Digital Detours

A New Resource for Walker County Schools Families

Walker County Schools, in collaboration with the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE), is thrilled to introduce a new partnership with Parent ProTech — a trusted resource created to help families confidently navigate the digital landscape and protect children online. From smartphones to social media, technology offers incredible opportunities but also presents unique challenges. Staying informed can feel overwhelming for parents — and that’s where Parent ProTech comes in.

What Is Parent ProTech?

Parent ProTech is your one-stop resource for videos, guides, and expert tips — all designed to help you better understand and manage your child’s digital world. Even better, it’s completely free for Walker County Schools families. Whether you’re keeping an eye on screen time, curious about social media apps, or just want to stay up to date, Parent ProTech gives you the tools to have confident, informed conversations at home.

Click the graphic to sign up for your FREE account.

"Social media can help kids:

• stay connected with friends and family
• interact with a more diverse group of kids than they may be used to
• volunteer or get involved with a campaign, nonprofit, or charity
• enhance their creativity by sharing ideas, music, and art
• meet other people who have similar interests
• communicate with educators and fellow students
• find health information
• learn about current events
• get support when they feel sad or anxious"

"The 5 Cs is a mnemonic that can be used to talk to kids and screens. They are: Child, Content, Calm, Crowding Out, and Communication."

"Online predators present another significant threat, particularly to children. Because the nature of the internet is so anonymous, it is easy for people to misrepresent themselves and manipulate or trick other users. Adults often fall victim to these ploys, and children, who are usually more open and trusting, are easier targets. Another growing problem is cyberbullying. These threats are even greater if a child has access to email or instant messaging programs, visits chat rooms, and/or uses social networking sites."

"It’s also surprisingly easy to feel lonely in the middle of all that hyperconnection. For one thing, kids now know with depressing certainty when they’re being ignored. We all have phones and we all respond to things pretty quickly, so when you’re waiting for a response that doesn’t come, the silence can be deafening."

"Parents and caretakers used to just worry about kids watching too much TV, or playing too many video games. We still worry about those things, but now the screen time list has gotten much longer. Phones, tablets, apps, social media, texting — they all can captivate kids (and adults) starting at a very young age. What’s a parent to do? Going back to bed isn’t an option, but taking a deep breath and encouraging rational moderation is. Here are some tips, broken down by age group, to get you started."

"Sextortion can start on any site, app, messaging platform, or game where people meet and communicate. In some cases, the first contact from the criminal will be a threat. The person may claim to already have a revealing picture or video of a child that will be shared if the victim does not send more pictures."

• “What are some of the things you’ve enjoyed about having this social media account? What are the downsides? Is there anything you want to change? Why?”

• “I don’t know much about this social media platform. Can you show me a little bit about how it works, or what you like to look at on this one?”

• “I understand that what you follow has a big impact on what you see when you are on that app. How do you decide who or what to follow on your profile? Do you ever think about unfollowing accounts when you don’t like the content they show you? Why or why not?”

• “Have you noticed whether you feel drawn to using social media during the day or at night? Anything stand out to you?”

• “Have you noticed times when it’s harder to get off social media. Why do you think so? What helps you get off it?”

• “What’s something that’s surprised you about using social media so far? Was it good or bad? How about something you expected to experience — has it been what you thought it would be? Why?”

• “Have you experienced any unexpected or unpleasant situations since you’ve gotten your account? What was that like for you?”

• “It sounds like you made a great decision with how to handle that. Did anything surprise you about what happened? Would you do something similar if this happens again? Or, would you do something different?”

School Social Workers serve students and families across the county based on which school a student attends. Click the button above to see who serves each school. Contact your school social worker for more assistance.