Educating for Digital Well-Being

Stories by Katie Duffy Schumacher on Medium

• How can we raise the collective consciousness and shine our light? — Conversations with Katie
  How can we raise the collective consciousness and shine our light? — Conversations with KatieIf your children are on social media, they are likely being exposed to footage from a war zone and all kinds of other violent, scary, and otherwise age-inappropriate imagery. Middle schoolers, high schoolers, and even elementary schoolers are shown graphic videos from the conflict […]
• Social media is not a technology problem — it’s a big business problem
  Social media is not a technology problem — it’s a big business problemOn May 23 of this year, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released an advisory on protecting youth mental health, referencing the CDC’s recent finding that one in three high school students report persistent feelings of hopelessness or sadness and noting that social media can “have adverse effects” […]
• Finally, we are admitting we have a problem. Now is the time to act.
  Finally, we are admitting we have a problem. Now is the time to act.Social media’s harmful effects on young people will not disappear without positive reformFor the last 10 years, I have been in the trenches, visiting schools to address the impact of smart devices and social media on young people. Through my public speaking program, the […]
• How is our environment continuing to create a mental health crisis? — Conversations with Katie
  How is our environment continuing to create a mental health crisis? — Conversations with KatieIn my most recent piece, I wrote about the Era of Anxiety we are living in and the multiple stresses today’s children are facing: the threat of school shootings, the high levels of pressure to succeed academically and excel in extracurricular activities, the lasting […]
• The Era of Anxiety-Conversations with Katie
  When my daughter was in high school, one of her classmates died by suicide, and she called me from school as the students were attempting to piece together what had happened. There was a rumor spreading about a death, but no one knew who had died, only that it was a girl. Turbocharged by smartphones […]
• Back to School Scramble -Conversations with Katie
  As I begin my Mindful Approach to Social Media presentations for the 2022–2023 school year, my inbox is full. I am inundated by emails and private messages on every social media platform from countless schools and parents with questions, concerns, and requests for advice. Usually, my busy season starts a bit later. In the past, […]
• Understanding, changing, and supporting today's children’s reality -Conversations with Katie
  When I was a kid, I used to wake up nervous most Sunday mornings. I would arise around five am, full of anxiety about the week ahead. I would crawl into bed with my mother, which helped me feel safe, and throughout the day, I was able to keep myself active and my mind busy. […]
• An Examination of The High Stakes of Extracurriculars and Mental Health -Conversations with Katie
  May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and over the past week, people have been sending me stories and posts mourning the loss of young people who have recently died by suicide. It was not the first time, and I know it will not be the last. My college-aged children have lost classmates to suicide; in […]