Dean McCoubrey

A suicide goes viral on social media: Suicide Prevention Day

Suicide goes viral on social media Thursday, September 10th, is World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) around the world, organized by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), and co-sponsor World Health Organisation (WHO). This year, however, we find ourselves within a different context, trying to emerge from various levels of lockdown and re-establish society and …

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The effects of social isolation during Lockdown on kids

Mental Health

Humans are social creatures. We take our cues from each other, and the environment around us. As we receive this information or stimulus, we process it and its contents are vital during childhood development. So what are the effects of social isolation during Lockdown on kids? What happens when (physical) social contact is dramatically reduced, as …

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Too close to home?

Cyberbullying

Homeschooling became a hot topic in 2020. Some who would have formally never imagined it as an option now see its merits, simply due to the reality of being forced into it by COVID-19. The question frequently asked is, what are the pro and cons? And sadly that’s an incredibly difficult thing to answer. As …

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Digital Life Skills company introduces video training for kids

Education

COVID-19 has kept kids indoors, isolated from friends, and driven to increased screen time. But for many, that comes with challenges. Last week, MySociaLife, South Africa’s leading digital life skills, online safety and social media educators, asked students what digital life orientation lesson they wanted next. And we were shocked by the answer… 44% chose …

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Wondering how to keep your kids safe and smart online?

Education, Online Safety, Parenting

Founder of MySociaLife, Dean McCoubrey recently had an interview with author and educator, Josh Ochs from SmartSocial.com in Los Angeles 🙂 We at MySociaLife, have watched Josh for years, and he is pure class, a superb ‘app safety’ reviewer, and his sweet spot is on helping kids to be safe and smart (just like MySociaLife) …

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How to limit kids’ screen time during lockdown

Screen Time, Obsession & Focus

With lockdown potentially being extended beyond 21 days, parents are faced with a longer period of time indoors. Some have loved their time together, and others desperate for their old routine. Devices, social media, apps and games provide escape for both parents and kids, a much-needed “breather” in a long day of incarceration. And connecting …

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How do SA kids see #Coronavirus in a TikTok and Instagram-based world?

Critical Thinking, Mental Health

And how can parents guide and support them? SA’s Digital Life Skills experts offer 7 key tips for parents. As Covid-19 has exploded from a distant reality in South Africa to a global pandemic, with increasing local cases of the virus, we can count ourselves lucky to have almost instant access to information, education and updates …

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How DSG, Grahamstown, Gained Valuable Digital Life Skills

Education, Teachers

Do you have a problem with social media and smart devices in your school (e.g. bullying or sexting, or shaming, or privacy violation)? It seems that, these days, schools can’t ignore the hard truth that learners are overwhelmed with smart devices, social media and apps. Parents and educators have a responsibility to keep informed about …

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The TikTok #skullbreaker challenge is dangerous.

Online Safety, Trends

In an era of fake news and Momo Hoaxes it can be hard to work out what to be worried about, or where the real danger lies. The #TikTok #SkullBreaker Challenge is dangerous for sure. While many concerns or fears online may sometimes amount to very little – pranksters at play – no child can …

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Safer Internet Day empowers youth to make smarter online decisions

Online Safety

Celebrated annually, Safer Internet Day takes place on Tuesday, 11 February 2020 and South Africa’s leading online safety Program in schools, MySociaLife, has partnered with the world’s global Safer Internet Day organisation to highlight bullying, harmful conduct, illegal online activity, and help give young people the tools they need to empower themselves online in South …

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