2021, adolescence Yejin Ban 2021, adolescence Yejin Ban

Anna, 14

How do you and your family interact with media and technology?

Lately, the biggest use of technology is using Zoom on the laptop, and my sister and I mostly use Netflix and other social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. My parents mostly use technology to watch TV and Korean dramas. We use technology much more than our parents.

How do your parents feel about you using media?

When we were little, they limited our use of technology in terms of time, but now they are open to me using any kind of social media. When I tell my parents that my friends aren’t allowed to use certain platforms, they find it weird because they believe we should be able to use them if we want to. They trust that I’m not doing anything bad, but sometimes they worry that it’ll be a distraction from school.

How do you and your friends interact with media/technology?

My friends and I use TikTok the most. We send each other TikToks, and the screen time is really bad because of it. When I start watching it, it’s hard to stop watching.

Do you have different views towards media use than your parents?

Even though my parents use social media, they don’t view it as something that is necessary. I find it an easy way to interact with my friends. TikTok allows me to see what influencers and other celebrities are doing, and most people I know around me feel that way too.

What is your favorite and least favorite thing about media and technology?

When I’m bored, it’s something that I can do, and I can spend a lot of time on it for entertainment. It’s really fun to see a variety of things. A bad thing I guess is that people get bullied through social media, and it’s kind of hard to prevent it.

Is there anything else you don’t like about social media?

Not really.

Do you think you use the media too much?

Definitely too much, but when I try to limit it, I end up failing. It’s kind of hard to control it.

Have you ever felt the need or want to get away from technology?

Yeah, I thought about it, but I never did it. I think it would be nice, but I never actually tried it.

How did you feel about this interview?

It was interesting to talk about my media use because I never really think about the things you asked me. It made me think a lot about how the media is really affecting me.

Interviewed by: Yejin Ban, UCLA Student

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2021, adolescence Quynh Vo 2021, adolescence Quynh Vo

Joshua, 18

Media Consumption: 10 hours per day (school and leisure)

How are you using media during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Well, it has definitely increased because when I was on campus at UCLA, I would spend most free time hanging out with friends on campus, but now I have to interact with friends through social media — Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat — and my YouTube time has gone up a lot. Just overall an increase in social media use.

How many hours a day do you use digital technology?

I would say a good chunk of my time. Most of my day — at least 10 hours a day on-screen, which includes school and everything else. For school-related activities, at least 6 hours school because I have coding which is online, and I can’t do any of it on paper. For personal use, probably 4 hours.

What are some social media channels that you use? What are their purposes? What are some pros and cons about each?

I am on Instagram a lot. I usually see what people post and what they are up to. But most of the time I’m on TikTok because it’s so addictive. The scrolling option is really addicting. I don’t know if it’s a pro or con but it consumes a lot of my time. More than I would like it to. So I would say probably 3 out of my 4hours — if I spend 4 hours a day — would be on TikTok because you get that addictive scrolling. It’s not the same with Instagram because TikTok allows you to see 6-second videos and you scroll and get hooked on something else again and again. I first got into TikTok at the start of quarantine because I wanted to feel more connected to people. And it's just another outlet to do that.

Do you try to limit your media use? How?

Since I’ve been at home, I know I’ve had too much screen time so I am trying to limit my time for both personal and school use because I do not want to ruin my eyes. Most of the time, I try to cut down my personal use because I can’t help my school-related stuff. I try to cut off my TikTok time as much as I can. On the TikTok app, a guide pops up every so often and says “You’ve been on here for a while. You probably need to get some rest,” which is helpful. I do have notifications on YouTube for if you watch for too long (1 hour) or if it’s your bedtime. For TikTok, I don’t have anything set up, which tells me how much time I’ve been on it. So 3 hours can go by and I wouldn’t notice. So I should probably set up an alarm now that I think about it.

When did you get your first phone? What type of phone was it?

This was back in the day, so I was probably 8-years-old; 2010. It was a BlackBerry. It was one of those that had a wheel on it with the plastic keyboard. So there wasn't much functionality to it. I just played a game where you bounced the ball and hit stuff. I didn’t really contact anyone with it besides my parents because my peers did not have phones at that age. For smartphones, I got my first one in 2013/14. I did more than press plastic keyboards.

How did your parents regulate your technology usage growing up?

Once I came to college, funny enough, they encouraged me to install an app. I forgot what it was called but it basically tracks your location. So wherever I would go, they would monitor where I was at. So I guess they were paranoid of how much freedom I had in college. But before that, in high school, they would monitor messages without me knowing. So I thought that was kind of weird. I don’t think they cared about the content. They didn’t give me murder games but as long as it was within a reasonable range, they won’t care about what I was playing. In terms of screen time, they were responsible parents and limited my screen time when I was on my PS3 or tablet or phone.

Have you been influenced by ads you saw on social media?

I noticed that after I looked something up, they had popped up for that thing I looked up. So whenever I see ads, it's for something that I’ve already seen or looked up so I don’t really pay much attention to them. I actually installed an ad skipper for YouTube. So every time a skip ads button pops up, this ad skipper automatically clicks it so I don’t have to deal with clicking it, so I don’t even watch the ads.

How do you feel about big companies taking your data and feeding it to advertisers?

I think it’s kind of creepy and more annoying than anything. I’ve seen these things and looked it up and it’s just really annoying.

What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?

I like how many different perspectives I get to see. Not so much from Instagram and Snapchat because the media you consume is based on who you follow. But TikTok is personalized to you in a way that it gives you content that you like but not necessarily [have] seen before. So I like that I get to see a lot of different people that I wouldn’t have otherwise seen because I don’t follow them.

Do you have any thoughts on Facebook?

Before college, I thought that Facebook was only for old people. But now that I’m in college, I realize the importance of it. Because for the Dragon Boat Team, we really utilize all the features such as Facebook messaging, announcements, and discussions. So I like how all of that is intertwined with one another and we could create events on Facebook and send reminders to people. I don’t really use the Facebook platform for anything other than that. But I have been using Facebook messenger a lot more recently. I use it as my main source of communication with people.

What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?

I appreciate those messages that pop up for TikTok. I haven’t put something in my settings where it's like I only want an hour of screen time. So I appreciate those messages from TikTok saying you probably spend too much time on this app and it’s probably time for you to go to bed.

Do you think screentime is bad before going to bed?

I think it might be for some but for me, it's kind of a routine now. It’s my routine so it gets me in the mood to sleep. I try not to let social media dictate sleep, but it often does if I’m hooked on the content. Especially TikTok when it seems like there’s an endless void of content to go through, as opposed to YouTube. When a video ends, after you watched for 40 minutes, you kind of know it’s time for you to go to bed. But for TikTok, there’s no sense of direction or time. So it’s kind of difficult to dictate when I sleep when I am on TikTok, but for other apps, I feel like it’s fine.

When the notification pops up, what do you do?

For YouTube, I know that I’ve been on there for one hour, so I should probably get off, but for TikTok, it doesn’t tell you a certain time. It feels like it's only been 5 minutes. So I feel like I could do it for a little bit more. [With YouTube] usually, I disregard the message, but I do keep it on my mind so I get off a couple of minutes later.

Interviewed by: Quynh Vo, UCLA Student

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2021, adolescence Adela Tran 2021, adolescence Adela Tran

Anna, 13

How do you and your family interact with technology?

We usually watch something together in our parents’ room or sometimes we text on the phone.

On your own time for fun, how do you use digital media?

I watch YouTube, call my friends, and read comics. I call my friends every day from morning until night.

Are there any rules around media use in the house?

On the weekends, mommy makes us start playing only at 9 or 10 in the morning. That is when we are allowed to start. And then we have to stop at 9 or 10 at night to do something else. She tells us to get off our computers and phones, and if we don’t then she will yell at us.

How do you use social media?

I use Discord. I barely use Instagram and Twitter. I use Discord the most to call and text friends. If one of our friends wants to stream their homework for help or stream YouTube or Netflix. I also did Secret Santa. One of my best friends had a bunch of mutuals on Twitter and I was invited and we all gathered together. I was part of the organizing. Everyone filled out a form and everyone had to fill it out to match people depending on what they wanted and what they could make. It was pretty hectic but I got through. It was pretty cool.

How has your media usage changed during the Covid-19 pandemic?

Before I was only on Discord for an hour a day but now I’m on it every day at every hour.

How do you feel about celebrity influencers online?

I only watch them when they pop up on my recommendations. Some of them are kind of problematic. They get into scandals. They’re just people who I watch, not really role models. They say “don’t wear this, it will make you look fat.” It’s sad and mean. All those girls, especially models. You just have to be like them — shave, no body hair, have a thin face, and have all this stuff appearance-wise. It’s sad.

What lessons have you learned from Covid-19?

Be more aware of your surroundings and follow the rules.

Interviewed by: Adela Tran, UCLA Student

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2021, adolescence Daniel Fouladian 2021, adolescence Daniel Fouladian

Michael, 20

 Media Consumption: Around 4-5 Hours a Day

Favorite Media/Technology: Video Games and Twitch

Why do you play video games?

I use video games and streaming to be entertained and feel linked to other people online. Video games link me to my friends and a community of other gamers [people who he does not personally know] where we can chat through the PlayStation app to schedule a time to play multiplayer games. 

What type of content do you play?

Call of Duty Warzone and Rainbow Six Siege. Both of these video game titles are shooter games rated M for mature. Video games have taught me how to socialize. Ever since I was a kid on the PlayStation 3 console, I met and still meet new people every day online.

What do you like about Twitch?

Twitch has helped me learn more about myself. I learned that I am similar to other Twitch viewers as “game lovers” even though I am twenty years old. 

Are there media interferences in your life and what are they?

My smartphone is the biggest distraction of all mankind. Instagram and YouTube are the two main platforms that should be held responsible and punished because I fall in loopholes and lose track of time. I take breaks only to find myself with a bag of Lays chips on my bed, scrolling through ads in my Instagram feed. 

Is your family also affected by the media interferences and how so?

Smartphones in general interfere with my family. Smartphones are a replacement for social interactions during family dinner. Every family member is on their phone; therefore, it is all quiet during dinner.

How has COVID affected your media usage?

I have not been able to see my friends as frequently as before. However, I can still game with them every day. My friends are very important to me and to see my friends less, hurt me. However, video games saved my relationships with my friends and we are able to talk about everything from school to gaming content while playing video games.

Interviewed by: Daniel Fouladian, UCLA 3rd Year Student

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2021, adolescence Rassile Jamaleddine 2021, adolescence Rassile Jamaleddine

Mia, 18

Media Consumption: 2 hours a day (4-5 if not at work)

Favorite Media/Technology: TikTok

How do you and your family interact with media/technology?

We use WhatsApp, since my dad lives far away in Lebanon this is the only way I can speak with him freely. Other than that, none of my siblings live together so we FaceTime and keep in contact mostly through there especially because of COVID.

How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?

We mostly text over iMessage, not as much as we used to talk in high school but that is probably because everyone works now or is busy in college. Oh, we also all use Insta (Instagram), we comment on each other's pictures and support each other on there.

What do you use media for?

I mostly use media to keep in touch with my family, like my dad and siblings. Or occasionally I will drop an Instagram picture to let everybody know I’m still doing well and I still exist, mostly because everyone else is still using that. Snapchat is dead now so I don’t use that and Twitter is something I will occasionally use. Oh, and I watch Netflix a lot - does that count?

What is your favorite/least favorite component of media/technology?

My favorite thing is talking to my family that I otherwise wouldn’t be able to talk to. Also seeing what my friends from high school are up to this past year, and being able to entertain myself on TikTok for hours. My least favorite thing is that it feels like a competition. We are always competing to post the best pictures and see whose life looks the most glamorous. It sounds weird but you kind of want to have the most likes and the most comments, to know people still care or are interested. You also compare yourself on media because since everyone posts their best pictures you only see that side of them and you constantly feel like you’re not good enough. Or maybe that is just me.

What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?

I want the people who create media to know about vulnerable people on their sites. And yeah they aren't responsible for people’s mental health or anything but maybe put some disclaimers? Like younger kids use their sites and it would be helpful to include that not everything is real - or that could be the parents’ job. Maybe they should make the age requirement stricter because you just have to say what year you were born and anyone can do that.

What media are you using more now because of COVID-19?

Because of COVID-19, I stopped going to school so I mostly stay off my computer and only use it for Netflix. On my phone, I use TikTok a lot. Like for hours, but other than that social media is a little toxic so it’s best to just not scroll through Instagram or anything for hours. But TikTok is funny, I am so grateful for it.

Interviewed by: Rassile Jamaleddine, UCLA 4th Year Student

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2021, adolescence Natali Delgadillo 2021, adolescence Natali Delgadillo

Mia, 15

Media Consumption:​ 6 hours a day on phone and computer

Favorite Media/Technology:​ TikTok on her iPhone

How do you and your family interact with media/technology?

Every day my mom uses her Apple Watch to count her steps when she goes on runs and hikes. My dad uses his Alexa as an alarm to wake him up for work every day. I use technology in many ways. I set alarms to remind me to feed my puppy 3 times a day and I watch TikToks when I’m bored. My sister uses technology every day as well by using her laptop for school and she also uses her Apple Watch when going on walks. As a family, we always watch TV in the living room together sometimes.

How do you and your friends interact with media/technology?

My friends and I communicate by Snapchatting each other and sending text messages throughout the day. I also send many TikToks to a lot of my best friends and send funny pictures. We also FaceTime almost once a week by using our phones. We send many snaps to each other almost like a vlog daily about how the day went or what we did that day. With some of my friends, I also have streaks which are when you send a snap — a picture on Snapchat every day — and eventually, you earn a streak.

What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?

My least favorite thing about media/technology is how toxic it can be at times. Women and men tend to compare themselves to celebrities or social media influencers and that can be a very toxic environment. It can also lead to anxiety and depression, I know this because it has also given me much anxiety seeing other people's better lifestyles and just better appearance which can make your self-esteem very low. I have had a few anxiety attacks because of my appearance and comparing myself. It can also be very exhausting to post pictures on Instagram because of the pressure of the anxiety of everyone looking at your picture and judging you and the amount of life or comments can determine how popular you are to some people and overall it is extremely toxic. I have stopped posting and sometimes deleted Instagram to get less anxiety.

What do you use media for?

I use the media for a lot of things, I like to use Pinterest for room decor ideas. I love YouTubers who promote healthy lifestyles and give mental health advice. I like to watch ASMR youtube videos and breathing exercises when things are stressing me out and I can't sleep. I also use Twitter to catch up on the latest news of everything that is going on. I use TikTok for fun entertainment with quick videos that are very fun. I use Instagram to see what everyone is posting and sometimes can get news about new music or other things. I use Snapchat to communicate with people. It's the same thing as messages but more fun.

How are you using media during the COVID-19 pandemic?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I use my phone for alarms and entertainment. I also use my computer daily for Zoom and to do homework. I use my TV to watch YouTube videos after school. I also use my Apple Watch when going on runs. I also use my phone to look up Apple News.

What media has been helping you stay busy/calm during this difficult time?

During this difficult time, my Calm app has helped me stay calm and relaxed and although TikTok is a fun app it can also be very helpful. It can reassure that people are going through this as well.

Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of COVID?

I never realized how much I rely on it by using technology for alarms or music and because of how much my screen time has increased. It's also made me realize how many hours a day I use my phone and how helpful it can be daily.

What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/ play/ interact with to know?

I would ask Emma Chamberlain to make more videos on meditation and mindfulness. Her videos help me a lot and I wish she focused more on mental health. I also wish she did more fashion videos because I love her style.

Interviewed by: Natali Delgadillo, UCLA Student

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2021, adolescence Melanie Aghayane 2021, adolescence Melanie Aghayane

Maya, 15

Media Consumption: 7 hours and 48 minutes daily average

At what age did you first start using these devices

I shared an iPad with my sister starting age 5 and got my own iPhone when I was 9.

What are your most-used apps and which is your favorite?

Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat are my favorite. I would say my most favorite is TikTok.

Why is that one your favorite?

The TikTok algorithm brings up videos that have to do with my interest without me even having to search anything. It is a way I have formed some of my favorite friendships. If I meet someone at a party and we make a TikTok together that basically makes us best friends.

Are there any negative parts of TikTok that comes to mind when you think about it?

People like to post videos that have to do with their music taste, clothes, hobbies, or opinions and sometimes this causes a divide among classmates, and cyberbullying is common with the app.

I see Instagram is your second most used app. What can you tell me about your use of it?

I mostly just follow celebrity figures, school friends, animal accounts, and a couple of weight-loss accounts to motivate me.

What do you and your friends usually use Instagram for?

I love the app because it allows me to know what my friends are up to. I mostly just post because if I don’t then people will get bored and unfollow me. I only have two posts right now though because I stared at them for so long that I started thinking I looked weird so I deleted them, and they barely got any likes anyway.

Can you tell me any reasons you have to believe that Instagram can be problematic?

People usually talk behind each other’s backs about their Instagram posts, and a couple of times other students have anonymously made accounts aimed toward posting unwanted pictures or things about other students in the class. Anytime I take a picture my friends force me to delete it, crop them out, or even photoshop them.

Do you ever buy the stuff you see on one of your social media accounts?

Not that much because I have to use my mom’s money to online shop so I can’t do it too much but my friends and I have a few times. Like there is a TikTok dancer named Charli D’Amelio who has a Dunkin Donuts signature drink named after her, and we have all gotten it and posted pictures of it even though I hated the taste of it.

Does social media impact your productivity?

I do spend a lot of time on my phone. I’m pretty addicted to it and I have put settings on TikTok and Instagram so it locks me out after I have used each of them for three hours to try to limit my time on it, but I always end up changing the settings to use the apps again until late at night.

Does the social media you use get monitored in any other way by one of your parents?

My mom used to slightly monitor my phone use when I was 12-13, just to make sure nothing dangerous was going on, but now that I’m in high school my mom does not take part in any kind of monitoring or control of how much I use technology.

Interviewed by: Melanie Aghayane, UCLA 4th Year Student

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2021 Evelyn Xiong 2021 Evelyn Xiong

Audrey, 8

Favorite Media/Technology: Roblox & YouTube

How do you and your family interact with media/technology?

I like how my family always texts each other and I’m able to text my sisters whenever I want. I like to play Roblox with my older sisters and watch scary movies with them.

How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?

A lot of my friends play Roblox so we talk about it during school. I don’t text my friends because we all don’t have our own cell phones. We like to just talk about the games we play in person at school.

What do you use media for?

I like watching YouTube videos like unboxing videos because I want to see how the toys look before I buy them because I will be sad if the toy doesn't look how I imagined. I like watching YouTube prank videos because they’re funny.

What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?

My favorite thing about technology is Roblox because, in the game, I can dress up my character to whatever I want it to be. I can buy pretty accessories and jewelry to make myself pretty. I can also dress up my character to whatever I want and change the color of my hair to pink. The thing that I don’t like is that sometimes people can be mean online and scam me in Roblox.

What media are you using more now because of the coronavirus (COVID- 19)?

Roblox

Where do you get most of your information to learn more about the coronavirus (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?

Sometimes on TikTok, there are videos about COVID. But my parents and sister usually tell me about COVID.

What lessons have you learned from COVID-19?

I learned how to use Zoom. Online learning isn’t that fun because I don’t get to see my teacher or friends in person.

Interviewed by: Evelyn Xiong, UCLA 4th Year Student

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2021, adolescence Christian Beltran 2021, adolescence Christian Beltran

Madison, 18

Media Consumption: 4-5 Hours per day

Favorite Media/Technology: TikTok and Instagram 

How do you and your family interact with media/technology?

My family and I use iMessage to communicate, and my mom uses Instagram and Facebook, but my dad doesn’t use any. We used to use an app called Life360 to know each other’s locations, but now we just use Find my Friends since we all have iPhones.

How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?

We all use most of the social media platforms, the most popular being TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram. We always message each other using various apps, but mostly with iMessage. We send each other funny videos and posts all the time through the direct messaging features on the app. Some of the videos and posts are very relatable and bring us small bursts of happiness.

What do you use media for?

Primarily out of boredom, or when we are simply procrastinating schoolwork or other work. It’s a great source of endless entertainment. We don’t really have any other need for it other than communication and staying in touch/contact with our friends/peers.

What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?

My least favorite thing would definitely be how toxic the social media community is. As funny as it can be at times, there’s also an extreme level of toxicity that exceeds cyberbullying. Some people are so cruel and have no regard for others and it can so sad to read some people’s comments as “trolls” can be ruthless. There’s no way to put a stop to it either which sucks.

What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?

Try and do whatever you can to limit the cyberbullying and trolling online, as it can really be detrimental to the mental health of a lot of users. The internet can turn from a helpful and resourceful place into a toxic one real quick.

What media are you using more now because of the coronavirus (COVID-19)?

Definitely TikTok and some streaming platforms. Boredom has been at an all-time high, so anything to cure that boredom is what I look for, and that includes streaming and binge-watching shows, as well as any funny videos from creators I like.

Where do you get most of your information to learn more about the coronavirus (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?

Honestly, TikTok has a lot of doctors and medical health experts, so they provide a good amount of information, but I also check the news and I make sure not to watch any biased news networks.

What media has been helping you stay busy/calm during this difficult time?

Like I mentioned earlier, TikTok has been great, as well as streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu have helped cure a lot of boredom, as well as provided me with mindless entertainment.

What lessons have you learned from COVID-19?

The biggest thing I learned isn’t even media-related, but a huge takeaway I got was to not take any time I spent with my friends and family for granted. I really miss not being able to see or hang out with them a lot, so going forward I will cherish our time together much more.

Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of COVID-19?

I didn’t learn much but I realized how difficult it can be to put the phone down, as well as how much control social media has over our lives. We may not realize it but social media has a huge grasp on our daily online interactions, internet usage, and is a pivotal part of our culture. It’ll be interesting to see how it develops over this decade.

Interviewed by: Christian Beltran, UCLA 3rd Year Student

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2021, adolescence Brandon Le 2021, adolescence Brandon Le

Ivan, 17

Media Consumption​: Around 5 hours a day

Favorite Media/Technology: Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok.

How do you and your family interact with media/technology?

Through the social media app Instagram, I sometimes find relatable videos or videos that I would like to share with my mother and/or the rest of my family and it ultimately serves as a bonding experience at times.

How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?

I interact with my peers through social media apps like Instagram and Snapchat, where we send each other funny videos, or news involving what’s going on in our surroundings. It serves as a way to bring us closer together through the videos, or simply to inform ourselves of what’s going on in the world.

What do you use media for?

I use media in order to learn about global and local events, as well as to distract myself with what’s going on in the world around me. It’s a good escape from reality if one can find funny videos online.

What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?

My favorite thing about social media is how much it can bring people closer together through entertainment. For example, I’m able to bond more with my friends because of funny videos, or through a political discussion based on a post that we find on the internet. However, this very thing that brings people together has the potential to tear people apart because of the dangers of abusing social media.

What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?

One thing I want the people who created social media to understand is the impact of social media on people’s everyday lives. For some people, it is their only form of taking in information, and if their platform is full of conspiracies, it’s ultimately going to cause some sort of danger to society. Additionally, it’s difficult to measure the dangers it poses to young and vulnerable minds.

What media are you using more now because of the coronavirus (COVID-19)?

I’m using Instagram more as a result of the global pandemic because it’s the platform where I have most of my friends on and it’s the most convenient way I have to understand what’s going on in their lives and if they’re doing ok. Additionally, I use Instagram to find information about how the coronavirus is doing on both a national and local scale.

Where do you get most of your information to learn more about the coronavirus?

I get most of my information about the coronavirus from the governors of California and the mayor of LA, as well as from news channels such as CNN and MSNBC.

What media has been helping you stay busy/stay calm during this difficult time?

Through the use of Instagram and discord, I’m able to converse with my friends, sometimes all day long and I find myself being busy and focusing on my relationships with them during this difficult time. Additionally, Tik Tok is a good way to distract me because of how personalized one’s experience is.

What lessons have you learned from COVID-19?

From this pandemic, I’ve learned to not take any experience I have with any person for granted, because we never know when something can change within their lives or our own. I also understood and found a new way to process my emotions that I didn’t have before.

Have you learned anything about how you use media and technology because of COVID-19?

I’ve learned that I have to rely more on media because of the pandemic because I no longer have other people as a new source outlet and have to seek information out on my own.

Interviewedby: Brandon Le, UCLA 3rd Year Transfer Student

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covid Brian McAuley covid Brian McAuley

Supporting Science in an Age of Denial

As the world grapples with the ongoing devastation of climate change coupled with a global pandemic, it’s more important than ever that we turn to science for answers and solutions. Unfortunately, political agendas are clouding objective scientific data, making it increasingly difficult to protect our most vulnerable populations and preserve the planet for our youth.

In the United States, this problem runs all the way up to our highest office. During a September meeting with California officials to discuss the recent scourge of wildfires – one of many spikes in natural disasters that scientists have definitively linked to climate change – the president disregarded the scientific data presented to him. 

“I don’t think science knows, actually.”

As a concerned citizen and a professional writer, I find it deeply frustrating when politicians engage in fictional storytelling – weaving narratives to bolster their personal agendas at the expense of those they’ve pledged to serve. Even though many of us content creators are engaged in crafting works of fiction, I believe that it’s our civic responsibility to practice what Ernest Hemingway preached.

“The writer’s job is to tell the truth.”

 In order to do that, let’s check in with what science actually does know about climate change. NASA recently compiled a vast collection of international studies from peer-reviewed scientific journals, reporting that 97% or more of actively publishing climate scientists have come to the same consensus, with over 95% certainty. The destructive impact of climate change is “the result of human activity since the mid-20th century and proceeding at a rate that is unprecedented over decades to millennia.”

With such overwhelming scientific data in our hands, why would anyone, particularly those with the power to mitigate humanity’s role in this accelerated planetary destruction, deny that climate change exists? To answer this question, we need to take some advice from the 1976 film All the President’s Men.

“Follow the money.”

 After compiling data from every country, Statista found that the world’s top oil producer – the United States – was also home to the world’s most climate change deniers. “Other countries with high rates of deniers were Saudi Arabia and Australia, two more countries reliant on oil products for exports or use at home. Scandinavian countries also ranked highly, with oil nation Norway recording the second-highest rate of people believing in climate change not caused by humans.”

 When you look at this data alongside the fact that just 100 fossil fuel companies are responsible for 71% of global emissions, and then factor in a recent study showing that oil and gas companies give more money to congress members with voting records against the environment, some clear motivations come into focus behind the false narrative of climate change denial. The same people who deny climate change also claim that solutions like the Green New Deal are too expensive, even as Scientific American reports that “such policies are now more urgent than ever” and “offer a timely framework for future fiscal stimulus.”

Naomi Oreskes, a Harvard historian of science, pointed out the familiar ways in which the COVID-19 crisis has echoed the steps of climate change denial. “First, one denies the problem, then one denies its severity, and then one says it is too difficult or expensive to fix, and/or that the proposed solution threatens our freedom.”

The threat-to-freedom narrative invoked against scientifically proven life-saving masks rose to a new level when President Trump himself contracted COVID-19, along with several others in the White House. In the aftermath of these diagnoses, which arose following a largely maskless political gathering, the administration affirmed that there would remain no mandatory mask mandate in the White House because wearing a mask is a “personal choice.” This declaration came hot on the heels of a Cornell University study that analyzed over 38 million news articles about the pandemic and revealed that, “the president of the United States was the single largest driver of misinformation around COVID.”

President Trump has continuously pushed to reopen the economy, even when COVID cases were peaking in July and a senior scholar with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security reported, “It’s very clear that the increasing caseload is due to premature relaxing of the containment measures.”

This rush to reboot the failing economy in a reelection year has coincided with a campaign to reopen schools so that parents can return to work. At a September rally, President Trump claimed that the virus affects “virtually” no young people – a direct contradiction to a World Health Organization report from a month earlier citing that the proportion of young people with COVID-19 had tripled in five months.

 Indeed, when it comes to both climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic, the health and prosperity of our youth are in immediate and existential jeopardy. But even as they face overwhelming climate grief and anxiety over an uncertain future, our younger generations are not standing by and letting their elders destroy their world without a fight.

UNICEF reported an uptick in youth activism online in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic; and youth-led organizations like The Sunrise Movement have gained swift momentum in the fight for a climate revolution. As young people work to shift the narrative from apathy and despair towards action and revolution, professional storytellers should follow suit.

Actionable Insights

In the face of false narratives that disregard science and threaten our planet’s future, here are some actionable insights for content creators:

  1. Avoid treating climate change or COVID-19 data as a subjective or partisan issue. Stick to objective scientific facts and call out unfounded lies for what they are.

  2. Show the roots of science denial in the fossil fuel industry and the motivations of politicians who accept money from such interests.

  3. Depict the ways in which youth are impacted by the destructive politics of older generations, including the very real emotional toll of climate anxiety.

  4. When depicting the devastating impact of climate change in your stories, combat apathy and despair by highlighting real-world solutions, offering hope for a reimagined future.

  5. Rather than showing social media as a corruptive scourge of our youth, authentically portray the young people who are using it to spread accurate information and rally social movements.

  6. Depict Gen Z and Gen Alpha characters not through self-involved stereotypes, but rather as a civically involved group fighting for their own future.

As Susan Ostermann wrote in her article “Why Politicizing Science is a Problem” for Notre Dame University’s Keough School of Global Affairs, “integral human development in the coronavirus era requires us to consider the dignity of the individual person, whose health and safety in this case depends on the availability of accurate information, expert guidance and responsible political leadership.”

In the absence of such responsible political leadership, let’s use our platforms as storytellers to uphold accurate information and expert guidance, promoting health and prosperity for all. The fate of the human race is our story to tell, but only the truth will ensure us a happy ending.

Brian McAuley, MFA

WGA Screenwriter

Adjunct Professor, Columbia University

Collaborator of the Center for Scholars & Storytellers

Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this blog belong solely to the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Center for Scholars & Storytellers.

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parenting, covid Brittany Huber, PhD parenting, covid Brittany Huber, PhD

Mining 21st-Century Skills at Home with Technology

This article is part of our #LearningAtHome2020 series with the Child & Family Blog and BOLD  

Just one year ago, the phrase “learning at home” may have conjured different images for parents and educators, unless home-schooling was already the norm. Families the world over have experienced disruptions to daily life and the challenges of distance learning brought on by the pandemic. Teachers with a reluctance for technology in the classroom have had to make an abrupt shift to reach their students. Parents who have chosen to limit their children’s time with digital devices have been challenged by the inevitable increase in screen time as education went virtual. The line between work and home life has blurred, just as the line between screen time and simply, time, is ever-blurring.  

I’m sure your family could use a break from the math or literacy talk, so I’m going to give you some ideas on how you can encourage your children’s development of 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, communication, and creativity through digital play. This is not nearly as daunting a task as it seems. After all, parents and caregivers are children’s first educators and the home environment is their first classroom. Children learn, develop, and make sense of their world through play. But just as screen time and “time” are increasingly intertwined, our use of digital media as tools for learning needs to evolve. We need to literally think outside the TV or touchscreen box and not be constrained by it.

An example of a playful, open-ended digital world is the video game, Minecraft. In Minecraft, the sky is the limit--within this world, players are bound by their own imaginations. For this reason, Minecraft presents many opportunities to foster a number of 21st-century skills.

The 4 Cs: Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, and Critical Thinking

Video games abound with opportunities for social connection and collaboration. Collaboration involves two or more people in a shared effort to learn or solve a problem together. Susan Danby and colleagues provided detailed accounts of children helping each other succeed in various digital environments, and in various regions of the world (Norway, Sweden, and Australia). They provided an example of Australian siblings, ages 4 and 7 years old, traversing a shared digital world (Minecraft) as they acquired resources and combatted zombies. Even though the two children were on their own devices, they engaged in play that demonstrated communication patterns indicative of collaboration and instruction. Children who play games together learn perspective-taking and must consider each others’ shared knowledge.

While the potential to learn and develop 21st-century skills in massive multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG) such as Minecraft exists, transferring these skills to the real-world is less straightforward. When I was the lab manager at the Swinburne Babylab in Australia, I remember entertaining a sibling of one of our research participants. I say “entertaining,” but in reality, I provided him with scrap paper and colored pencils and his imagination took care of the rest. I was so impressed as he explained that he was drawing and planning a building that he would later construct in Minecraft. This is just one example of how the digital world and the physical world can connect to encourage the transfer of skills, such as creativity.

In addition to creativity, researchers have also found that playing Minecraft encourages critical thinking and problem-solving; students who used Minecraft to accomplish various tasks commented on how the game-design forced them to think outside the box. This innovative and creative approach to problem-solving was also shown in a group of 13 year-olds who completed an 8-week workshop in which they were asked to create and explain their products in Minecraft. After the workshop, students’ scores on a test of creativity improved, and their teacher also observed improvements in the students’ creativity. Not only does Minecraft enable the user to have creative freedom, but it can also encourage players to seek information from outside resources, such as reading content on forums or watching or creating Youtube tutorials, etc. This multimodal literacy is referred to as metagaming.

Actionable Insights

Content creators can provide learning opportunities for children by:

  1. Creating open-ended environments that lack an explicit goal, “freedom of play

  2. Providing opportunities to help characters. Prosocial content promotes prosocial behaviors such as helping and empathy.

  3. Having more tools to choose from to encourage greater creativity in problem-solving.

  4. Providing opportunities to interact with and explore the environment. 

  5. Encouraging replayability by making sure the game experience isn’t linear or the same every time. 

Content creators can help parents create learning opportunities for their children by:

  1. Providing a curriculum with suggestions on how to take the digital content to the real world and practice specific skills, depending on the goal.

    • e.g., plan a garden in Minecraft and then plant a real garden  

  2. Recognizing that the digital world extends beyond its intended medium, and children can create educational videos for others to improve their gameplay or participate in online forums to share ideas. 

Happy playing!

Brittany Huber, PhD

Collaborator of the Center for Scholars & Storytellers 

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parenting, covid Kelly Mendoza, PhD parenting, covid Kelly Mendoza, PhD

Supporting Parents with Children’s Distance Learning

This article is part of our #LearningAtHome2020 series with the Child & Family Blog and BOLD  

If you’re a parent of a school-aged child - or know a parent - you know about the anxieties and challenges around children’s distance-learning. Earlier this year when many states shut down schools for in-person learning, teachers and parents scrambled to support kids in making the quick transition. Parents’ and caregivers’ roles shifted overnight,  requiring them to be co-teachers and co-learners as they tried to support kids with distance learning. And this is just the parents who are able to stay home with kids. Many parents had to go to their job sites and leave their kids to fend for themselves. Months later, it is clear that distance learning is not going away. Many schools will transition back to hybrid learning, which means some will be in-person and some at-home. There have been, and will also likely be, more outbreaks that cause some re-opened schools to shut down again.  

In March, Common Sense Media launched Wide Open School to support parents with distance learning. This new service curates the best-of-the-best free learning activities for kids and resources for families that make at-home learning easier through user-friendly daily schedules,  activities to support children’s social and emotional well-being, digital citizenship, and materials that address learning and thinking differences. 

So based on what parents and children are experiencing right now at this moment in time, what should children’s media creators do to support families? Consider the following tips on supporting parents with their children’s learning. 

Address Character Education 

Character Education and social-emotional learning (SEL) is in great need (and great demand) both by parents and schools. SEL content is some of our top-requested content on Wide Open School. With the combination of the coronavirus pandemic, economic downturn, civil unrest, police violence, and school closures, there are extreme pressures on the mental health of kids and families. Including characters, stories, and learning that develop characteristics for children such as community, perseverance, humility, empathy, and self-control helps build strong, resilient children. See Common Sense Media’s article Building Character Strengths with Quality Media and our report Tweens, Teens, Tech, and Mental Health for support in thinking about these issues. 

Model caregivers and children learning together 

Some parents may have rarely supported their children’s schoolwork. They may lack role models to show them how to be a co-teacher and co-learner with their child, or how to be a collaborator with their child’s teacher. Content producers can illustrate and normalize life-long learning as an ongoing and cross-generational practice, in which caregivers, older siblings, and children are learning together and supporting one another. Whether it’s providing advice or showing a parent sitting with a child engaging in their distance learning, or tips for parents such as the importance of having children follow their distance learning schedule, parents need to see examples of what their role could be. Moreover, parents are searching for high-quality educational content to supplement their child’s at-home learning. Suggesting exceptional, research-based apps, websites, and games for parents to use in conjunction with their child’s school learning will provide much-needed help. 

Encourage media balance 

Screen use has been increasing over the years, even before the pandemic hit. On average, daily screen/device use at home is about three hours for two through eight-year-olds,  5 hours for tweens,  and 7 hours for teens (Common Sense Media, 2017, 2019). These amounts have increased due to the addition of distance learning time. Heavy media use is associated with physical and mental health problems. Though we know that not all screen time is created equal, we need to encourage media balance, which means balancing media use with other meaningful activities in everyday life. For example, in schools, Go Noodle is so popular, especially for 5-13-year-olds, because it gets kids up and out of their chairs and moving their bodies. Getting the body moving and taking tech breaks helps reduce stress and improves focus and mental clarity.  Content creators might want to consider building these kinds of intermissions into their programming. 

Foster digital citizenship 

The importance of digital citizenship - thinking critically and participating responsibly online - has come to the forefront, especially as kids do distance learning. Parents are looking for guidance to help their kids make good choices about protecting their online privacy, being kind and civil communicators, and thinking critically about the things they see online (discerning misinformation). Companies such as Disney have run campaigns to address digital citizenship issues, including cyberbullying. But beyond social awareness campaigns, kids need to see examples of ways they could handle “digital dilemmas” that come up in their lives such as: What do I do if I see someone say something mean or hurtful online? What should I consider before sharing a photo or video? How can I tell if something I see online is true or not? Successful digital learning - both at school and at home - starts with digital citizenship. 

Actionable Insights

Children’s media producers can serve the present needs of caregivers and children by:

  1. Creating content that addresses character education and supports social-emotional learning.

  2. Providing models for how children and their caregivers can best interact with one another and educators while engaging in at-home learning. 

  3. Encouraging children to take breaks from screen time in favor of physical and screen-free activities.

  4. Fostering digital citizenship so kids behave safely and participate responsibly online. 

Kelly Mendoza, PhD

Senior Director of Education Programs, Common Sense Education

Collaborator of the Center for Scholars & Storytellers 

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parenting, covid Emily Raich parenting, covid Emily Raich

School Closures, Stay-At-Home Orders, and Screen Time

The Importance of Educational Television Programs to Children’s Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic

We’ve all been there…whether it’s with your own child, a younger sibling, or the kid you are babysitting, we have sighed in exasperation while handing over our cell phones or turning on the TV so we can do our daily tasks without distractions. Turning to media as a form of a modern day “babysitter” is all too common when caregivers are in a pinch and need a last resort to keep kids busy and happy. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, more parents and siblings are working from home while their young children attempt remote schooling and look for ways to fend off the boredom of quarantine.

Unsurprisingly, there has been a substantial increase in total TV usage in the US since the beginning of the pandemic, with daytime TV viewing for kids (ages 6 to 11) and teens (ages 12-17) both increasing around 300% on average. Throughout COVID, kids have been using media as their primary source of entertainment, information, social connection, and education. Young children and teens say their use of media is mostly due to boredom and other options being inaccessible to them. This is especially true of TV consumption, particularly for preschoolers who have less autonomy in manipulating technology but can passively sit in front of a television screen. As quarantine has stretched on, the attitudes of parents about limiting screen time, social media usage, and engagement with online entertainment in general have eased considerably, with many entirely giving up on trying to regulate their children’s media habits. How many hours a day your child is watching TV is less of a concern when you are trying to work from home and juggle the demands on your attention around the household. Now, with young children spending more time on screens during the day than ever before, it is the responsibility of adults and content creators to ensure that the programming available to children is approached with an understanding that the content is central to life as a kid during the pandemic.  

Another area of a typical child’s daily life that has been drastically altered by the coronavirus is education and schooling. School closures and the rapid shift to remote learning have created gaps in access to social and educational resources, rendering many children vulnerable and struggling at home. Numerous K-12 schools and school districts, for example the Los Angeles United School District, have recently announced plans to remain closed for in-person instruction until January 2021. Educators have projected that students who remain enrolled in school this fall without in-person instruction will lose 3-4 months of learning, even with access to an average quality of remote instruction. The outlook is bleaker for those with connection to low-quality remote instruction or even none at all. As a result, glaring inconsistencies in educational availability and quality, both with regard to resources of schools and in the home, have made the gross inequities in the US education system difficult to ignore. With this in mind, what steps can be taken to facilitate the continued learning and development of children and teens during quarantine?

Here is the basis of what we know so far: (1) school-aged children are spending significantly more time watching daytime TV and (2) many children will not have access to in-person schooling this fall, which will result in unequal and exacerbated learning gaps. So, what if stations started broadcasting high quality educational media content created for children of specific age groups more frequently during the day while parents are busy working? Would this make the increased time children are spending watching TV during the pandemic worthwhile, by simultaneously increasing their opportunities for learning? As it turns out, the answer is yes!

Media technologies have positive effects on the social and cognitive abilities of children, provided that media content is developmentally appropriate and emphasizes active engagement. For example, engagement with PBS educational media content resulted in academic improvements across the disciplines, including English language arts, mathematics, and science. Additionally, popular educational programs such as Sesame Street and Blue’s Clues have been shown to improve academic achievement and school readiness of children. These educational TV shows designed around a narrative curriculum are successful in teaching children intended lessons about both cognitive and social skills. Storytelling is a crucial medium for children to keep learning through the pandemic, but it is the nature of the content that they are watching which determines which, if any, educational gains they are making. 

The opportunity for learning through educational media is not limited to academic lessons, but also applies to the development of social skills. This provides a promising avenue to teach children about new norms and expectations during the COVID outbreak, such as wearing a mask in public and using hand sanitizer. Another feature of educational media that is well suited to the pandemic, is that it has been found to be most effective when it encourages children to be active rather than passive viewers, creating a connection between on- and off-screen activities. This connection could be established through supplemental activities inspired by the narrative of the media content, such as completing a hands-on, creative project or by encouraging outdoor exploration after watching an episode. Such activities and active engagement with media in general are not only beneficial to children’s academic learning through educational media, but also to the facilitation of enriching off-screen activities that can be done in the home during the current period of quarantine. 

 Actionable Insights

Here are some actionable insights for children’s content creators during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep kids who are unable to attend in-person classes learning by capitalizing on the large increase of TV viewing among children during quarantine: 

  1. Keep in mind that school-aged children are spending upwards of 3 times the amount of hours watching TV since the pandemic. Developmentally appropriate television content is even more important now that kids are spending more time at home in front of screens.

  2. Don’t rely on parents to monitor and regulate children’s media habits during the pandemic. Ensure that the options available to them are high quality and support active engagement from the viewer. 

  3. Educational programming is successful in teaching viewers intended lessons, both related to cognitive and social gains. This suggests that new norms and conventions surrounding COVID-19 can be effectively taught to children through television content. Focus on incorporating simple language and easily understood examples when featuring the pandemic in storylines. Click here for our child-friendly COVID-19 Lexicon

  4. Children who watch educational television programs have greater academic success and higher levels of school readiness than those who do not. Therefore, incorporate educational content into narratives to keep kids learning during school shutdowns. This has the potential to help combat learning loss associated with remote instruction.

  5. Educational programming should engage children with both the world on-screen and off-screen. Create opportunities for children to connect the narrative they are watching on-screen with the world they are living in.

Emily Raich

CSS Intern

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parenting, covid Maryam Abdullah, Ph.D parenting, covid Maryam Abdullah, Ph.D

How the Pandemic Can Teach Kids About Compassion

What if this crisis became an opportunity for children to deepen their sense of care?

As a homebound parent with a preschooler, I’ve felt an array of emotions over the past few months during the coronavirus pandemic. I’ve felt sadness and worry about how many people are becoming ill, while being confounded by trying to juggle homeschooling and my own work responsibilities.

But I’ve also felt a great deal of gratitude for the kindnesses that have punctuated so many of my days lately, like when a neighbor left herbs from her garden at my gate or when a faraway friend whom I haven’t heard from in years sent text messages of love.

These positive experiences have affirmed to me that when times are difficult, our common human response is not to show reckless disregard of others but to show compassion.

We often assume that emergencies automatically lead to panic, but research consistently shows that people tend to act in solidarity and turn toward each other with a sense of togetherness. They volunteerdonate supplies, and spread goodwill, strengthening social bonds and helping everyone be resilient together.

“Affiliative, supportive, prosocial behaviors are more common, where widespread sickness and debility evoke acts of mutual aid among members of a community in crisis,” explains Steven Taylor, professor and clinical psychologist at the University of British Columbia, in his book The Psychology of Pandemics.

Compassion—noticing others suffering and being motivated to provide relief to them—grows early on in life. Five-month-old babies prefer helpers over hinderers. When babies between eight and 10 months old see people bump their knees or hurt their fingers, they already show the seeds of empathy with facial expressions, vocalizations, and gestures that reflect concern and a desire to understand others’ distress. By 14 months old, toddlers help others by handing them objects out of reach.

How can parents help their children realize their instinctual capacity for compassion during the coronavirus pandemic? Scientists have suggested three ways that children develop compassion that are relevant to these times.

1. Show compassion to kids so they experience receiving it

During the pandemic, many of our children are feeling uncertainty and upheaval, just like us parents. They miss school, their friends, and playing sports like they did before. For young children who don’t have the breadth of words to express their worries and fears, or older children who don’t have the emotional agility to get through tough moments, it can be overwhelming.

As a result, our kids may be irritable or have more meltdowns and tantrums than usual. But rather than seeing children as uncooperative, parents can consider whether their behavior is simply an indication that they might be suffering, too.

If we offer children warmth and tenderness when their routines are turned upside down, we can soothe them in their own time of need. Parents can extend compassion by making space to help their children become better aware of and process their feelings. Acknowledging and being sensitive to our children’s emotions can act as a salve and help them to see that this moment of hardship will eventually pass.

Parents can also frequently talk to their children about all the members of their extended family and broader community who have cared for them both recently and in the past. For example, parents can tell and retell their children stories of neighbors who brought gift baskets after their pet died or dropped off dinners when a grandparent was in the hospital. These conversations serve to remind children that they are connected to a network of people who are a generous source of compassion from which they can draw strength during times of suffering.

Receiving compassion offers kids a firsthand experience of what it feels like. 

2. Teach kids to practice self-compassion

In turn, just as children receive compassion from parents, they can also learn to offer it to themselves.

When children are having a hard time during the pandemic, parents can encourage them to listen and respond to their bodies and minds with greater awareness, acceptance, and kindness. For example, parents of older children can teach them to take self-compassion breaks to handle stressful moments.

For younger children, this might mean guiding them to first pause and notice their tense muscles, rapid heartbeats, and racing thoughts. Ask them to recognize that they’re having a moment of hardship and children all over the world are having these kinds of moments, too. Teach them to breathe deeply from their bellies and offer themselves words of tenderness like “May I feel calm.”

Parents can also encourage their younger children to cultivate self-compassion by planning enjoyable activities to look forward to after a hard day of homeschooling or after realizing summer vacation plans are cancelled.

Self-compassion allows children to process and cope with difficult emotions. Eventually, it can help them see their common humanity—that everyone suffers sometimes—and know that it’s all right to feel bad.

Tending to their intense emotions helps children be restored and renewed, which in turn prepares them to serve others. Overwhelming personal distress can make children singularly self-focused and less able to attend to others’ suffering. Self-compassion practices can help them be more able to orient toward others and extend compassion to them—which is the last step.

3. Encourage kids to extend compassion to others

During the coronavirus pandemic, even though children are inclined to help, it can be hard for them to know exactly what they can do.

Children can start with small acts of compassion as a family—sending kind thoughts to essential workers, regularly FaceTiming with isolated older or immunocompromised family members, or helping gather canned goods for the local food bank. Parents can also review these other ideas from Youth Service America to help inspire children toward compassionate acts.

Research suggests that small differences in language matter when we’re encouraging our kids to help. Parents can nurture young children’s motivation by inviting them to “be a helper,” which can instill in them a compassionate self-identity. But there’s a catch: When tasks are too difficult and children experience a setback, those who were asked to “be a helper” are less likely to try to help again compared to children who were simply asked “to help.” So, in circumstances when children might not succeed at helping with something, it’s better to just ask them “to help.”

Even young children have undoubtedly picked up on their radar that life right now is quite a bit different than it used to be. What if this pandemic became an opportunity for them to learn that being human during hard times involves transformation and resilience, and that compassion helps us all to thrive?

Maryam Abdullah, Ph.D.

This article originally appeared on Greater Good, the online magazine of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley.

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2020 Sophie Graham 2020 Sophie Graham

Sam, 13

Favorite Media/Technology: Xbox

How do you and your family interact with media/technology?

We watched sports together before COVID and now we sometimes watch movies together or play games against one another. My family uses Houseparty to play online games together.

How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?

I play Fortnite and talk to my friends on Xbox. On TikTok I send my friends funny videos. I also use Snapchat to for streaks.

What do you use media for?

I use social media for anything sports-related. I also use TikTok and YouTube to search up funny videos or sports highlight reels. I play Fortnite and sports games on Xbox.

What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?

Media is fun, but I don’t like the news.

What media are you using more now because of the coronavirus (COVID-19)?

I used more technology once the pandemic began, because I began doing all my school work online and sports were cancelled. I hung out with his family and played games and kept up with friends through video games. Now that sports are allowed, I don’t use technology as much as I did.

Interviewed by: Sophie Graham, University of Cincinnati student

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2020 Brooke Francis 2020 Brooke Francis

Charlie, 4

Favorite Media/Technology: Tablet

How do you and your family interact with media/technology?

Sometimes I watch Disney+ with my uncles, papa, and mommy; sometimes I don’t. I just watch stuff on my tablet sometimes. I play Sims on my mommy’s computer; I am a mermaid. When my Sim is out of the water, I am a human. When I am in the water, I am a mermaid.

How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?

We play outside and sometimes we stay inside; we do both things. I am on my tablet a lot and my phone a lot, I call people, I can call anyone I want. I usually facetime Callie and her mom Analicia, Callie is my friend. She lives in Connecticut.

What do you use media for?

I watch TV. I listen to music - I like country music. I have a pink tablet. I like to read books. I listen to the radio in the car. I have a phone but I can’t play games on it because it doesn’t have any. I just call people on my phone. I go on my white computer at home to play games like Barbie. I play on my Nintendo switch, I watch little kid videos on YouTube, and I watch SHE- RA on Netflix.

What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?

My pink tablet is my favorite. I like my games; I have so many games and I downloaded some today. My mommy always types stuff in my tablet, she helps me when stuff costs money. We cannot get ones that cost money, we need to save our money for Hawaii. I want to go to Hawaii.

What is one thing you want the people who create the media you like to watch/play/interact with to know?

I wish I could get everything free. I wish everything was free on my princess game.

What media are you using more now because of the coronavirus (COVID-19)?

I have to do my ABC Mouse. There is only one thing I like doing on my ABC mouse - I like changing my avatar.

Where do you get most of your information to learn more about the coronavirus (e.g., news, internet, parents, etc.)?

From my mommy [she works in a hospital] and from TV.

What lessons have you learned from COVID-19?

The virus gets people very, very sick. I am not scared of the Coronavirus; I am just scared of the dark.

Interviewed by: Brooke Francis, University of Cincinnati student

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2020 Amanda Arlinghaus 2020 Amanda Arlinghaus

Noah, 8

Favorite Media/Technology: Nintendo Switch

How do you and your family interact with media/technology?

My family sometimes has a movie night with pizza.

How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?

I don’t text people. I play Fortnite with my friends on Xbox. For school we did Zoom and talked about some stuff we needed to do for schoolwork.

What do you use media for?

I like playing my Nintendo Switch a lot. I also like listening to the radio and sometimes I watch videos on YouTube.

What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?

I don’t have a least favorite thing. My favorite thing is Lego City: Undercover. I like my Nintendo Switch because it’s interesting, it entertains people, and the challenges are really fun on it.

What media are you using more now because of the coronavirus (COVID-19)?

Lego City: Undercover.

What media has been helping you stay busy/stay calm during this difficult time?

Playing video games, watching YouTube, and music.

What lessons have you learned from COVID-19?

I learned how to use Zoom.

Interviewed by: Amanda Arlinghaus, University of Cincinnati student

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2020 Erin McCaffrey 2020 Erin McCaffrey

Michael, 20

Media Consumption: 4-5 hours a day

Favorite Media/Technology: Texting

How do you and your family interact with media/technology?

I interact with media/technology through interacting with my family in a family group chat as well as watching television shows and movies with them.

How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?

I interact with my friends through media/technology by texting/calling, social media apps such as Snapchat and Instagram, as well as playing video games almost every day with them. I communicate with my friends through media/technology all day, every day.

What do you use media for?

I use media most to watch shows/movies on Netflix. I also have several social media accounts and I find it cool to stay connected with my friends, family, and my favorite celebrities. I have recently enjoyed spending time watching TikTok.

What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?

My least favorite thing about media/technology is that people oftentimes portray themselves to be someone they are not. I don’t like that people feel that they need to pretend to be what others would think would be viewed as “cool.”

Interviewed by: Erin McCaffrey, University of Cincinnati student

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2020 Rema Khalifah 2020 Rema Khalifah

Adam, 5

Media Consumption: About 3.5 hours a day

Favorite Media/Technology: YouTube on his iPad

How do you and your family interact with media/technology?

I have my own iPad, and Jasmine (his sister) has her own. This is mine. I like YouTube and I watch stories about Red Riding Hood and play games. This is my game on Fortnite.

How do you and your peers interact with media/technology?

I like to play Fortnite with my friends and my cousins. Sometimes I play soccer on the Xbox when my friends come to my house.

What do you use media for?

I like watching stories on YouTube and hearing the songs. I also really like to go on the Instagram and look at pictures.

What is your favorite/least favorite thing about media/technology?

I love YouTube and Fortnite and Instagram because they’re really fun. I don’t like it when I have to share my iPad with Yasmeen because she didn’t charger hers.

Interview By: Rema Khalifah, UCLA 4th Year Student

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