efforts to reach homeless families, children, and youth via free public events, community centers, and local homeless service providers.
Homeless youth will not be discriminated against in the application process. Homeless children and youth will be allowed to apply for enrollment in accordance with current LOCS enrollment policies even if the parent/guardian is unable to provide the school with the records normally required for enrollment such as previous academic records, birth certificate, medical records, proof of residency, or other
documentation.
The LOCS designee shall immediately contact the school last attended by the student to obtain the
relevant records. The designee shall refer the parent/guardian to the homeless liaison if the student needs to obtain immunizations, or does not possess immunization or other medical records. The liaison shall assist the parent/guardian in obtaining the necessary immunizations or records for the student. In the case of an unaccompanied youth, the homeless liaison shall assist in the enrollment process.
Unaccompanied youth shall be immediately enrolled if space is available even if unable to provide the school with the records normally required for enrollment (as above). This enrollment may occur in the absence of parent or legal guardian’s supervision or permissions, or “power of attorney” by supervising adult.
In accordance with current LOCS enrollment policies and state regulations regarding charter school, if the grade level for which a homeless child or youth has applied has more applicants than spaces available, a random public lottery will take place once annually in order to determine enrollment for the following school year. An “in‐district” priority will apply during the lottery to homeless youth who self‐identify as homeless during the lottery application process as to not discriminate against homeless children or youth due to lack of permanent housing. If a homeless child or youth applies for admission after the annual random public lottery, he or she will be placed on the wait list in the order in which the application was received, even if the application is incomplete at the time of submission.
Any confidential record ordinarily kept by the school, including immunization or medical records, academic records, birth certificates, guardianship records, and evaluations for special services or
programs, of each homeless child or youth will be maintained so that the records are available, in a timely fashion, when a child or youth enters a new school or school district.
NUTRITION PROGRAMS
BP
Last Adoption August 8, 2013
4/4
[page
this policy adoption, Live Oak does not have a nutrition program in operation.
TRANSPORTATION
Per the McKinney‐Vento Act, LEAs must provide services to homeless children/youth that are comparable to those received by other students in the school selected, including transportation. In addition, School must provide transportation for homeless students to and from their school of origin, if feasible.
LOCS, where feasible, applicable, at the request of the parent/guardian and/or in the best interest of the homeless children and youth, shall provide transportation to students experiencing homelessness to ensure the students are able to stay at the LOCS of their choice for the duration of their homelessness. LOCS may work with the youth’s district of residence or other agencies to provide transportation services.
ENROLLMENT DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCESS
(http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/hs/cy/disputeres.asp)
If a disagreement arises over school selection or enrollment, the student must be immediately enrolled in the school in which he/she is requesting enrollment, pending resolution of the dispute. Enrollment is defined as "attending classes and participating fully in school activities."
The school must refer the student, parent, or guardian to the LEA's homeless liaison to carry out the dispute resolution process as expeditiously as possible. The homeless liaison must ensure the dispute resolution process is also followed for unaccompanied youth.
A written explanation of the school's decision regarding school selection or enrollment must be provided if a parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth disputes such a school selection or enrollment decision, including the right to appeal. The written explanation shall be complete, as brief as possible, simply stated, and provided in a language that the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth can understand.
If the dispute remains unresolved at the district level or is appealed, then the district homeless liaison shall forward all written documentation and related paperwork to the homeless liaison at the county office of education (COE). The COE's homeless liaison will review these materials and determine the school selection or enrollment decision within five (5) working days of receipt of the materials. The COE homeless liaison will notify the LEA and parent of the decision.
LIVE OAK CHARTER SCHOOL
100 Gnoss Concourse, Petaluma, CA 94952 707-762-9020 Phone
707-762-9019 Fax
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
Between Live Oak Charter School and Friends of Live Oak Charter School The purpose of this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is to articulate an
Operating Agreement for 2013/14 between Live Oak Charter School (LOCS) and Friends of Live Oak Charter School (FOLOCS), for receiving, managing and transferring funds to support operations.
OPERATING AGREEMENT
Part A: Fundraising and Donor Management
1. Fundraising revenue in support of LOCS, with the exception of grants and fees, and Student Body fundraisers, will be received by FOLOCS. "Funds" refers to gifts of cash, stock, or "in kind" donations.
2. Student Body fundraisers will be overseen by Executive Director to ensure such efforts do not conflict with FOLOCS campaigns.
3. Donations may be given in a restricted form. Prior to accepting such donations, the LOCS and FOLOCS chairs, and the Executive Director must agree upon such commitment to the restricted designation.
4. Restricted funds will be accounted for in budget line items and financial reports. Such funds will be received by FOLOCS and earmarked and forwarded to LOCS on a monthly basis as received or as stipulated in the agreement with the donor. Upon receiving the funds, LOCS will track earmarked monies into the budget as a designated revenue and then allocate them to the appropriate line item
account. The monies so earmarked will rollover annually with earmarks retained until expended.
5. The primary source of fundraising revenues is the parent pledge program administered by FOLOCS
6. Grant writing concerning the programs and/or operations of LOCS is entirely the purview of LOCS. Upon consultation and coordination with the Executive Director, FOLOCS may undertake grant writing for their internal purposes. All grant revenue will be deposited directly into the account of the legal entity that solicited the grant.
7. Parents with the capacity to offset $1,000 or more from the expense budget of LOCS may do so by in-kind contributions. Such gifts will be handled on a case-by-case basis by the Executive Director, in coordination with the FOLOCS Chair. 8. Donor databases will be kept secure and confidential by FOLOCS.
9. Only FOLOCS staff (volunteer or paid) with immediate responsibility for outreach, processing and accounting of donations will have access to the Donor Database and the information held therein. Electronic databases will likewise be protected by FOLOCS.
thank you.
11. FOLOCS agrees to produce all promotional literature in accordance with LOCS policies. Any documents using the LOCS logo must be approved by the
Executive Director.
12. Under the approval and supervision of the Executive Director, LOCS will support FOLOCS communication and fundraising efforts, including but not limited to posting notices, sharing contact information of enrolled families, providing meeting space, and facilitating the collection of donations.
PART B: Management of Accounts
1. FOLOCS income will be allocated into the following classifications:
a. Annual LOCS Support Grant:. For support of the general fund at LOCS. Shall be approximately equal to 80% of gross income. Restricted funds (defined in A4) will be included in the 80%.
b. Long Term Capital: The purpose of this fund is to build long-term reserves for unique expenses that may arise in the event of LOCS pursuing significant program expansion, or facilities improvements; including the lease or purchase of a new site. Shall be approximately equal to 10% of gross income and will accrue annually.
c. Operating Reserve: Funds accrued in Long Term Capital will serve as a reserve against ongoing operating expenses incurred after the Support Grant is paid in June.
d. Community Initiative Grant: $5,000 of the 80% support grant to LOCS is to be earmarked to fund this grant. The purpose of this grant is to provide funds for unique projects proposed by the LOCS community. If this money is unused, it will be passed on to LOCS as part of the June Support Grant payment.
e. Operating Expense: FOLOCS aims to keep expenses below 10% of gross income.
2. All Funds received by FOLOCS will be deposited in a federally insured bank or credit union account or an interest bearing money market account from a recognized investment agency. Funds will not be held in other investment vehicles.
3. A draft FOLOCS budget for the following fiscal school year (July-June) including expected revenues and expenses will be submitted to the LOCS board pursuant to the LOCS budget process, by April 15, 2014. The purpose of submitting this draft budget is for LOCS to have a fundraising figure to include in its draft LOCS budget. Given that much of the FOLOCS goal is contingent upon enrollment, it is understood that the figure will change as enrollment changes and will be
finalized in September when the LOCS budget gets adjusted for actual enrollment.
4. Annually, FOLOCS will submit to an external audit and share the findings with the LOCS board as they become available.
PART C: Transfer of Funds
checks from September to June to LOCS. In order to support LOCS cash flow needs, payment amounts and schedule may be adjusted by the Chair of FOLOCS, the Executive Director, and the Chair of the LOCS Board. 2. Long Term Capital: The release of these funds will occur through a joint
resolution for disbursement by the FOLOCS and LOCS boards. Both boards must approve the resolution for a disbursement to occur.
3. Community Initiative Grants will be governed by a joint grant committee consisting of one member from each of the following groups, Faculty Team, FOLOCS Board, LOCS Board, and the Executive Director. Grants will be awarded on criteria including pedagogical appropriateness, logistical congruence, and "needs priority" basis.
PART D: Projections
Based on FOLOCS historical income trends and current enrollment projections, it is estimated that FOLOCS will raise a total of $275,000 for 2013-14. This puts the total Support Grant to LOCS at $220,000 and an additional $27,500 in the Long-Term Capital fund.
PART E: OVERSIGHT
1. The FOLOCS Board will prepare quarterly monthly written reports to the LOCS board from September through June of each year. Reports will be presented at the first regularly scheduled LOCS meeting following the reconciliation of each fiscal quarter. (November, February, May, August) Reports will contain a profit and loss statement, balance sheet, and written report from the FOLOCS Chair and pledge projections . Additionally, the Chair will written report will contain recent business including community communications, cash flow, pledge realization, and upcoming fundraising events.
2. The Executive Director, Chair of FOLOCS, and Chair of LOCS will meet
quarterly to discuss current business including community communications, budget, and board actions.
3. Should FOLOCS fail to meet its fundraising goals, LOCS may appoint one member to FOLOCS’ board.
4. The Executive Director is charged with overseeing this Operating Agreement.
The undersigned, on this day, ________________, authorize this Operating Agreement, which will remain in effect until amended or extended by an agreement between LOCS and FOLOCS.
___________________________________ ______________________________________
Karna Dawson, Chair Debbie Elam Hupp, Chair
Board of Directors Board of Directors
Live Oak Charter School Friends of Live Oak Charter School
___________________________________ ______________________________________
FROM THE PARENT HANDBOOK….
MEDIA EXPOSURE AND CHILDREN
It is a delicate task to balance the demands and possibilities of modern life with our
understanding of the developing child. A central tenet of Live Oak Charter School’s educational
approach is that a child’s imagination is a primary modality for learning and growth.
Opportunities for lively, artistic and academic expression are of the greatest importance. It is our
desire that parents and teachers strive to offer children experiences of the natural world, rich
stories and pictures, healthy physical movement and role models that serve to build enthusiasm
and reverence for their lives on the earth.
A central concept in Waldorf Education is that much of popular culture, as expressed in the
media, can overwhelm a child’s creative thoughts and often has detrimental effects on behavior
and values. Consequently, we strongly advocate limiting children’s exposure to electronic media
such as television, video games and computers. Rather than electronic media, please make plenty
of time for your child’s physical activities, music practice, recreational reading, family life, sleep,
and play. Parents are encouraged to attend classes on the affects of media on the developing
brain. We also have books available on the subject in the Parent Library.
Introduction
1
Research
2
Resources
5
Pedagogical Background
6
Moving Toward a “Media-Less” Lifestyle
10
Media Alternatives
12
Parent Education and Ongoing Support
13
Media Guidelines
14
Contents
For some time, the pitch of parents’ and teachers’ requests for the school to make some kind of statement about media use has been rising. We embarked on this project in re-sponse to requests from parents and teachers who are trying as best they can to provide a healthy environment for the children. Many people know that the deleterious effects of television and media are far-ranging, from the obvious (the encouragement of gross con-sumerism) to the more subtle (the impact on neurological development). We can only touch upon a few issues here. However, publications, websites, and other resources are listed for those who wish to do further research on the subject.
When preparing this document, we solicited input from the entire Pasadena Waldorf School community. We received suggestions ranging from “People should make their own choices” to “The school should make parents sign an agreement about media use, and not renew contracts of those who will not do so.”
But, we are all striving human beings, and in the end, the input we received convinced us to lay out the logic and reasoning behind the media issue, and give parents the opportunity to come in freedom to a position of enthusiastic support of the school’s position on their own. We have stated our recommendations as goals, recognizing that parents are starting this journey with differing attitudes and rules about media use in their homes. We begin talking about our position on media from the moment parents begin conversations with us
about enrolling their children. If you find that your family has a fundamentally different
point of view, it is probably not just about the media issue, and it is possible that we are not the right school for you. That said, it is our fervent hope and wish that, after you have read the compelling reasons behind our media guidelines, you will decide to adopt them in your own family.
The Ad Hoc Media Guidelines Committee of Pasadena Waldorf School was formed by the faculty, and was comprised of one PWS parent and three faculty members who are also
parents. Our goal was to gather input from across the entire school community, find what
consensus we could around the issue of regulating media use among our students, and
produce guidelines that reflected that consensus. These guidelines, which have been ap -proved by the PWS Faculty, were respectfully compiled, written, edited, and produced by the committee, whose members included Ania Kubik, chair; Shannon Brousseau, Howard Paull, and Karen Livingston.
As a Waldorf school, we are part of a worldwide movement dedicated to supporting the healthy development of children. Many other Waldorf schools have such guidelines or policies; in fact, our committee researched those produced by some twenty other Waldorf schools from across the United States and Canada. While some have worded their docu-ments more stringently as policies, all have found that guidelines such as these go a long way to helping support parents in keeping their children as healthy as possible.
Why did Pasadena Waldorf School create media guidelines?
Why media guidelines? Why not a policy?
Who created this document?
What are other schools doing?
Introduction
The child is developing the faculty to form her own mental pictures, her internal mecha-nisms for imagery. In imposing others’ images, television stunts the child’s critical devel-opment of imagination. The child begins to rely on external sources rather than calling up her own internal pictures.1
The development of certain visual skills is critical to a child’s capacity to focus and pay at-tention, and later, to read. “The ability to search out, scan, focus, and identify” what enters
the visual field is impaired by watching television and movies.2 When children watch
tele-vision, they do not dilate their pupils, and have little eye movement at all. A lack of use of the eye muscles can cause a weakening, which will negatively impact the ability and effort required for reading. Dilation of the pupils, tracking, and following are part of the reticular activating system, which is the gateway to the right and left hemispheres of the brain.3
The hair-like cells in the inner ear convert sound waves to electrical impulses, which get sent to the brain. These cells, which do not regenerate, can be destroyed by loud sounds. The type of hearing loss once common in aging adults is showing up in younger and younger people. Newer earbud-style headphones, which are placed directly into the ear and can boost the sound signal by as much as nine decibels (dB), are even more likely to cause hearing loss than the older muff style. Not only do kids listen at a more intense sound level, but with the longer battery life and storage capacity of modern music play-ers, kids are listening longer. Students at Wichita State University had the output of their MP3 players’ signals measured, and on average, they were listening at 110-120 dB – the equivalent of a rock concert. This level is high enough to sustain hearing loss after only
one hour and fifteen minutes of listening.4
James Battey, Director of the National Institute of Health’s National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders said, “All of these devices (portable MP3 players) have maximum sound output levels that range from 115 to 130 dB, which is comparable to the sound level of a jet engine.” Apple Computer Inc. has recently introduced a software update for iPods that lets parents set a maximum volume limit on the device.
Obesity and Type II diabetes are epidemic in the United States. One in ten children in the United States is obese. American children spend an average of four hours per day watch-ing television, not only an inherently sedentary activity, but one which stimulates a desire
for, and consumption of unhealthy food. Studies showed that approximately seventy-five
percent of advertising during children’s programming was for junk food, such as sugary cereals, candy, and highly processed sugary snacks. Television promotes unhealthy eating and an unhealthy lifestyle.
In 1995, television was introduced to Fiji. Prior to the introduction of TV, only three percent of young girls in a survey by Anne Becker, anthropologist at Harvard Medical
School, reported using vomiting to control weight. Three years later, fifteen percent of
girls did it.5 Becker believes the sudden influence of Western cultural images and values
is changing the way Fijian girls view themselves and their bodies. In a 1994 survey of
female undergrads at a large Midwestern university, a researcher found fifteen percent
of the women met the criteria for eating disorder. The study, recently published in the Journal of Communication, shows that watching TV, as well as reading magazines that
depict and promote thinness, significantly predict symptoms of women’s eating disorders.6
“We … found an undeniable influence of mass media in the genesis and maintenance of
these [life-threatening] disorders.”7 “To prevent the observed increase in prevalence and
incidence of eating disorders among adolescents, it is appropriate to control the messages, myths and falsehood propagated by media, TV in particular.”8
Television viewing, even educational shows and videos, is rewiring our children’s brains. The quickly-changing images and sounds of the television prevent our higher-thought brain (neocortex) from becoming involved. According to Ron Kaufman, “[as] time is cut up, the brain is conditioned to change at the expense of continuity of thought.”9 A 2004
study in the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics shows a correlation between hours of television viewing and subsequent attention problems. Watching television or videos can cause permanent changes in the developing neural pathways, putting the child at increased risk for ADHD. The study showed that for every hour per day of television viewing at ages one and three, the child has an almost ten percent higher chance of devel-oping attention problems by age seven.10 “Educational” programming is also problematic.
Yale University Family Television Research and Consultation Center reports, “Sesame Street creates a psychological orientation in children that leads to shortened attention
span, a lack of reflectiveness, and an expectation of rapid change in the broader environ -ment.” In addition, some psychologists point to the possibility that viewing is literally addictive, that it changes brain function in the same way chemical dependency does.
Approximately eighty percent of respondents in a poll in April, 2002, believed not only that a lack of respect and courtesy is a serious national problem, but that it continues to worsen.11 Behaviors such as increased aggressiveness, lack of consideration of others, and
public vulgarity are normalized by increasingly vulgar and rude television shows. Ex-perts believe that television has shaped and accelerated this trend. Children watch these shows, see the behavior as normal, and can no longer judge when they are socially inap-propriate.
According to the American Psychiatric Association, by age eighteen, an American child will have seen 16,000 simulated murders and 200,000 simulated acts of violence. Count-less studies show that children watching television or playing video games are at risk for learning to behave violently. In July, 2000, the American Medical Association and the American Pediatric Association made this joint statement to Congress: “Well over 1,000 studies point overwhelmingly to a causal connection between media violence and aggres-sive behavior in some children.” The majority of these studies reach the same conclusion:
television and film violence leads to real-world violence.12 A study of population data for
various countries showed homicide rates doubling within ten to fifteen years after the in -troduction of television, even though the in-troductions occurred at different times in each site examined.13
Body Image / Anorexia nervosa / Bulemia nervosa
Neurological Develop-ment / Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (“ADHD”)
Disrespect and Vulgar Behavior
Violence / Desensitization / Culture of Fear
Some research also demonstrates that cumulative exposure to media violence can desensi-tize the viewer to real-life acts of violence. According to the American Psychological As-sociation, children who regularly watch violence on TV are more fearful and distrustful of the world, less bothered by violence, and slower to intervene or call for help when they see
fighting or destructive behavior.
“Media viewing of tragic events is sufficient to produce PTSD symptoms in vulnerable
populations such as children. Given the links between PTSD symptoms and viewing hab-its, parental monitoring of media exposure may be important for younger children.”14
1. Buzzell, K. (1998). The Children of Cyclops: The Influence of Television Viewing on the Devel
-oping Human Brain. Fair Oaks, CA: AWSNA
2. Ibid.
3. Johnson, S. M.D. (1999). “Strangers in Our Homes: TV and Our Children’s Minds,” Inform, The Newsletter of the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America.
4. Bowman, L. (2006). Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved April 25, 2007 from http://www.azstarnet. com/allheadlines/109442
5. Gillyatt, P. (1999). Harvard Medical School Office of Public Affairs. Retrieved April 25, 2007 from http://www.hms.harvard.edu/news/releases/599bodyimage.html
6. DeGroat, Bernie (1997). The University Record. Retrieved April 25, 2007 from http://www. umich.edu/~urecord/9798/Oct22_97/media.htm
7. Guerro-Prado, D.; Barjau, R.; Chinchilla, M.; Actas Esp Psiquiatr. 2001 Nov-Dec;29(6):403-10. Rerieved April 25, 2007 from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=P ubMed&list_uids=11730579&dopt=Abstract
8. Verri, A.; Verticale, M.; Vallero, E.; Bellone, S.; Nespoli, L.; Minerva Pediatr. 1997 Jun;49(6): 235-43. Retrieved April 25, 2007 from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrie ve&db=PubMed&list_uids=9304042&dopt=Abstract
9. Kaufman, R. (2002). How Television Affects The Mind: A Review of The Tube. Retrieved April 25, 2007 from http://www.turnoffyourtv.com/reviews/tubemovie.html
10. Christakis, D.; Zimmerman, F.; DiGiuseppe, D.; McCarty, C.; Pediatrics. 2004 Apr; 113(4): 708-13. Retrieved April 25, 2007 from http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/ full/113/4/708
11. Jackman, J. Changing the Channels. Retrieved April 25, 2007 from http://www.changingchan-nels.org/effects4.htm
12. Huston, A.; Donnerstein, E.; Fairchild, H.; Fashbach, N.; Katz, P.; Murray, J.; Rubinstein, E.; Wilcox, B.; Zuckerman, D.; (1992). Big World, Small Screen: The Role of Television in American
Society. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press
13. Centerwall, B.S. (1989). Exposure to television as a cause of violence. Public Communication and Behavior (Vol. 2, pp. 1– 58). New York: Academic Press.
14. Otto, M.; Henin, A.; Hirshfeld-Becker, D.; Pollack, M.; Biederman, J.; Rosenbaum, J.; Journal
of Anxiety Disorders. 2007 Jan 10. Retrieved April 25, 2007 from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&list_uids=17276653&cmd=Retrieve Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder (“PTSD”)
Notes
Alliance for Childhood. Tech Tonic: Towards a New Literacy of Technology
Buzzell. Keith. The Children of Cyclops
Chilton Pearce, Joseph. Evolution’s End: Claiming the Potential of Our Intelligence
Everett, Miles. How Television Poisons Children’s Minds
Healy, Jane. Endangered Minds: Why Our Children Don’t Think
Healy, Jane. Failure to Connect: How Computers Affect Our Children’s Minds for Better and Worse Johnson, S. M.D. “Strangers in Our Homes: TV and Our Children’s Minds,” Fall/Winter, 1999 issue
of Inform, The Newsletter of the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America.
Kelman, Lawrence. To Kindle a Soul
Large, Martin. Who’s Bringing Them Up?
Mander, Jerry. Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television
McClendon, Marie. Where are the Children? In a TV World or in a Tree House? Self-published. Postman, Neil. Amusing Ourselves to Death
Sanders, Barry. A is for Ox
Schwartz, Eugene. Development of Eye and Ear
Winn, Marie. The Plug-in Drug
www.tvturnoff.org www.turnoffyourtv.com http://www.whitedot.org
http://www.aap.org/family/tv1.htm www.tvfa.org
http://www.healthyminds.org/mediaviolence/cfm www.ftc.gov/reports/violence/Appen%20A.pdf
http://www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/tvkelemen.htm http://tv-addiction.blogspot.com/
http://www.cursor.org/stories/television_and_violence.htm
For movie reviews and ratings: www.yahoomoviesmomreviews For internet safety:
www.isafe.org
For blocking cable channels: Consult your cable provider
Publications
Web Resources
Other Resources
5
Families come to Waldorf education actively seeking developmentally-appropriate experi-ences so their children might grow into interested, interesting people who one day might contribute something to the world. In that sense, Waldorf schools are intentional com-munities, populated by people who have discovered that schools based on Rudolf Steiner’s philosophy and pedagogy not only provide the support parents have been looking for, but also answer beautifully the educational needs of children.
Thus, when enrolling our children in Pasadena Waldorf School, we commit not only to the school’s mission and educational philosophy, but also to a home life which complements and supports these values. We join like-minded parents in tacit agreement to uphold them. The success of our community depends partly on the degree to which each individual’s
actions resonate with and confirm these goals. The consequences of differing levels of
parental commitment fall largely to the children, who must live with the results of their parents’ choices.
Children tend to self-select friendships and/or play groups at school partly based on what they are exposed to outside of school. If several children see a particular movie or TV program, or listen to a particular kind of music, or are allowed to IM each other well into
the evening, then their conversations and/or play at school reflect those experiences. Any
child who has not shared those experiences cannot participate. So, here we have social exclusion based on media exposure, an unfortunate criterion, indeed, for choosing friends or playmates. Parents who have made a choice for less media exposure want to know that they can count on the other parents to have similar values, so that when the children go to
school, they will be safe from media influence there, too.
In every Waldorf school class, the parents grow in partnership over the eight or more years they spend together. They experience developmental challenges together, compare notes, and offer one another helpful suggestions. Parents do this best when they are operating
from common understandings and agreements. It is possible for significant differences
in family media choices to create an environment of mistrust, and somewhat erode the
efficacy of the community of adults who should be coming together in support of the chil -dren. When the parents agree to work from the same assumptions and ground rules, their collective wisdom can create an even more supportive environment for their children.
In our work with children, we strive to:
educate each child to embrace the wonder and challenge of the world while achieving academic proficiency;
nurture each child’s imagination while educating the intellect and encouraging the devel-opment of a healthy body and social life; and
teach so that each child might become a confident, capable person with integrity and a sense of social and environmental responsibility.
Intentional community
Pasadena Waldorf School’s Mission and Educational Philosophy begins:
Pedagogical Background
In our educational program, we:
recognize the spiritual nature of the human being, and therefore present a Waldorf cur-riculum designed to cultivate the child’s unfolding and awakening capacities, based on Rudolf Steiner’s view of child development; and
educate children from early childhood through eighth grade so that they arrive at con-cepts through imaginative, artistic, and experiential activities.
Our media guidelines are meant to outline some principles for nurturing physically, emotionally, spiritually healthy children while navigating the terrain of modern life. The ideals in our mission statement inform everything we do, including our media guidelines. Read on to see how.
Challenges are the vehicles through which human beings grow emotionally and socially, develop self-worth, and discover who they really are. Any time a child is not actively en-gaged in the world itself, she is not busy encountering its wonder and challenge. Even the root of the word “media” connotes something coming between. Passive, “mediated”
expe-riences cannot help us grow in the same way as direct, first-person expeexpe-riences. Children
need to be in the world, not watching it on a screen; they must chafe against real human beings, and laugh with them, not observe actors or pre-recorded representations of people. Even “educational” programming removes the child from the real world, preventing her
from experiencing firsthand its miracles, puzzles, jubilation, and unbearable heartache.
One of the seminal directives in Waldorf education is to nurture the child’s imagination. Why? During the school day, teachers articulate the curriculum in vibrant, lively, compel-ling images, leaving the child free to form her own internal pictures. But, a child who has already seen someone else’s pictures, even if these images are beautiful, has been robbed of the opportunity. These pre-formed images not only impact a child’s ability to use her imagination; they also have the effect of deadening the imaginative space where all of the child’s lessons and social interactions are processed, impeding her ability to draw con-clusions and form concepts, to understand mathematics, to build reading skills, to work out social challenges. Thus, the wondrous work that the Waldorf curriculum continues to perform on children after they leave the classroom can be seriously compromised.
Young children are vulnerable in that they do not separate themselves from what they experience, including what they see. They internalize what they are shown as their own pictures, and take all of what they view as real. Older children are vulnerable in that
me-dia exposure tends to encourage them to become cynical, closed, and diffident, and many
then feel compelled to pursue an early path to adolescence. If we consider each of a child’s experiences as literal “food for thought,” we can begin to appreciate that a diet of content which has been pre-digested and fed to our children could not possibly be as healthy and enlivening as one in which our own stories present food for the imagination, providing op-portunities to digest living content, shaping the stage upon which the young person creates the play of his or her own life.
Medical studies attribute the epidemic of obesity in this country partly to sedentary life-styles. But, we hardly need this evidence to conclude that active play is more helpful to children’s developing bodies than sitting in front of a screen. Further, the pace of media The wonder and challenge
of the world
The imagination
Healthy body
today increases distractibility in children and reinforces the need for instant gratification.
Children need rhythmic, carefully-paced activity in order to develop and learn properly.
TV and film require difficulties to be settled in pre-determined, unrealistic increments,
and give children few possibilities to see true problem-solving skills modeled. Instead, media exposes children to a great many character traits we in no way want to see them mirror, including sarcasm and rampant disrespect of self, of others, of property. In
addi-tion, children need real, live interaction with other children to figure out how to work out
social challenges. Children who lack social skills are much more prone to exhibit anti-social behavior such as teasing and bullying.
With few exceptions, the representation of people in the media is designed to cultivate
viewership. Conflict must occur and be fomented in order to keep viewers coming back
for more. People of exceptional character, quality personal interactions, positive hu-man attributes rarely get airplay. The way people treat each other, the way they speak to one another, even the way they conduct themselves when no one is looking all present a picture of human behavior. Children often become what they see. Certainly, we do not want our children to aspire to the negative role models they so often experience on the screen. Moreover, stereotyping is rampant in the entertainment industry. Pre-formed im-ages of races, cultures, genders, whole categories of people overwhelm the inimitability of individuals and their unique roles in the world. Environmental responsibility requires we understand how our actions impact the world beyond our own doorstep. The culture of materialism promulgated by media is directly at odds with this philosophy. Our youngest children have become the new darlings of marketing tactics, the goal of which is to grow brand awareness and loyalty even before the target, the preschool child, sets foot in school.
The human being is, at its very essence, a spiritual entity. If we encounter the child before us as much more than just a physical being, we begin to conceive that all of the child’s experiences, and our every interaction with her, have far greater impact than we could have imagined in our wildest dreams. Our task, then, is to provide healthy spiritual food. Not only
are artificial, vicarious, virtual experiences not healthy, they actually dull the organs critical
to healthy spiritual growth. Steiner admonishes teachers to remember three paramount
ele-ments in the education of the school-age child: truth, beauty, and goodness. It is difficult to
imagine any form of media conforming to any one of those, much less all three.
While teachers do not teach anthroposophy to the children, they do teach from the anthro-posophical view of the human being. Rudolf Steiner indicated that the child develops in stages, and with each phase, new capacities are born. For healthy development, each stage must be addressed at the appropriate time and in the appropriate way. While a child can outwardly seem intellectually capable of processing all kinds of information, introducing particular content before the child is ready to receive it, or presenting it as one would to a child at a different developmental phase, sets up an impediment to the proper processing of the information at the appropriate developmental time.
Healthy social life
Confident, capable people with a sense of social and environmental responsi-bility
The spiritual: whom are we educating?
The child’s unfolding and awakening capacities
Another core element in a Waldorf curriculum is that we do not begin with concepts, but provide a series of multi-faceted activities which lead the children to arrive at concepts themselves. This active process ensures that children internalize what they are learning, and are far more likely to understand and retain the information. Clearly, passive expo- sure, even to the same information, will have a far different effect. Abstract, intellectual approaches to learning are not developmentally appropriate until after puberty. In the elementary school child, hearing stories of great men and women, and experiencing the secrets and beauty of nature, cultivate a deep, soulful connection to the stream of creation that gives a child the proper background to focus later on developing intellectual faculties.
We really do not know, do we? We are careful about choosing play date companions, but
we give our children up to TV programming, films, commercials, music content, and
video games created with the goal of selling something to them. The billions of dollars spent by advertisers to manipulate consumers, especially children, dwarf parents’ efforts to counter marketing techniques after the fact.
Granted, this is fairly subjective. But, of the children who return to school on any given
Monday or on the heels of a vacation, the teachers find that they can fairly easily identify
those who have had a diet of media. It manifests in many arenas: physical demeanor, at-tention, interest in encountering the lesson, quality of work, social issues in class and on the playground. What do we tend to see in healthy children who are supported at home in being media-free? We encounter children who are alert, interested, active, industrious; children who have longer attention spans and do not need to be entertained to stay en-gaged; children who are excited about learning, who participate enthusiastically; children who are less likely to judge and criticize others; children who persevere, even when a task gets challenging; children who see their teachers as authorities and their peers as partners. Arriving at concepts
through imaginative, artistic, and experiential activities
Who is providing commercial content?
What do teachers see at school?
Let us begin by re-orienting our thinking. What if we perceive curtailing media use not as depriving our families, or taking something away from them, but instead, as providing wholesomeness? Then, making a shift might feel different to us. We have stated that our ultimate goal is creating a media-free lifestyle for our children. Some families just go cold
turkey and eliminate media completely. Because they find it simpler when the option is not
even there, they remove all screens from their homes. The children watch no television,
videos, or films, use no computers, and listen only to live music.
However, lots of people who are not ready for that dramatic step have found extremely creative and thoughtful ways to begin: they simply curtail media usage. Many decide to implement the changes not just for the children, but for the entire family, and discover
benefits to family life.
Some families reduce the amount of time of exposure. They have pre-arranged times when media will be allowed, and set a timer as a signal when the time is up. As an ex-ample, a parent might decide to prohibit media altogether on school nights, but allow a (parent-previewed) movie at home on the occasional weekend. Some families discontinue subscribing to cable, leaving only one screen on which to view carefully-chosen movies. Other families limit the types of media they allow: for example, no computer, no TV, but one video every other week. Or, some families use it only very, very occasionally, as a special shared media experience.
If you have not yet taken the step but want to do something, just try one thing at a time. We have a community of teachers and parents to support you in your efforts. Seek out your child’s class teacher and other parents for their ideas. Share with one another.
See if you can get the parents in your class to agree to make all of your play dates media-free events. Remember, if the children are watching a screen, they are not playing! Plan, lay out the rules, and review them with your child and the other parent ahead of time to avoid any surprises.
For the young child, any media is too much. Most people agree with that. But, as children get older, parents often begin to split hairs about how much media is all right. Sometimes, children whose parents have cut back continue to dwell on media-related topics, which can maddeningly recur as topics for conversation. For this and other reasons, some families have
chosen to adopt a completely media-free lifestyle. Some of the benefits to children include
freedom from advertising aimed at them, time to engage in appropriate childhood activities, availability for ongoing human interaction, and protection of childhood innocence.
Some children do continue to ask for media from time to time. However, the parents of media-free children see such dramatic results in their families that most never go back. They never get tired of saying, “Different families do things differently. In our house, we don’t watch.”
How do I start?
Play dates
Why go media-free? How much is too much?
Moving Toward a “Media-Less” Lifestyle
This is never easy. The most helpful thing is probably to establish ground rules up front so there are no surprises. And, we have to get used to the fact that almost all middle school students say to their parents, at least once, “I hate you,” or something even less compli-mentary. But, this is like anything else we do to limit our children’s experiences. We just have to know we are doing the right thing for the right reasons.
Actually, anthroposophical doctors and nurses tell us that this is the most perfectly hor-rible time to show a video. When a child’s etheric (life) forces are depleted by illness, media exposure can prevent her body from directing its healing powers to where they are needed.
Open, non-threatening, safe, friendly, compassionate communication is the best way to
navigate any subject that may find parents on a different footing. Try asking lots of ques -tions and using “I” statements. You could go for coffee and talk together, you could get together to take the kids to the park and talk there, you could ask your class teacher to allot some time at a parent meeting for conversation and comparing notes. If you are plan-ning a play date, you would probably want to have an agreement up front about the media issue. If you cannot come to such an agreement, then you may have to decide whether to forego play dates with that family. But, remember that everyone is striving, and try to refrain from making assumptions and judging others.
Over and over, explain the choice you have made as a family and why. Offer to have their children over to your house to play. Talk to the other parents about why you have made this choice. Offer them a copy of our guidelines to read.
No. This same logic could be applied to driving or any number of other activities that we have determined to delay until a certain level of development has been reached. Almost all high schools now require a keyboarding class in the freshman year of high school and teach students how to navigate the computer. Our graduates have successfully made this transition over and over again.
This is one of the hardest parts of parenting. But, look, you already have different bed-times for younger and older children in your family. Privileges always increase with age.
This can simply be an extension of that idea. “When you are fifteen, you can listen to an iPod, too.” The more difficult issue comes when you have a screen in your home that an
older child is watching, with a younger child in the area. One solution is to wait with the video until the younger child goes to bed. Older children need to understand that it is just as important that younger ones do not see or hear anything inappropriate as it is that they do not eat anything inappropriate. And, there have to be consequences if the older ones fail to honor your house rules. But, honestly, this is one reason some families decide to give up media completely.
How do I deal with a hostile middle school child when I turn off the screen?
What about when my child is home sick? Isn’t this a perfect time for a video?
What do I do when another parent in my child’s class tolerates more media?
What can I do about other people (extended fam-ily members, neighbors, other parents) who do not understand, and offer a television show or movie to my child?
But, won’t my child be stigmatized and behind in high school if she does not become computer-literate now?
How do I handle media restrictions when I have children of different ages in my home?
