#ShareAwesome for the Chance to Win a $2,500 Scholarship!

“Mom, that girl is not appropriate.”

I turn from the cashier to find my 4 year old pointing to a magazine cover featuring a bare bellied celebrity. The customers behind me in line chuckled and commented about my young son’s grasp of modesty.

It is times like this that I feel a sense of pride that my boys are learning from those teaching moments I am constantly trying to weave into our lives.

You see, I want my children to be tolerant, compassionate, and loving individuals–good citizens. A big part of this means teaching my children how to make healthy and responsible decisions.

Our children are growing up in a digital generation. More so than any other generation. Today’s families use digital technology in every aspect of life–from learning and socializing, to gaming and shopping! Broad access and use of technology is awesome, and opens so many new opportunities for so many kids and teens. But like any aspect of life, there are things you need to know to make positive, safe decisions.

It is so important that we begin while they are young to teach our children. Teaching our kids good digital citizenship and safe decision-making skills is absolutely critical if we want to help our kids avoid, turn away from, and combat safety threats, cyber bullying, pornography and other digital dangers they will eventually come in contact with during their youth.

National PTA has partnered with LifeLock to share awesome ways families can create an open, evolving conversation about positive, safe decisions when using digital tools. It’s all part of having a happy, healthy lifestyle. For you, your family, your friends, and the whole world – everyone benefits when you #ShareAwesome!

The #ShareAwesome Campaign seeks to:

Bridge the conversation gap about online safety and good digital citizenship
Inspire parents with ways to incorporate this conversation into natural teaching moments about life skills and positive, safe decision-making
Celebrate students and families who use digital media and tools for good – good for themselves, their family, their friends and the whole world

They want to get teens excited about being responsible digital consumers by shifting the conversation from a tone that may seem scary or preachy to one that is fun, open, and empowering for teens! To do that the National PTA has built the #ShareAwesome website.

The #ShareAwesome site serves as a central online hub of expert information about digital safety from National PTA partners, as well as activation tools for students, parents, PTAs and schools to participate in the #ShareAwesome campaign. The site will contain curated user-generated content that supports a sustained, multi-faceted conversation between parents and students that allows students to participate in, and steer, the conversation by creating content themselves.

Check out the #ShareAwesome website, take a look around, and get your teens on board! Let them browse around and explore tips on how they can become good digital citizens both at home and at school.

National PTA has partnered with LifeLock to bring high school students, ages 13-17, an awesome #ShareAwesome contest!

“Snap a photo of an awesome moment in your day and share it on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram with the #ShareAwesome hashtag!

Students who enter the #ShareAwesome contest between September 15 – November 30, 2014 will have a chance to win fantastic prizes, including tablets and a $2,500 scholarship!”