Workshop on 'Parenting in a Digital World' offered at Fox Chapel Area

From Tumblr to TikTok, navigating social media can become confusing for people of any age, particularly parents who are trying to keep up with a changing landscape.

Parents who find themselves struggling to understand apps and technology and their impacts can attend a workshop hosted this month by Fox Chapel Area School District.

“Parenting in a Digital World: Youth, Technology, Social Media, Drugs and Mental Health,” will be 6 to 8 p.m. May 22 in the high school’s large group instruction room.

The mission is to help adults decipher the different types of social media and technology children use today.

Ryan Klingensmith, founder of Shape the Sky, will lead the program.

His group is a network of parents and educators who work together to offer tips for adults seeking to create a digitally responsible culture among their children.

Parents can expect to learn about popular apps such as Instagram, Snapchat, Confide, TikTok, After School and hidden photo vaults.

“Kids have the knowledge to use the technology but sometimes lack the wisdom to use it responsibly,” Klingensmith said.

Likewise, adults have the wisdom to be responsible users but sometimes lack the knowledge, he added.

“My goal is to connect knowledge with wisdom,” said Klingensmith, who leads classroom prevention presentations regarding youth social media culture and provides social media training for parents, educators and law enforcement.

The event is among many hosted in the district during May, which is Mental Health Month.

For more, visit fcasd.edu.