In Australia, the sun’s rays can be particularly harsh and embracing SunSmart practices is crucial for all. With meteorologists predicting El Niño for the upcoming summer period, which means hot, dry waves, being SunSmart should be front of mind for educators and parents.

SunSmart strategies for early childhood educators

To stay smart in the sun we need to combine knowledge with practical strategies. The knowledge aspect comes down to understanding the risks of excessive sun exposure, especially when it’s hot.

Excessive sun exposure combined with physical activity can increase the risk of sunburn, dehydration, and heat-related illness, such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke. By being aware of these risks and implementing SunSmart practices, caregivers and educators can help protect children throughout summer.

Thankfully, practical tips like these can help you integrate sun safety into early learning services:

Understanding UV levels: UV (ultra-violet) rays are the invisible electromagnetic radiation emitted by the sun. The level of UV being emitted by the sun on any given day is what contributes to our risk of sunburn outdoors and is it measured on the solar UV index scale of 0 (low UV) to 11+ (extreme UV). Downloading a weather app that provides these measurements each day, such as the one provided by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology enables you to keep an eye on the UV levels and plan accordingly. For example, the BOM Weather app provides real-time UV index updates, helping educators make informed decisions about outdoor activities. Aim to schedule outdoor play when UV levels are lower, typically early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

Sunscreen essentials: Sunscreen with at least SPF 30 should be a staple in your sun safety toolkit. Apply sunscreen generously to all exposed skin, and don’t forget to reapply every two hours – more frequently if children are swimming or sweating. Make sunscreen application a fun and engaging activity.

Protective clothing matters: Encourage children to wear sun-protective clothing, including t-shirts, hats and sunglasses. Opt for clothing with a UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) rating for added sun defense where possible. Wide-brimmed hats that shade the face, neck, and ears are particularly effective. Implement a hat-wearing policy during outdoor activities to make it consistent and simple for children to follow.

Seek shade: When possible, organise outdoor play areas strategically to maximise natural shade. Set up portable shade structures for added protection during peak sun hours. Educators should actively guide children towards shaded areas, fostering the understanding that shade provides a cooler and safer play environment.

Inclusive education and awareness: For educators working with children from diverse backgrounds, it’s crucial to emphasise the unique challenges posed by the Australian sun. Create informational materials and conduct workshops to raise awareness about the importance of sun safety in Australia for all families to be able to access. Posters around the service and mentions in your newsletters or communications app can help too.

SunSmart resources for early childhood education

There are many resources can you access to serve as powerful tools in conveying the importance of sun safety for educators, parents, and even children.

Over at the Cancer Council website you can download the National SunSmart early childhood sun protection policy, which can help early learning services to have a written document for all to understand the ins and outs of how you protect children (and your team) from the sun.

Children are never too young to gain a better understanding of how stay safe in summer, and this collection of videos around being SunSmart help to make this important message engaging, age-appropriate, and fun. You can find more SunSmart early childhood education resources here, including posters, online learning tools and more.

Being SunSmart in early learning services is not just about protecting children from sunburn – it’s about instilling lifelong habits that promote health and wellbeing. Let’s work together to create a sun-safe environment where children can learn, play, and thrive in early childhood education settings and beyond.

For more information about our courses or the sector, get in touch.

“She makes relevant, research-based information available to parents, caregivers and educators so that they can make informed decisions on how they can navigate the digital landscape with young children – without guilt, grief or guesswork!” 

Fortunately for us, we are the beneficiaries of Kristy’s hard work and accumulated knowledge as she does a deep dive into what it means to raise a ‘screenager’.  

So Kristy, what do you mean by the term screenager?

A ‘screenager’ is not a teenager nor a ‘threenager’. Some tell–tale signs to know whether you have a screenager is that they have learned to tap, swipe and pinch before they have learned to grip a pencil, ride a bike or tie their shoelaces! They don’t know what delayed gratification feels like. A long lag time for a screenager is more than the 3 seconds they spend waiting for a webpage or app to download.  

These days, by the time a child turns eight, approximately one full year of their life has been spent using digital technologies.  

It’s obvious that technology is playing and will continue to play a pivotal role in the lives of young people and this is having a profound effect on their learning, wellbeing and health. 

Why is it difficult for us as parents to understand this landscape?

Our frame of reference was quite different to that of our children. Our natural tendency is to panic when new technologies are introduced. But hysteria is not helpful. It arises in part because we can’t think back to our childhood and remember how our parents dealt with the digital dilemmas we’re facing.  

We are navigating a world that is so different from our own and because technology is changing at such a rapid pace, we feel like we’re on the back foot. And it’s no surprise, as this is the first time in history that a generation of children know more about a topic than their parents do.  

Does social media and smartphones play a major role in reducing mental health outcomes?

There is a correlation, but a causal relationship has not been established. Meaning, that it has not been proven if those already disposed to poor mental health are drawn to these platforms as a copy mechanism or diversion, or if these technologies themselves are causing adverse mental health outcomes. 

It’s important to note that poor mental health outcomes aren’t caused by the technologies themselves, but by what these technologies are displacing.  

So with this in mind, you don’t recommend banning technology but rather, planning for its use?

That’s correct! We need parents, educators and caregivers to be the pilots of the digital world to teach children the skills they need to navigate it.  

“Rather than labelling digital technologies toxic or taboo, we need parents and other trusted adults sitting fairly and squarely in the pilot’s seat helping our children to navigate this world, so that when they hit digital turbulence, we can help them to course correct.” 

For example, when our children are unfortunately a victim of cyberbullying, exposed to aggression, violence or pornography or even an online predator is grooming them, if we’re in the pilot’s seat, we can be there to help them. 

So how do you go about planning to be the digital pilot?

The key to this is what I call the ‘3 Bs’. Being Boundaries, Basic Needs and Boredom.  

1. Boundaries 

Setting limits to establish healthy digital habits is essential. To create these, you could consider:  

• When are your no-go tech times? 
• Where are your no-go tech zones? 
• How are they being used? 
• Who are they being used with? 

When we are thinking about limits, it’s helpful to consider the bigger picture. Young individuals need relationships, sleep, play, language, movement and nutrition to develop executive functions for optimal learning, well-being and development. When screen time takes over, some of these basic needs are being displaced – and that’s why we are seeing a decline in mental health. 

I would advise against using technology as a reward or punishment tool because it develops a ‘what’s in it for me’ relationship which can quickly become counterproductive. And perhaps more crucially, they will not come to you when they hit digital turbulence for fear they will be punished or ‘digitally amputated’.  

You might want to set a rule where first thing in the morning there is no access to screens because it activates the sympathetic nervous system or the fight or fight or flee response. Or at night, when our logical pre-frontal cortex – the CEO part of our brain – switches off and the amygdale, the emotional part of the brain is fired up causing impaired decision making.  

One of the key things I would also suggest is to establish firm boundaries together with our children so they can feel empowered.  

2. Basic needs

The three basic needs that are most affected by digital technology overuse are: relationships, sleep and physical movement. 

Relationships

Being connected is the most basic need we have as humans. When we are in close proximity with someone we release oxytocin, the social bonding hormone. We need to ensure that technology is not interfering with our relationships. We have to make sure we’re not missing the micro-moments of connection we have with our kids through poor digital hygiene. You don’t get that time back. We need to be good digital role models and reflect on how we use our own technology.  

Sleep

Young people need the right quality as well as quantity of sleep. Without this, it can affect their ability to learn and it can adversely affect mental health. It’s therefore advisable to end screen time 60-90 minutes before they go to sleep as it can delay them getting to sleep. Young people need deep REM sleep to benefit memory, mood and learning. The blue light in devices adversely affects this important part of our sleep routine.   

Physical movement

The third one is physical movement which creates positive neurotransmitters such as serotonin – and we also know that physical activity is crucial for wiring the brain to learn.   

3. Boredom

I believe the most important skill we need to encourage in the digital world is the art of boredom. When we’re bored, we enter the default mode of thinking – otherwise known as daydreaming. We solve problems and create solutions in this state. We need to remember that white space, and being unplugged are vital for our physical, and mental health and productivity.  

Why do our kids experience the dreaded techno tantrum?

Rest assured that techno tantrums are normal! It is a typical bio-neurological response to being unplugged from digital technology, and there are three major reasons why they happen. 

1. Technology taps into our basic psychological needs as humans

The online world taps into these needs perfectly. The first one is connection – a basic primal need – which is served by the connections you can make via social media, group chat and multiplayer games. The second is competency – for boys, tangible validation is gained through achieving gaming goals, or for girls, they can present an edited, highlighted and curated social media reel.  

2. A developing brain is more vulnerable to technology temptations

The pre-fontal cortex only develops in males during their late 20s and early 20s for girls. This means their filter for what’s enough or appropriate is underdeveloped. Dopamine, the pleasure transmitter, is also stimulated by technology, and this also overrides the logical part of our brain. To compound this cocktail, GABA which is responsible for self-regulation decreases in production as children hit adolescence.  

3. There are persuasive design principles at play that make the online world very alluring

The intermittent variable reward system – or unpredictable reward ratio that hooks us into constantly checking our technology is integrated into many digital technologies. The digital world is also designed to be a bottomless world, it is infinite, and there are no stopping cues or getting a sense you are done or complete. Experiences are also personalised and curated via Google algorithms, which makes it all the more appealing.  

Do you have any tips to help us manage techno tantrums?

The below are ‘mum-tested’ strategies for managing the intensity of techno tantrum land.  

1. 1. Create an appealing transition activity – e.g. when you turn off the TV would you like to jump on the trampoline or walk around the block. Giving them a choice of activities gives them a dopamine hit and makes the transition easier for them. 
   2. Give them fair warning – e.g. when you’ve finished this game, or in two episodes’ time, we’re turning this off.
   3. Get our kids accustomed to being bored  
   4. Try to touch their arm for example as physical touch releases oxytocin
   5. Or, get them to do some movement or time in nature to calm their brains 

What can we do to help to manage inappropriate content?

Rather than obsessing about time on technology, perhaps the more important question is, what content are they accessing and on which platforms?   

Common sense media and the e-safety commissioner’s website are great resources to keep up to date with developments in technology.  I think it’s important to install internet filtering software e.g. Family Zone. You can set screen time limits and usage windows.  

However, none of these are failsafe. You cannot fence the ocean.  That’s why you need to be the pilot of the digital plane.  

A final word?

The basics work – if you work the basics!

We need parents, educators and caregivers to be the pilots – not the passengers – of the digital plane.  

If we are the pilot, we are: 

• Establishing boundaries 
• Enabling basic needs 
• Allowing them to be bored 

Be kind to yourself and know that if you know more, you can do better.  

About Dr Kristy Goodwin

Dr. Kristy Goodwin is a researcher, speaker, author, and mum. She is on a serious mission to help parents ditch their techno-guilt and raise happy, healthy children (without suggesting digital abstinence). She also helps professionals develop sustainable tech habits to ensure their health and performance aren’t sabotaged by the screens we’ve become dependent on.

To connect with Kristy, or for more information please visit Dr Kristy Goodwin’s website. 

Online bullying affects around 20% of Australian children, though there are potentially more who do not tell others what they are experiencing. This is why it’s so essential that educators know how to take action against online bullying in children and protect young people.

Working with children, we have the privilege of being able to guide children in the right direction in life and give them the tools to become resilient, kind human beings.

While online bullying or cyberbullying is common, we can work together to combat online bullying in children. Here’s how:

1. Talk about online bullying

Young children may not even know what online bullying is, even if they are at the receiving end. On the other hand, children who are engaging in the act of online bullying or witnessing it may not fully understand what they are involved in.

Tell children what online bullying is, what it could look like, where they might experience it and what to do if you see it or experience it firsthand. The best advice is to talk to an adult they trust who can help make it stop.

2. Check in with children’s emotions

If a child is being bullied online, they may be feeling a range of emotions. Some children feel angry and frustrated, while feeling confused, embarrassed, scared, alone and sad are also likely to be in the mix.

As with any feeling we experience, talking about them is important. Make a point of asking children regularly how they are feeling. Even if you don’t suspect they are experiencing online bullying, giving children the opportunity to talk about their feelings can offer you further insight into their lives and help them to trust that you care.

3. Teach online safety

The nature of online bullying means it doesn’t stop when they leave the school ground or the park. Devices and technology are everywhere in today’s society, making online bullying particularly relentless.

It’s important to show children that it doesn’t have to be inescapable. It’s okay to turn off the mobile phone, tablet or computer. Log out of Facebook or the online game and take some time out. Show children how to block people who upset them online and how to make records of any unpleasant messages they receive.

4. Have an anti-bullying policy in place

Whether you work in a kindergarten or a primary school, or even in after school care, an anti-bullying policy is good practice. All children should know what constitutes online bullying and that there will be consequences for engaging in it. Make it clear that bullying on any platform is not acceptable.

5. Educate parents

Encourage parents to minimise screen time for young children and always set up any online profiles for them, using the highest security settings. Parents should understand what signs of online bullying to look for and have children use devices in open family spaces in the home.

6. Make records of your own

If you suspect online bullying in children who are in your care, make notes and record any incidents.

7. Provide details for additional support

In some cases children simply may not want to reach out within their communities, but there are many support options that they can even access anonymously for support. Inform children that there are other people they can talk to, including Lifeline, Kids Helpline and ReachOut.

Another useful resource for educators, families and children is the Esafety website. Here you can report cyberbullying and learn more about how we can work together to combat online bullying in children.

Don’t forget to download our eBook about online bullying.

Missed our first two blogs in the series? Read them here!

What is online bullying?

Spotting the signs of online bullying