A newspaper article on children out of control ended up on my Facebook feed this morning.
The children we teach today are entitled narcissists. And it’s partly social media’s fault.
Anything kids want, from pizza to porn, can be satisfied 24/7 via the Internet. Social media breeds narcissism by making kids the stars of their own lives on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Having a newsfeed full of what their peers are getting and doing dials up the desire to have the same.
The age
It’s so easy to blame the internet.
TV I’m sure got a bad wrap.
So too rock and roll and jazz back in the day.
Yes I’ve seen children do horrible things online and offline.
However, it’s because they haven’t really thought through the impact of their actions on others.
I’ve also seen kids do some amazing things online, share stories, fundraise, advocate.
In both cases, they need adults there to model and guide them. Set boundaries and help them work through their stuff ups.
The online world is the real world.
You are always going to find the worst of humanity online.
But you can also find the best.
A teacher I never met died today. He was a prolific sharer and I always admired his passion and dedication to kids. To the community he was a part of, he was not just another collection of pixels, an avatar on a screen.
He was a friend and co-worker.
Just like the real world, compassion and grief exist on the online world too.
Teaching the Teacher 
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