So many of our important life moments happen in virtual spaces. However, we spend so little effort preparing our kids to thrive in this space. That’s where the book Digital For Good comes in.

When you focus on the bad, you’re actually less effective at avoiding it than if you focus on the good. You can’t practice not doing something. And instead of limiting screen time, think about teaching a concept of balance, and understand that not all digital activities are created equal. Think about it similar to eating. There are no time limits on eating, but we need to eat a healthier balance of foods.

When it comes to cyberbullying, talk to your kids about how to recognize and help others who are possibly being bullied. In many cases, simply pointing out that something is harmful can help with situations of cyberbullying. Being a healthy digital citizen means creating a safe space for others.

The current conversation surrounding tech use among kids has focused largely on the negative—what not to do and what dangers to avoid—but Richard Culatta presents the flip side of the conversation in his new book, Digital for Good. Richard argues that using technology proactively, productively, and as a tool for good has been largely overlooked, to the detriment of our kids. As a result, he’s created a refreshingly positive framework for parents and teachers who are in desperate need of figuring out how to help their children harness technology’s potential for good—while avoiding the bad.

Richard Culatta is the author of Digital For Good: Raising Kids to Thrive in an Online World. He serves as CEO of the International Society for Technology in Education, a nonprofit serving education leaders in 127 countries. A teacher by training and innovator by inclination, Culatta works to leverage technology to reinvent learning and was appointed by President Obama as the Director of the Office of Educational Technology for the U.S. Department of Education. 

If you want to check out more about Richard Culatta, you can see what he’s up to here, or follow him on social media via Twitter or LinkedIn. Also, you can find Richard’s book here.

Resource Recon with Amanda and Sarah

This week’s spotlight comes from one of our Experience Bloggers, Mary Spangler. In her post titled, “As Time Goes By…” Mary writes:

“We’ve been deep into the recruiting life for more than six months now, and I’m starting to feel a sense of normalcy coming back to daily life. It’s been a struggle at times to reach this, but now that we’re in a routine with more predictability, things have settled a bit.”

Empowerment Patrol Report with Amanda

Our Everyday Empowerment recipient Haley Frerichs was nominated by Brooklyn Morgan, who says:

“Haley has the most selfless heart. When my husband joined the Army, she immediately filled me in on the do’s and don’ts of everything Army. Besides being a former soldier herself, she supports her husband’s work in the Army, is raising the sweetest boy, works out like a champ, and is in chiropractic school. She amazes me. When she lived here,