In the last episode of Inside Influence, I spoke to the incredible Dr Kristy Goodwin – children’s technology and development expert, a speaker, author and parent – about The Digital Dilemma.

We unlocked the challenges faced by parents, leaders and teachers in influencing young people in a new digital age. An age where digital devices increasingly – and soon to be literally – are woven into every fabric of our environment.

The episode was full of perspective changing information – or at least I know it was for me – which is why today as bonus episode – and for the first time for Inside Influence listeners we are backing it up with a Part Two.

For those of you who missed last week’s conversation – I would recommend downloading part one – although not essential it will be helpful in giving you some background context to Kristy’s work – however if you did miss it, we covered everything from infobesity to techno tantrums, brain science to boundary setting and Kristy (very generously) offered up a toolkit of proven parent strategies to manage your child’s relationship to digital devices….100% guilt free.

At the heart of the conversation we explored one of the most profoundly influential positions we will ever hold as a human being… The Influence we have as parents, mentors and leaders in helping a new generation make healthy choices – in particular around what and who they allow into their worlds.

As I mentioned in the first episode – this used to be as simple as closing the front door – finishing school, heading home and forgetting about it for the day. Now that world – and all it’s opinions, personalities and messages – follows us home in the form of digital devices.

In part two we discuss the following:

• The right and wrong environments for digital devices
• How to engage young people – in particular young children – in conversations about digital safety
• Why technology can in fact support our relationships – but should never supercede them
• How to manage the mine field of early exposure to sexuality, body image norms (or apparent norms) and exposure to porn. This one is I know on the mind of a lot of parents I know, in particular those of young boys.
• How to protect our children from cyber bullying.
• And the most influential question for us all: Are we being controlled by digital or is it possible to develop boundaries – healthy and resilient boundaries – where we can take the best of this new world – and leave the worst?

Now it bears repeating in the words of Dr Kristy herself – these are 100% guilt free conversations. Feeling guilty about our relationship to technology isn’t going to help anyone. It’s just going to keep us all further stuck in the dark – and prevent the type of conversations that are needed if we’re going to navigate this new world. None of us know the rules here. So let’s talk.

On that note – for the second time – grab a cup of tea – a bar of dark chocolate – or your running shoes – whatever floats your boat and enjoy Part Two in my conversation with the incredible Dr Kristy Goodwin.