raise your hand if you were born between the years 1977 to 1983 all right it’s
the years 1977 to 1983 all right it’s
the years 1977 to 1983 all right it’s quite a few of you in the audience well
quite a few of you in the audience well
quite a few of you in the audience well congratulations you my friends are of a
congratulations you my friends are of a
congratulations you my friends are of a very unique micro generation known as
very unique micro generation known as
very unique micro generation known as xenial
xenial
xenial Ossie Niall is a person who falls
Ossie Niall is a person who falls
Ossie Niall is a person who falls somewhere between Generation X and the
somewhere between Generation X and the
somewhere between Generation X and the Millennial generations and they share
Millennial generations and they share
Millennial generations and they share characteristics of both in addition to
characteristics of both in addition to
characteristics of both in addition to sharing a very unique experience an
sharing a very unique experience an
sharing a very unique experience an analogue childhood followed by a deep
analogue childhood followed by a deep
analogue childhood followed by a deep dive into a digital young adulthood I am
dive into a digital young adulthood I am
dive into a digital young adulthood I am a proud xenial I remember being gifted a
a proud xenial I remember being gifted a
a proud xenial I remember being gifted a teen line in my bedroom at just 13 years
teen line in my bedroom at just 13 years
teen line in my bedroom at just 13 years old because my parents couldn’t bear me
old because my parents couldn’t bear me
old because my parents couldn’t bear me tying up the phone lines any longer I
tying up the phone lines any longer I
tying up the phone lines any longer I remember signing online using an AOL
remember signing online using an AOL
remember signing online using an AOL screen name and a dial-up modem to
screen name and a dial-up modem to
screen name and a dial-up modem to connect with my friends and complete
connect with my friends and complete
connect with my friends and complete strangers in chat rooms I am of a
strangers in chat rooms I am of a
strangers in chat rooms I am of a generation where in order to use
generation where in order to use
generation where in order to use Facebook when it came out in 2004 you
Facebook when it came out in 2004 you
Facebook when it came out in 2004 you had to be a college student with a
had to be a college student with a
had to be a college student with a college or university email address at
college or university email address at
college or university email address at this time I was just 20 years old
this time I was just 20 years old
this time I was just 20 years old another show of hands here up high if
another show of hands here up high if
another show of hands here up high if you think that at 20 years old I was the
you think that at 20 years old I was the
you think that at 20 years old I was the most wholesome version of myself if your
most wholesome version of myself if your
most wholesome version of myself if your hands are raised you are sadly mistaken
hands are raised you are sadly mistaken
hands are raised you are sadly mistaken see I wasn’t a bad kid but I was
see I wasn’t a bad kid but I was
see I wasn’t a bad kid but I was exploring my independence the difference
exploring my independence the difference
exploring my independence the difference was that for the first time in history I
was that for the first time in history I
was that for the first time in history I was exploring that independence
was exploring that independence
was exploring that independence alongside my peers in an online space we
alongside my peers in an online space we
alongside my peers in an online space we were going to parties posting photos
were going to parties posting photos
were going to parties posting photos from those parties and we were leaving
from those parties and we were leaving
from those parties and we were leaving comments using rather colorful
comments using rather colorful
comments using rather colorful language to express ourselves please
language to express ourselves please
language to express ourselves please remember that at this time my mom wasn’t
remember that at this time my mom wasn’t
remember that at this time my mom wasn’t on Facebook my baby brother wasn’t on
on Facebook my baby brother wasn’t on
on Facebook my baby brother wasn’t on Facebook my grandmother
Facebook my grandmother
Facebook my grandmother certainly wasn’t on Facebook this was a
certainly wasn’t on Facebook this was a
certainly wasn’t on Facebook this was a safe space for me and my peer group to
safe space for me and my peer group to
safe space for me and my peer group to socialize and
socialize and
socialize and communicate fast forward to 2006 in a
communicate fast forward to 2006 in a
communicate fast forward to 2006 in a horrifying turn of events Facebook
horrifying turn of events Facebook
horrifying turn of events Facebook decides to go public with its platform
decides to go public with its platform
decides to go public with its platform leaving me and my peers in a panic when
leaving me and my peers in a panic when
leaving me and my peers in a panic when I try to explain this historical
I try to explain this historical
I try to explain this historical phenomenon to teenagers today I often
phenomenon to teenagers today I often
phenomenon to teenagers today I often say to them
say to them
say to them imagine if suddenly snapchat was like
imagine if suddenly snapchat was like
imagine if suddenly snapchat was like just kidding we’re gonna make your
just kidding we’re gonna make your
just kidding we’re gonna make your photos available to everyone the kids I
photos available to everyone the kids I
photos available to everyone the kids I say this to gasp in horror as if this
say this to gasp in horror as if this
say this to gasp in horror as if this thought has never crossed their mind
thought has never crossed their mind
thought has never crossed their mind because it hasn’t kids today aren’t
because it hasn’t kids today aren’t
because it hasn’t kids today aren’t using snapchat as a prime resource for
using snapchat as a prime resource for
using snapchat as a prime resource for inappropriate tomfoolery but they are
inappropriate tomfoolery but they are
inappropriate tomfoolery but they are sending lots of photos out into the
sending lots of photos out into the
sending lots of photos out into the world of themselves with double chins
world of themselves with double chins
world of themselves with double chins and cat filters that they likely
and cat filters that they likely
and cat filters that they likely wouldn’t want a significant other or a
wouldn’t want a significant other or a
wouldn’t want a significant other or a future employer to see today I work in a
future employer to see today I work in a
future employer to see today I work in a public school system let’s face it
public school system let’s face it
public school system let’s face it entering education means all eyes are on
entering education means all eyes are on
entering education means all eyes are on you and you have to model digital
you and you have to model digital
you and you have to model digital citizenship for your students when I
citizenship for your students when I
citizenship for your students when I began teaching I thought man I have got
began teaching I thought man I have got
began teaching I thought man I have got to clean up my online reputation so I
to clean up my online reputation so I
to clean up my online reputation so I did I started sifting through old photos
did I started sifting through old photos
did I started sifting through old photos removing tags and deleting many of them
removing tags and deleting many of them
removing tags and deleting many of them altogether I went on an unfriending
altogether I went on an unfriending
altogether I went on an unfriending frenzy
frenzy
frenzy I started shutting down old social media
I started shutting down old social media
I started shutting down old social media accounts that I didn’t use anymore fun
accounts that I didn’t use anymore fun
accounts that I didn’t use anymore fun fact did you know that in order to
fact did you know that in order to
fact did you know that in order to delete your old myspace account you have
delete your old myspace account you have
delete your old myspace account you have to sacrifice the blood of your firstborn
to sacrifice the blood of your firstborn
to sacrifice the blood of your firstborn child seriously it is a rigorous process
child seriously it is a rigorous process
child seriously it is a rigorous process but there are a lot of things that the
but there are a lot of things that the
but there are a lot of things that the person you see standing here today has
person you see standing here today has
person you see standing here today has in common with the 20-year old version
in common with the 20-year old version
in common with the 20-year old version of me I still mess up in real life and
of me I still mess up in real life and
of me I still mess up in real life and online but I believe that our online
online but I believe that our online
online but I believe that our online narrative should reflect our true selves
narrative should reflect our true selves
narrative should reflect our true selves my actual life is not perfectly filtered
my actual life is not perfectly filtered
my actual life is not perfectly filtered and my online life shouldn’t have to be
and my online life shouldn’t have to be
and my online life shouldn’t have to be either but I didn’t always subscribe to
either but I didn’t always subscribe to
either but I didn’t always subscribe to this idea this photo captures one of the
this idea this photo captures one of the
this idea this photo captures one of the happy
happy
happy days during the most exciting part of my
days during the most exciting part of my
days during the most exciting part of my life to date this was the day I
life to date this was the day I
life to date this was the day I graduated and earned my master’s degree
graduated and earned my master’s degree
graduated and earned my master’s degree just two weeks before my wedding day at
just two weeks before my wedding day at
just two weeks before my wedding day at 2:00 my very best friend this is also
2:00 my very best friend this is also
2:00 my very best friend this is also the spring before I would begin my
the spring before I would begin my
the spring before I would begin my career as an educator I did so much of
career as an educator I did so much of
career as an educator I did so much of what I posted online and how I thought
what I posted online and how I thought
what I posted online and how I thought about how I represented myself in that
about how I represented myself in that
about how I represented myself in that space that for a moment I considered not
space that for a moment I considered not
space that for a moment I considered not posting this photo at all see while we
posting this photo at all see while we
posting this photo at all see while we look like two very very happy young
look like two very very happy young
look like two very very happy young people in this picture because we were
people in this picture because we were
people in this picture because we were and still very much are if you take a
and still very much are if you take a
and still very much are if you take a closer look you’ll notice that in the
closer look you’ll notice that in the
closer look you’ll notice that in the corner of this photo there’s a cocktail
corner of this photo there’s a cocktail
corner of this photo there’s a cocktail and a pack of cigarettes I’m not even
and a pack of cigarettes I’m not even
and a pack of cigarettes I’m not even sure if they were mine but I feared so
sure if they were mine but I feared so
sure if they were mine but I feared so deeply that if the wrong people saw this
deeply that if the wrong people saw this
deeply that if the wrong people saw this image that I would be shunned and I
image that I would be shunned and I
image that I would be shunned and I could be fired and I would lose my
could be fired and I would lose my
could be fired and I would lose my teaching certificate so I cropped the
teaching certificate so I cropped the
teaching certificate so I cropped the photo
add this to the list of filtered moments
add this to the list of filtered moments that I began to curate as part of my
that I began to curate as part of my
that I began to curate as part of my online narrative the pendulum swung so
online narrative the pendulum swung so
online narrative the pendulum swung so much when people my age realized that
much when people my age realized that
much when people my age realized that our digital identities were going to be
our digital identities were going to be
our digital identities were going to be determined by what we posted on social
determined by what we posted on social
determined by what we posted on social media that we really started to give
media that we really started to give
media that we really started to give young people the impression that they
young people the impression that they
young people the impression that they couldn’t ever make a mistake online
couldn’t ever make a mistake online
couldn’t ever make a mistake online today adults constantly tell kids they
today adults constantly tell kids they
today adults constantly tell kids they can’t ever mess up on the Internet or
can’t ever mess up on the Internet or
can’t ever mess up on the Internet or else they’re never gonna get a job or
else they’re never gonna get a job or
else they’re never gonna get a job or they’re never gonna get into college and
they’re never gonna get into college and
they’re never gonna get into college and their lives are gonna be ruined forever
their lives are gonna be ruined forever
their lives are gonna be ruined forever we’ve done such a good job of planting
we’ve done such a good job of planting
we’ve done such a good job of planting this seed of fear that instead of
this seed of fear that instead of
this seed of fear that instead of helping our children by empowering them
helping our children by empowering them
helping our children by empowering them to use social media for good they truly
to use social media for good they truly
to use social media for good they truly believe that they have the power to
believe that they have the power to
believe that they have the power to destroy their own reputation the part of
destroy their own reputation the part of
destroy their own reputation the part of a teenager’s mind that’s responsible for
a teenager’s mind that’s responsible for
a teenager’s mind that’s responsible for decision-making the frontal cortex isn’t
decision-making the frontal cortex isn’t
decision-making the frontal cortex isn’t fully developed yet and won’t be until
fully developed yet and won’t be until
fully developed yet and won’t be until they reach their early to mid-20s
they reach their early to mid-20s
they reach their early to mid-20s sometimes young people post things
sometimes young people post things
sometimes young people post things online that they don’t even realize will
online that they don’t even realize will
online that they don’t even realize will create an impact on themselves or others
create an impact on themselves or others
create an impact on themselves or others other times they post click share and
other times they post click share and
other times they post click share and after the fact realize that they’ve done
after the fact realize that they’ve done
after the fact realize that they’ve done something they shouldn’t have teaching
something they shouldn’t have teaching
something they shouldn’t have teaching digital citizens is tough it’s hard to
digital citizens is tough it’s hard to
digital citizens is tough it’s hard to imagine raising them but after six
imagine raising them but after six
imagine raising them but after six incredible years of marriage my husband
incredible years of marriage my husband
incredible years of marriage my husband and I are finally ready to become
and I are finally ready to become
and I are finally ready to become parents everyone tells us how well
parents everyone tells us how well
parents everyone tells us how well equipped we’ll be to parent during this
equipped we’ll be to parent during this
equipped we’ll be to parent during this digital shift this digital age but for
digital shift this digital age but for
digital shift this digital age but for as excited as I am to have a baby
as excited as I am to have a baby
as excited as I am to have a baby someday soon I am still riddled with
someday soon I am still riddled with
someday soon I am still riddled with anxiety I mean think about it some day
anxiety I mean think about it some day
anxiety I mean think about it some day our hypothetical sweet tiny little baby
our hypothetical sweet tiny little baby
our hypothetical sweet tiny little baby will become a teenager
will become a teenager
how on earth will we handle screen time
how on earth will we handle screen time and schoolwork and drama and social
and schoolwork and drama and social
and schoolwork and drama and social media an experimentation with drinking
media an experimentation with drinking
media an experimentation with drinking and sex and drugs and rock and roll
and sex and drugs and rock and roll
and sex and drugs and rock and roll especially if they’re posting about it
especially if they’re posting about it
especially if they’re posting about it all online but wait this is the first
all online but wait this is the first
all online but wait this is the first time we’ve ever done this not just my
time we’ve ever done this not just my
time we’ve ever done this not just my husband and i’s impending parenthood but
husband and i’s impending parenthood but
husband and i’s impending parenthood but this is the first time that multiple
this is the first time that multiple
this is the first time that multiple generations of people are raising
generations of people are raising
generations of people are raising digital natives so we need to help
digital natives so we need to help
digital natives so we need to help support them there’s gonna come a time
support them there’s gonna come a time
support them there’s gonna come a time in our future child’s life when they’re
in our future child’s life when they’re
in our future child’s life when they’re going to post something online that is
going to post something online that is
going to post something online that is less than acceptable to us many of you
less than acceptable to us many of you
less than acceptable to us many of you have experienced this already when this
have experienced this already when this
have experienced this already when this time comes we need to help support them
time comes we need to help support them
time comes we need to help support them by lending an ear to listen I know I
by lending an ear to listen I know I
by lending an ear to listen I know I know teenagers don’t always turn to
know teenagers don’t always turn to
know teenagers don’t always turn to their parents first when they’re in a
their parents first when they’re in a
their parents first when they’re in a crisis but they have relationships with
crisis but they have relationships with
crisis but they have relationships with adults they trust if they aren’t turning
adults they trust if they aren’t turning
adults they trust if they aren’t turning to you maybe they’re turning to a
to you maybe they’re turning to a
to you maybe they’re turning to a teacher or even a peer that they look up
teacher or even a peer that they look up
teacher or even a peer that they look up to and that’s okay it still takes a
to and that’s okay it still takes a
to and that’s okay it still takes a village so embrace that village we can
village so embrace that village we can
village so embrace that village we can help support our kids by educating
help support our kids by educating
help support our kids by educating ourselves and pointing them in the
ourselves and pointing them in the
ourselves and pointing them in the direction of resources available to them
direction of resources available to them
direction of resources available to them to help them manage their online lives
to help them manage their online lives
to help them manage their online lives make them aware of laws that pertain to
make them aware of laws that pertain to
make them aware of laws that pertain to sexting in the state where you live
sexting in the state where you live
sexting in the state where you live seek out digital literacy opportunities
seek out digital literacy opportunities
seek out digital literacy opportunities together at your local public libraries
together at your local public libraries
together at your local public libraries I know this is a tough one but we need
I know this is a tough one but we need
I know this is a tough one but we need to explore the social media platforms
to explore the social media platforms
to explore the social media platforms our children are using so we can live in
our children are using so we can live in
our children are using so we can live in those spaces alongside them helping them
those spaces alongside them helping them
those spaces alongside them helping them to navigate the waters of digital
to navigate the waters of digital
to navigate the waters of digital literacy more responsibly as your kid on
literacy more responsibly as your kid on
literacy more responsibly as your kid on snapchat create an account dive in and
snapchat create an account dive in and
snapchat create an account dive in and let your kid teach you how to use the
let your kid teach you how to use the
let your kid teach you how to use the filters connect with them there or in
filters connect with them there or in
filters connect with them there or in other social media platforms as a quiet
other social media platforms as a quiet
other social media platforms as a quiet follower one who sees what they’re doing
follower one who sees what they’re doing
follower one who sees what they’re doing without interacting or without hovering
without interacting or without hovering
without interacting or without hovering over the
over the
over the every move technology will continue to
every move technology will continue to
every move technology will continue to evolve exponentially but the most
evolve exponentially but the most
evolve exponentially but the most important thing we can do as parents is
important thing we can do as parents is
important thing we can do as parents is to set boundaries with our child’s media
to set boundaries with our child’s media
to set boundaries with our child’s media use and their devices set screen time
use and their devices set screen time
use and their devices set screen time limits charge their devices in your
limits charge their devices in your
limits charge their devices in your bedroom at night not theirs don’t allow
bedroom at night not theirs don’t allow
bedroom at night not theirs don’t allow devices at the table while eating or in
devices at the table while eating or in
devices at the table while eating or in the car while driving and that means me
the car while driving and that means me
the car while driving and that means me and you two parents I’m still riddled
and you two parents I’m still riddled
and you two parents I’m still riddled with anxiety about becoming a parent but
with anxiety about becoming a parent but
with anxiety about becoming a parent but I need to step back
I need to step back
I need to step back zoom out on my worries and remember that
zoom out on my worries and remember that
zoom out on my worries and remember that our parents face challenges too and
our parents face challenges too and
our parents face challenges too and their parents before them so anytime
their parents before them so anytime
their parents before them so anytime that you posted what thought crosses
that you posted what thought crosses
that you posted what thought crosses your mind I want you to pause and think
your mind I want you to pause and think
your mind I want you to pause and think about all the ridiculous stuff you did
about all the ridiculous stuff you did
about all the ridiculous stuff you did while your young minds were still
while your young minds were still
while your young minds were still developing no matter what generation you
developing no matter what generation you
developing no matter what generation you came from we all experimented with
came from we all experimented with
came from we all experimented with substances our bodies and ideas as
substances our bodies and ideas as
substances our bodies and ideas as adolescents and as young adults no
adolescents and as young adults no
adolescents and as young adults no matter how much technology has shifted
matter how much technology has shifted
matter how much technology has shifted we need to step back
we need to step back
we need to step back zoom out on our worries and remember
zoom out on our worries and remember
zoom out on our worries and remember that raising digital citizens is no
that raising digital citizens is no
that raising digital citizens is no different than raising in real-life
different than raising in real-life
different than raising in real-life citizens thank you
citizens thank you
citizens thank you [Applause]
”
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