During this pandemic, the time that wearing or not wearing a mask is controversial and perhaps politically motivated along with the tremendous turmoil Racially, politically and financially; we must also focus on our raising generation and the impact they endure, as a result; negative or positive.

As the current conditions has resulted in more remote working as well as remote learning for students, this school year has started with students either 100% remote learning and online and in some jurisdictions back in the classroom with restrictions or a modified hybrid combination of in-person and remote learning. Students as young as elementary school are now attending classes, submitting projects and communicating online.

This question arises; have we trained this young generation how to behave online? Culture, etiquette, footprint, security and many other aspects of Personal Digital Presence.

We have provided our young students as young as elementary school with a Chrome books to be utilized throughout the school year for learning purposes. Although these devices have installed programs that will limit the access to the Internet, unwanted site and information, we have yet to educate our students in the importance of online awareness, etiquette and security.

Social media Bulling has been an issue in the past decade or so, due to the growth of social media and access of our youth to such services and now it will most likely increase as majority of students now are fully communicating online. The impact of Bulling will take a psychological toll on any individual specially on a young child or a young adult, we are well aware of this matter throughout the world. Students have been Under lock down or with many restrictions throughout the past five to six months which denied them all their social livelihood that was established within their educational settings. The psychological impact of limited social interactions along with any potential online Bulling or other forms of abuse, will be devastating to anyone, let alone young children and adolescent.

Perhaps we have sheltered our young generation to a degree that their dependence on us is undeniable. It is the responsibility of any educational body to ensure that the students attending the given institution are well-equipped and knowledgeable to step into the society and make a positive impact immediately.

As the normal educational patterns have been erupted, educators and teachers will not have access to their normal platforms to interact and educate the students. Teachers and the school systems worked diligently and completed the last school year with success. Our nation’s educators with hard work designed and implement the best learning strategy possible in a short period of time to bring students back to learning.

At this time, it is the parent’s responsibility to review online etiquette security and safety with their children and monitor their activities. Our educators will be relying on parents to follow up with their children during this time by eliminating distractions setting up a specific location as classroom and studying while creating a culture of personal accountability.

We now have a great opportunity as parents to assist our kids in developing mastery in critical skills such as design and implementation of schedules, prioritization of tasks, as well as financial, social and online protocols; all of which can be taught at an early age and continued development in such skills through adolescent into adulthood.

Creating a structure for each and every day according to the specific tasks of the day, will pave the road map for the student to follow and will also minimize the stress that one might endure. It will be vital for the students to be involved in the creation and implementation of a structure and schedule, learn to take command of the task and be in control with parents available as advisors.

Let’s not shelter our youth; but let us teach, train and empower them, as we create the environment & culture essential for growth and providing our raising generation the opportunity to reach their full potentiality.

Farhad Mehraban | October 2020