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Screen Safety Certification Training

Welcome!

Once kids have access to the internet, they have a variety of virtual neighborhoods at their fingertips. Social media, video games, and browsing websites are a fun way to meet new friends, socialize, be creative, and explore a variety of topics but it also opens kids up to risks their families have never thought of before. 

Our GKIS Screen Safety Certification Course will help you become their go-to internet safety expert. You will be able to teach the red flags of online risk and the wellness strategies to keep families safer online. Our goal is to help you build a closer community and empower your youth and their families. With these teachings, they’ll be primed to independently problem-solve and build healthy habits and resilience – all along the way building trust and attachment with each other and with you. Empowerment is key, and so is healthy attachment as a family and community.

Not only will your families be in the know regarding online risk, but they will also learn family-tested psychological wellness tools that I’ve been using in my psychology practice for over 25 years. These cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness wellness tools have been demonstrated to be effective for improving mood and empowering parents and kids to make their best choices when faced with challenges. Best of all, your youth will be more likely to share with their parents and your trusted community for coaching and support. Isn’t that what we want most of all? Having healthy, capable kids who feel safe in a trusted, loving, and secure environment? 

Not only will your GKIS Screen Safety Certification Course give you our 26 Screen Safety Essentials Course lessons and four direct training sessions with Dr. Bennett, but we also offer tons of free content to feed your teachings for years to come. Here are some of the bonuses you get with your course purchase:

Your Free Weekly GKIS Blog Articles

We all know that family life has its magic and its challenges. GetKidsInternetSafe blog articles offer inspirational parenting techniques, discuss current events, and feature interesting and relevant topics related to today’s tech-influenced family life. My CSUCI interns help me identify and research important topics so we stay on top of the ever-changing virtual landscapes our kids spend time in.

Use our free GKIS weekly blog articles to equip you for ongoing, clever tech-topic conversations with your youth and families or refer them to the GKIS Blog directly so they can cover critical topics with their kids over a weekly screen-free dinner. You can sign up for free weekly quick-read articles (and our Connected Family Agreement) by providing your name and email address in the orange opt-in box on the top of the GetKidsInternetSafe welcome page

*SPECIAL BONUS*
Your Private GKIS Screenage Connected Family Facebook Page

Now that you are an official GKIS Connected Family partner, you are prepped to not only benefit from weekly articles but also get free lifetime access to our private FB page! Connected Family members can

  • GET DIRECT ACCESS to me for support and extra tips and tricks as you go.
  • BRAINSTORM novel solutions with other parents and share useful resources.
  • FEEL INSPIRED by the progress of others, even when your brilliant little manipulators push back.
  • GET ENERGIZED with the reassurance of other parents just like you. You may even spark some great friendships!
  • GET A CHOICE. Whether you need to be connected to a few friends for individual support or prefer to share openly on the forum, you’ll always have other VIP GKIS parents and me to rely on!

To join, search “Screenage Connected Families” on Facebook and ask to join. Like our GetKidsInternetSafe Facebook page while you’re at it. 🙂

The GKIS Mission

GetKidsInternetSafe helps families achieve screen sanity, prevent digital injury, and form deeper, more meaningful relationships. We don’t have to give up screens to be safe. GKIS offers tools and strategies that keep the joys of childhood discovery alive for all of us in today’s overtasked world.

About Dr B

Dr. Bennett is the screen safety expert who teaches families how to strengthen relationships AND achieve screen sanity. She is CEO and Founder of GetKidsInternetSafe and author of Screen Time in the Mean Time: A Parenting Guide to Get Kids and Teens Internet Safe. She is a licensed clinical psychologist who has treated thousands of families with digital injuries in over almost thirty years of clinical practice. Her clinical and personal background is uniquely complimented by teaching as adjunct faculty at California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI). She teaches addiction studies, parenting, clinical psychology, and directed studies with an emphasis on screen issues. Dr. Bennett served on Facebook’s Youth Advisory Committee and was the honored recipient of Global Ambassador for Teensafe, the first and biggest text-monitoring service. 


Dr. B In the News!

Watch my news interviews for a quick view of HOT TOPICS. You can also browse my YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/DRTRACYBENNETT for more!


Click the links below for my answers to real parent questions:


Another free thank you gift for you, my 
MAKE YOUR DIGITAL FOOTPRINT WORK FOR YOU Webinar!

Many of my clients are high school students prepping apps for college, internships, and career opportunities as well as younger kids who showcase their talents using social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. 

If your youth would benefit from personal branding on social media, consider watching this one-hour webinar together. Schools, churches, family organizations, and private organizations hire me to speak on this topic. But for you, it’s a bonus for becoming a GKIS Connected Family. 

Enjoy! Here’s your LINK TO THE WEBINAR.


ALSO FREE ACCESS TO OUR SOCIAL MEDIA READINESS COURSE FOR TWEENS & TEENS

To access the Social Media Readiness Course, click the yellow go button below or –

  • Click on “Log in” in the right-hand corner of the GKIS Home Page.
  • Enter your Username/Email Address and Password we emailed you and click on “Login”
  • Go back to the right-hand corner of GKIS Home Page to the arrow next to “My Account”
  • Select “Courses”
  • Go to middle of page and select “Social Media Readiness Course”
  • Viola! You should be on your Welcome Page for the Social media Readiness Coruse for tweens and teens.

How to Log In to Your GKIS Screen Safety Certification Training

Click “Log in” in the right-hand corner of the GKIS Home Page

Enter your Username/Email Address and Password and click “Log In”

Go back to right-hand corner of GKIS Home Page to the arrow next to “My Account.” Select “Courses.”

Go to middle of the page and select “Screen Safety Certification Training.” Voila! You should be on your Welcome Page. 

GKIS Screen Safety Certification Training Lessons

Your GKIS Screen Safety Certification Training offers 26 lessons organized into four modules plus four direct training sessions. Each lesson contains a quick parenting video, a video for the whole family to view, and optional downloads with readings, bonus videos, infographics, and bonus webinar access. After each module, you will attend an online direct group training session with Dr. Bennett. During these sessions, she will teach the special issues that come up when working directly with youth and families and how to highlight your GKIS Screen Safety Certification to reflect your advanced training to attract customers and support their confidence in your expert abilities.

For your certification training, work through the four modules (weeks 1 – 26) from the Screen Safety Essentials Course at your own pace. Consuming all course content (videos, readings, materials, webinars, and supervision) plus direct trainings should take about 20 hours to complete. You can work through the online lessons as quickly as you would like. However, you must complete the course within 12 months to graduate with a GKIS Screen Safety Certification.

After your receive your certification, you may choose to refer your customers to register for our GKIS Essentials Course for families or our GKIS Social Media Readiness Course for tweens and teens so you can coach them through with advanced knowledge. Alternatively, you may choose to use your screen safety expertise to generally impact your own teaching content and process. ♡

MODULE 1 – DIGITAL CONTRACT: RULES & GUIDELINES

Week 1 Parent Video: Creating the Screen Safety Dialogue

Week 1 Family Video: Your GKIS Connected Family Agreement

 

Week 2 Parent Video: Screen Use Transparency

Week 2 Family Video: Taking Inventory

 

Week 3 Parent Video: Learning about the iGens

Week 3 Family Video: Love and Protect

 

Week 4 Parent Video: Assertive Negotiation Skills

Week 4 Family Video: Conflict Resolution for Kids

 

Week 5 Parent Video: The Art of Consequence

Week 5 Family Video: Digital Citizenship, Online Reputation, and Netiquette

 

DIRECT TRAINING SESSION 1: Getting Started

 

MODULE 2 – BEST PARENTAL CONTROLS

Week 6 Parent Video: Creating Your Screen Safety Toolkit

Week 6 Family Video: There is No Online Privacy

 

Week 7 Parent Video: Child-Safe Browsers

Week 7 Family Video: Monkey Business

 

Week 8 Parent Video: Setting Up Parental Controls on Child Devices

Week 8 Family Video: Screen Use Can Bring Fun, Connection, Learning, and Engagement

 

Week 9 Parent Video: Setting Up Parental Controls Through Your ISP

Week 9 Family Video: Dr. B’s Cheeseburger Story

 

Week 10 Parent Video: Third-Party Apps & Systems

Week 10 Family Video: Distraction from IRL Relationships

 

Week 11 Parent Video: Safety Centers

Week 11 Family Video: Distraction from Your True Self

 

Week 12 Parent Video: Learning Tools

Week 12 Family Video: Healthy Brain Development

 

DIRECT TRAINING SESSION 2: Family Dynamics & Special Issues

MODULE 3 – EXPERT HOME SETUP

Week 13 Parent Video: Home Starter Plan

Week 13 Family Video: Making Your Digital Footprint Work for You

 

Week 14 Parent Video: Predators, Cults, & Hate Groups

Week 14 Family Video: How to Identify You’re Getting Manipulated Online

 

Week 15 Parent Video: Screen-Free Zones

Week 15 Family Video: Distraction from IRL Activities

 

Week 16 Parent Video: Sexting & Nude Selfies

Week 16 Family Video: Protect Rejuvenating Sleep & Staging Your Bedroom

 

Week 17 Parent Video: Pornography & the Dark Net

Week 17 Family Video: Promote Screen-Free Dinners & Mindful Eating

 

Week 18 Parent Video: Screen Use & Mental Health

Week 18 Family Video: Cyberbullying

 

Week 19 Parent Video: Co-Workstations

Week 19 Family Video: Multitasking is a Myth

 

Week 20 Parent Video: Screens & Body Health

Week 20 Family Video: Creativity Kids & Maker Spaces

 

Week 21 Parent Video: Social Media Risks & GKIS Family Docking Stations

Week 21 Family Video: Emotional Awareness

 

Week 22 Parent Video: Screen Addiction

Week 22 Family Video: Risks & Benefits of Gaming – The Brain Traps

 

DIRECT TRAINING SESSION 3: Getting the Word Out

 

MODULE 4- RISK AWARENESS

Week 23 Parent Video: Product Marketing

Week 23 Family Video: How to Spot Marketing

 

Week 24 Parent Video: Screen Guidelines

Week 24 Family Video: Cybersecurity

 

Week 25 Parent Video: Social Media & Gaming Launch Techniques

Week 25 Family Video: Persuasive PowerPoint

 

Week 26 Parent Video: Let’s Review

Week 26 Family Video: Setting Intention & Graduation

 

FINAL DIRECT TRAINING SESSION:  Tying Up Loose Ends & Graduation

Let's Get Started!

Below is your course menu. The lessons are designed to take in the order presented because each module covers an individual GKIS course. After you complete each module, please email DrTracy@DrTracyBennett.com to schedule your group supervision sessions.

Commonsense Disclaimer

My goals for GetKidsInternetSafe courses are to teach skills to parents, paraprofessionals, and professionals to inspire cooperative family dialogue and sound strategies for screen management and psychological wellness. General practical tips are offered for informational guidelines rather than clinical service. As a mother and licensed psychologist, I am profoundly aware that each child, parent, family, and community is different. Good teaching, mentorship, and parenting comes in many forms. Not all course tips work with all kids and families. Please use your best judgment when applying them. For specific questions pertaining to your child’s or customer’s physical or mental health, please consult your local pediatrician or licensed clinical psychologist. If you or a customer are in crisis, please contact emergency services immediately. GetKidsInternetSafe Privacy Policy and Terms of Use apply. Thanks for reading through the legal and ethical stuff. Welcome to our GetKidsInternetSafe community, and please enjoy all that your GKIS course has to offer!

Social Media Readiness Training Parent Copy

Welcome to the parent version of your social media readiness training course!

This version has no quizzes so you can opt to have your child take this one or you can review it before you child does.

You Have Access to a Parent Version and Tween/Teen Version of the Course

Thank you for your purchase. You now have access to two Social Media Readiness Course versions:

  • one for parents (without the quizzes), and
  • one for tweens and teens with the quizzes.

The one you’re in now is the PARENT VERSION.

You will see both versions on your dashboard under Courses after you LOG IN on the right-hand corner of the GetKidsInternetSafe website. It is optional whether you want to take the parent version. I gave you access so you could see what your child will be viewing so you can make an informed decision before you turn it over to them. You can take either version as many times as you’d like.

You can confirm that your child took the tween/teen version of the course by checking their Getting Started page to make sure all lessons are marked as complete or ask them to show you their graduation certificate that can only be downloaded if they got to Lesson 10.

The Social Media Readiness Course

Once your child has access to the internet, they will have a variety of virtual neighborhoods at their fingertips. Social media is a fun way to socialize with friends, meet new friends, be creative, and explore a variety of topics. But social media also opens your child up to risks you’ve probably never thought of before. 

Our GKIS Social Media Readiness Training Course will teach your child how to recognize the red flags of risk that they will be exposed to online. Our goal is not to scare them, but rather to increase awareness so they are primed to independently problem-solve and build healthy habits and resilience. But education is only half of it! Not only will your child be in the know regarding online risk, but they will also learn family-tested psychological wellness tools that I’ve been using in my psychology practice for over 25 years. 

These wellness tools have been demonstrated to be effective in improving mood and empowering your child to make their best choices when faced with a challenge. Best of all, if your child has the information and skills they need to make good decisions, they’re more likely to come to you for coaching and support. Isn’t that what we want most of all? Having healthy, capable kids who feel safe in a trusted, loving, and secure family environment.

TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE LESSONS, SCROLL DOWN.

Your Free Weekly GKIS Blog Articles

We all know that family life has its magic and its challenges. Our GetKidsInternetSafe blog articles offer inspirational parenting techniques, discuss current events, and feature interesting and relevant scientific outcome studies, usually related to technology and screen time. My CSUCI interns help me identify and research important topics so we stay on top of the ever-changing virtual landscapes our kids spend time in.

The blog will equip you for ongoing, clever tech-topic conversations with your kids over a screen-free dinner.  Sign up for your free weekly quick-read articles (and Connected Family Agreement) by providing your name and email address in the orange opt-in box on the top of the GetKidsInternetSafe welcome page

*SPECIAL BONUS*
Your Private GKIS Screenage Connected Family Facebook Page

Now that you are an official GKIS Connected Family, you are prepped to not only benefit from weekly articles but also get free lifetime access to our private FB page! For Connected Family members only, you’ll be able to 

  • DIRECT ACCESS to me for support and extra tips and tricks as you go.
  • BRAINSTORM novel solutions with other parents and share useful resources.
  • FEEL INSPIRED by the progress of others, even when your brilliant little manipulators push back.
  • GET ENERGIZED with the reassurance of other parents just like you. You may even spark some great friendships!
  • YOUR CHOICE. Whether you need to be connected to a few friends for individual support or prefer to share openly on the forum, you’ll always have other VIP GKIS parents and me to rely on!

To join, search “Screenage Connected Families” on Facebook and ask to join. Like our GetKidsInternetSafe Facebook page while you’re at it. 🙂

Dr. Bennett's GKIS Story

Although I tend to be a private person, I’d like to share with you why I became passionate about preventing digital injury and founded GetKidsInternetSafe. In 2012 my dad died from a heart attack. I was crushed. He had always been my go-to person for everything in my life. Even at my age of 44 years old when he died, he was the first person I called when I was excited, ashamed, or overwhelmed. He was particularly brilliant at knowing how to reassure me and make me feel loved. His loss was profound for me.

To make matters worse, my mom was suffering from the late stages of dementia. We had always had a complicated relationship, partly due to her alcoholism and my desperate attempts to get her to stop. Like most families, I was left to watch her deteriorate without much influence on her personal decisions. As I worked through the complications of managing my dad’s estate, my mom was driving around town looking for children she thought she’d lost. I was terrified for her safety, and she was uncooperative. I had to go to court to finally get her the help she needed. It was tough.

Soon it was to become even more difficult. Within a year of my dad’s death, my stepmother was diagnosed with cancer. As she spoke to me about her devastating grief over the loss of my dad, she was struggling to stay alive herself. Six weeks after her diagnosis, I barely made it to her side as she passed away. My only sister and I became estranged through the process as well. Brutal.

So there I was, calling lawyers, accountants, real estate agents, and doctors trying to settle my mom and dad’s very complicated estates while grieving the loss of both of my parents, my stepmother, and my sister. I’d essentially lost my whole family within a year while raising my own three kids.

One day while in the middle of it all, I was feeling crushed and overwhelmed. I looked up from my computer and reflected on what my dad would think about the job I was doing trying to take care of everybody. At that moment, I recall hearing my two little ones giggling in the backroom playing Minecraft. I was flooded with gratitude, love, and fear. Too overwhelmed to be my best self, I became frightened about how much I was relying on screens to distract the kids like the families I’d seen in my practice, families who sought me out to help them cope with digital injuries like disconnection, cyberbullying, online predators, and porn addiction. I realized at that moment, we could be next.

I got myself out of that chair that day, sunk into the couch behind the kids, and started to make a plan that would allow safer screen time and also help me bond even better with my family. I wanted to be their go-to person when they needed help the most as my dad has always been there for me.

That is how GetKidsInternetSafe was born. As I pulled together the know-how I’d earned from my many years of mothering, training, private practice, and teaching, I got increasingly passionate about preventing digital injury rather than just treating it. I published my book, Screen Time in the Mean Time, offered keynote speaking and media interviews, consulted, wrote weekly blogs with my interns, and ultimately developed a toolkit of courses to help families with kids of all ages. 

I can’t wait to hear what you think about your Social Media Readiness Training Course. Before you get started, I added a gallery of videos for you to check out if you’d like. Some of the videos are news reports and below that are some videos I made to answer specific parent questions. 

If you have any feedback or questions along the way, please email me at DrTracy@DrTracyBennett.com. And please, if you like what you’re learning, share the course link with friends and family. I’d also LOVE a testimonial so more families can learn about us. 🙂


Dr. B In the News!

For a quick view of HOT TOPICS, it may be helpful to you watch a few of these news clips. You can also browse Dr. Bennett’s YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/DRTRACYBENNETT for more!


Click the links below for Dr. B's Social Media Readiness Parenting Videos


Another gift for you, my MAKE YOUR DIGITAL FOOTPRINT WORK FOR YOU Webinar!

Many of my clients are high school students prepping applications for college, internships, and career opportunities as well as younger kids who showcase their talents using social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. 

If your child would benefit from personal branding on social media, consider watching this one-hour webinar together. Schools, churches, family organizations, and private organizations hire me to speak on this topic. But for you, it’s a bonus for becoming a GKIS Connected Family. 

Enjoy! Here’s your LINK TO THE WEBINAR.


Social Media Readiness Training Lessons

INTRODUCTION

Parent Primer to Getting Started

             Why is this course necessary?
             “PARENTING”
             Kids on the Internets
             Increasing Rates of Psychological Distress
             Growth Mindset & Grit

Tweens & Teens: Why is it worth it to take this course?

             What is digital injury?
             Why not go screen-free?

 

MODULE 1 – PROTECTION FROM DIGITAL INJURY

Lesson 1 – Protecting Your Money and Information  

            Products for Sale Online
            Cybersecurity & Privacy

Lesson 2 – Protecting Your Reputation and Well-Being

            Cyberbullying
            Digital Footprint & Online Reputation
            Online Predators & Hate Groups

Lesson 3 – Protecting Your Emotional Wellness

            Violence Video Games
            Pornography
            Distraction from Real-Life Relationships & Activities
            Distraction from Who You Really Are

Lesson 4 – Protecting Your Physical Wellness          

            Overuse, Repetitive Strain, Postural, & Screen Distraction Injuries
            Brain Rewiring & Multitasking
            Screen Addiction

MODULE 2 – EMOTIONAL WELLNESS

Lesson 5 – Emotional Readiness Techniques

             A Growth Mindset & A Beginner’s Mind
             Identifying Emotional Triggers
             Setting Intention

Lesson 6 –Emotional Fitness & Mindfulness Techniques

             Mindfulness
             Body Scan
             Scaling
             Release Response
             Task Awareness

Lesson 7 – Emotional Reset Techniques

             Distract Yourself
             Anchoring: 4-3-2-1
             6-Second Belly Breathing
             Progressive Muscle Relaxation
             Imagery: Making Your Imagination Library
             Loving Kindness Meditation

Lesson 8 – Thinking Reset Techniques

             Hypothesis Testing
             Radical Acceptance
             Changing ­Stinking Thinking to Can-Do Thinking

Lesson 9 – Social Skills, Social Media, & Conflict Resolution

             Friends
             Social Media
             The 4 Responses to Online Conflict
             Your Psychological Wellness Toolkit

Lesson 10 – The Love of Learning

            Fake News
            Study Skills
            Digital Toolbox for Coping
            Digital Toolbox for Learning

Let's Get Started!

Below is your course menu. First, you’ll learn how your tween/teen can benefit from the course. From there, you’ll work your way through 10 lessons. You won’t have to take quizzes for the parent version, but for the tween/teen version each lesson has a quiz that must be passed to move to the next lesson. They can take each quiz as many times as they need to. Once the course is completed, your child can print their graduation certificate for social media readiness. The graduation certificate demonstrates that all lesson quizzes were passed at a 70% or above. 😊

Commonsense Disclaimer

My goals for GetKidsInternetSafe courses are to inspire cooperative family dialogue and sound strategies for screen management. General practical tips are offered for informational guidelines rather than clinical service. As a mother and licensed psychologist, I am profoundly aware that each child, parent, and family is different and good parenting comes in many forms. Not all course tips work with all kids and families. Please use your best judgment and parental instincts when applying them. For specific questions pertaining to your child’s physical or mental health, please consult your local pediatrician or licensed clinical psychologist. If you are in crisis, please contact emergency services immediately. GetKidsInternetSafe Privacy Policy and Terms of Use apply. Thanks for reading through the legal and ethical stuff. Welcome to our GetKidsInternetSafe community, and please enjoy all that your GKIS Social Media Readiness Training Course has to offer!

GKIS Christian Coach Training

Welcome

Once kids have access to the internet, they have a variety of virtual neighborhoods at their fingertips. Social media is a fun way to meet new friends, socialize with friends, be creative, and explore a variety of topics. But social media also opens them up to risks their families have never thought of before. 

Our GKIS Coach Training Course will teach your church leadership and staff how to teach the red flags of online risk and the wellness strategies to keep your families safe. Our goal is to help you empower your youth and their families from a psychological and spiritual perspective. With these teachings, they’ll be primed to independently problem-solve and build healthy habits and resilience – all along the way building trust and attachment with your staff and teachings. Empowerment is key, and so is healthy attachment as a family and religious community.

Not only will your families be in the know regarding online risk, but they will also learn family-tested psychological wellness tools that I’ve been using in my psychology practice for over 25 years. These wellness tools have been demonstrated to be effective for improving mood and empowering your families to make their best choices when faced with parenting challenges. Best of all, your youth will be more likely to share with their parents and your church community for coaching and support. Isn’t that what we want most of all? Having healthy, capable kids who feel safe in a trusted, loving, and secure spirit-centered environment? 

Not only will your GKIS Coach Training Course give you our 26 Screen Safety Essentials Course lessons and four supervision sessions with Dr. Bennett, but we also offer tons of free content to feed your teachings for years to come.

TO ACCESS LESSONS FROM THIS PAGE – SCROLL DOWN TO THE BOTTOM

Here are some of the bonuses you get with your course purchase:

Your Free Weekly GKIS Blog Articles

We all know that family life has its magic and its challenges. GetKidsInternetSafe blog articles offer inspirational parenting techniques, discuss current events, and feature interesting and relevant topics related to today’s tech-influenced family life. My CSUCI (California State University Channel Islands) interns help me identify and research important topics so we stay on top of the ever-changing virtual landscapes our kids spend time in.

Use our free GKIS weekly blog articles to equip you for ongoing, clever tech-topic conversations with your youth and families or refer them to the GKIS Blog directly so they can cover critical topics with their kids over a weekly screen-free dinner. You can sign up for free weekly quick-read articles (and our Connected Family Agreement) by providing your name and email address in the orange opt-in box on the top of the GetKidsInternetSafe welcome page

*SPECIAL BONUS*
Your Private GKIS Screenage Connected Family Facebook Page

Now that you are an official GKIS Connected (Spiritual) Coach, you are prepped to not only benefit from weekly articles but also get free lifetime access to our private FB page! Connected Family members can

  • GET DIRECT ACCESS to me for support and extra tips and tricks as you go.
  • BRAINSTORM novel solutions with other GKIS parents and coaches and share useful resources.
  • FEEL INSPIRED by the progress of others.
  • GET ENERGIZED with the reassurance of others just like you. You may even spark some great friendships!
  • GET A CHOICE. Whether you need to be connected to a few friends for individual support or prefer to share openly on the forum, you’ll always have other VIP GKIS parents and coaches and me to rely on!

To join, search “Screenage Connected Families” on Facebook and ask to join. Like our GetKidsInternetSafe Facebook page while you’re at it. 🙂

About Us

Dr. Bennett is the screen safety expert who teaches families how to strengthen relationships AND achieve screen sanity. She is CEO and Founder of GetKidsInternetSafe and author of Screen Time in the Mean Time: A Parenting Guide to Get Kids and Teens Internet Safe. She is a clinical psychologist who has treated thousands of families with digital injuries in over twenty-five years of clinical practice. Her clinical and personal background is uniquely complimented by research and teaching as adjunct faculty at California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI). She teaches addiction studies, parenting, clinical psychology, and directed studies with an emphasis on screen issues. Dr. Bennett served on Facebook’s Youth Advisory Committee 2018-2021 and was the honored recipient of Global Ambassador in 2017 for Teensafe.

Pastor Julie Morris joined the Mount Cross community as Pastor on August 1, 2019. Pastor Julie has been an Episcopal Priest since January of 2002.  The Lutheran and Episcopal churches are full communion partners.  Pastor Julie has been married for 22 years and has three daughters.  Pastor Julie says that she most values her relationship with God, her marriage and children, her connection to the church, and her relationships with extended family, friends, and the earth. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theology and continued to earn a Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Theology.  


Dr. B In the News!

Watch my news interviews for a quick view of HOT TOPICS. You can also browse my YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/DRTRACYBENNETT for more!


Click the links below for my answers to real parent questions:


Another free thank you gift for you, my 
MAKE YOUR DIGITAL FOOTPRINT WORK FOR YOU Webinar!

Many of my clients are high school students prepping apps for college, internships, and career opportunities as well as younger kids who showcase their talents using social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. 

If your youth would benefit from personal branding on social media, consider watching this one-hour webinar together. Schools, churches, family organizations, and private organizations hire me to speak on this topic. But for you, it’s a bonus for becoming a GKIS Connected Family. 

Enjoy! Here’s your LINK TO THE WEBINAR.


ALSO FREE ACCESS TO OUR SOCIAL MEDIA READINESS COURSE FOR TWEENS & TEENS

To access the Social Media Readiness Course, click the yellow go button below or –

  • Click on “Log in” in the right-hand corner of the GKIS Home Page.
  • Enter your Username/Email Address and Password we emailed you and click on “Login”
  • Go back to the right-hand corner of GKIS Home Page to the arrow next to “My Account”
  • Select “Courses”
  • Go to middle of page and select “Social Media Readiness Course”
  • Viola! You should be on your Welcome Page for the Social media Readiness Coruse for tweens and teens.

How to Log In to Your Coach Training

Click “Log in” in the right-hand corner of the GKIS Home Page

Enter your Username/Email Address and Password and click “Log In”

Go back to right-hand corner of GKIS Home Page to the arrow next to “My Account.” Select “Courses.”

Go to middle of the page and select “GKIS Christian Coach Training.” Voila! You should be on your Welcome Page. 

GKIS Coach Training Lessons

Your GKIS Coach Training offers 30 lessons organized into 5 modules. Each lesson contains a quick parenting video, a video for the whole family to view, and optional downloads with readings, bonus videos, infographics, and bonus webinar access. 

For the last module, coaching students will attend a weekly group coaching session with Dr. Bennett once a week for four weeks. We will provide you with scenarios for the group coaching, but you also may wish to be working with your own students during the four weeks so you can address real-time student issues.

Work through the first four modules (weeks 1 – 26) at your own pace. Consuming all course content should take about 30 to 36 hours to complete. You can work through the lessons as quickly as you would like. However, you must complete the first four modules within 12 months to graduate with a GKIS Certification.

Once you have completed modules one through four, email me at DrTracy@DrTracyBennett.com to be scheduled for your remaining once/weekly group supervision sessions.

MODULE 1 (DIGITAL CONTRACT: RULES & GUIDELINES):

 

Week 1 Parent Video: Creating the Screen Safety Dialogue

Week 1 Family Video: Your GKIS Connected Family Agreement

 

Week 2 Parent Video: Screen Use Transparency

Week 2 Family Video: Taking Inventory

 

Week 3 Parent Video: Learning about the iGens

Week 3 Family Video: Love and Protect

 

Week 4 Parent Video: Assertive Negotiation Skills

Week 4 Family Video: Conflict Resolution for Kids

 

Week 5 Parent Video: The Art of Consequence – what to do if your child breaks the agreement

Week 5 Family Video: Digital Citizenship, Online Reputation, and Netiquette

 

MODULE 2 (BEST PARENTAL CONTROLS):

 

Week 6 Parent Video: Creating Your Screen Safety Toolkit

Week 6 Family Video: There is No Online Privacy

 

Week 7 Parent Video: Child-Safe Browsers

Week 7 Family Video: Monkey Business

 

Week 8 Parent Video: Setting Up Parental Controls on Child Devices

Week 8 Family Video: Screen Use Can Bring Fun, Connection, Learning, and Engagement

 

Week 9 Parent Video: Setting Up Parental Controls Through Your ISP

Week 9 Family Video: Dr. B’s Cheeseburger Story

 

Week 10 Parent Video: Third-Party Apps & Systems

Week 10 Family Video: Distraction from IRL Relationships

 

Week 11 Parent Video: Safety Centers

Week 11 Family Video: Distraction from Your True Self

 

Week 12 Parent Video: Learning Tools

Week 12 Family Video: Healthy Brain Development

 

MODULE 3 (EXPERT HOME SETUP): 

 

Week 13 Parent Video: Home Starter Plan

Week 13 Family Video: Making Your Digital Footprint Work for You

 

Week 14 Parent Video: Predators, Cults, & Hate Groups

Week 14 Family Video: How to Identify You’re Getting Manipulated Online

Week 15 Parent Video: Screen-Free Zones

Week 15 Family Video: Distraction from IRL Activities

 

Week 16 Parent Video: Sexting & Nude Selfies

Week 16 Family Video: Protect Rejuvenating Sleep & Staging Your Bedroom

 

Week 17 Parent Video: Pornography & the Dark Net

Week 17 Family Video: Promote Screen-Free Dinners & Mindful Eating

 

Week 18 Parent Video: Screen Use & Mental Health

Week 18 Family Video: Cyberbullying

 

Week 19 Parent Video: Co-Workstations

Week 19 Family Video: Multitasking is a Myth

 

Week 20 Parent Video: Screens & Body Health

Week 20 Family Video: Creativity Kids & Maker Spaces

 

Week 21 Parent Video: Social Media Risks & GKIS Family Docking Stations

Week 21 Family Video: Emotional Awareness

 

Week 22 Parent Video: Screen Addiction

Week 22 Family Video: Risks & Benefits of Gaming – The Brain Traps

 

MODULE 4 (RISK AWARENESS):

 

Week 23 Parent Video: Product Marketing

Week 23 Family Video: How to Spot Marketing

 

Week 24 Parent Video: Screen Guidelines

Week 24 Family Video: Cybersecurity

 

Week 25 Parent Video: Social Media & Gaming Launch Techniques

Week 25 Family Video: Persuasive PowerPoint

 

Week 26 Parent Video: Let’s Review

Week 26 Family Video: Setting Intention & Graduation

MODULE 5:

Supervision Week 1: Profiling Your Youth & Practicing Theory of Mind

Supervision Week 2: Incentivizing Participation & Counseling Theory

Supervision Week 3: Family Dynamics & Special Issues

Final Supervision Week

Let's Get Started!

Below is your course menu. The lessons are designed to take in the order presented because each module covers an individual GKIS course. However, with the lesson bank below, you can look ahead and view them in any order you’d like. Once Modules 1-4 are completed, email DrTracy@DrTracyBennett.com to schedule your final four weekly group supervision sessions.

Commonsense Disclaimer

My goals for GetKidsInternetSafe courses are to teach skills to parents, paraprofessionals, and professionals to inspire cooperative family dialogue and sound strategies for screen management and psychological wellness. General practical tips are offered for informational guidelines rather than clinical service. As a mother and licensed psychologist, I am profoundly aware that each child, parent, family, and community is different. Good teaching, mentorship, and parenting comes in many forms. Not all course tips work with all kids and families. Please use your best judgment when applying them. For specific questions pertaining to your child’s physical or mental health, please consult your local pediatrician or licensed clinical psychologist. If you are in crisis, please contact emergency services immediately. GetKidsInternetSafe Privacy Policy and Terms of Use apply. Thanks for reading through the legal and ethical stuff. Welcome to our GetKidsInternetSafe community, and please enjoy all that your GKIS course has to offer!

Screen Safety Essentials Course

Welcome!

Once kids have access to the internet, they have a variety of virtual neighborhoods at their fingertips. Social media is a fun way to meet new friends, socialize with friends, be creative, and explore a variety of topics. But social media also opens them up to risks their families have never thought of before. 

Our GKIS Screen Safety Essentials Course will teach you how to teach the red flags of online risk and the wellness strategies to keep your family safe online. Our goal is to help you empower your family from a psychological perspective. With weekly course lessons, your family members will be primed to independently problem-solve and build healthy habits and resilience – all along the way building trust and family closeness. Empowerment is key.

Not only will your families be in the know regarding online risk, but they will also learn family-tested psychological wellness tools that I’ve been using in my psychology practice for over 25 years. These wellness tools have been demonstrated to be effective for improving mood and empowering your families to make their best choices when faced with parenting challenges. Best of all, your kids will be more likely to share and ask for coaching and support. Isn’t that what we want most of all? Having healthy, capable kids who feel safe in a trusted, loving, and secure environment? 

Not only will your Essentials Course give you twenty-six lessons toward screen safety, but we also offer tons of free content to support your parenting for years to come.

Because the Screen Safety Essentials Course covers all content from all of our GKIS Parenting Course, Agreements, and Supplements and you get get free access to our Social Media Readiness Course for tween and teens, you get everything GKIS has to offer.

TO ACCESS LESSONS FROM THIS PAGE – SCROLL DOWN TO THE BOTTOM

Here are some of the bonuses you get with your course purchase:

Your Free Weekly GKIS Blog Articles

We all know that family life has its magic and its challenges. GetKidsInternetSafe blog articles offer inspirational parenting techniques, discuss current events, and feature interesting and relevant topics related to today’s tech-influenced family life. My CSUCI interns help me identify and research important topics so we stay on top of the ever-changing virtual landscapes our kids spend time in.

Use our free GKIS weekly blog articles to equip you for ongoing, clever tech-topic conversations with your youth and families or refer them to the GKIS Blog directly so they can cover critical topics with their kids over a weekly screen-free dinner. You can sign up for free weekly quick-read articles (and our Connected Family Agreement) by providing your name and email address in the orange opt-in box on the top of the GetKidsInternetSafe welcome page

*SPECIAL BONUS*
Your Private GKIS Screenage Connected Family Facebook Page

Now that you are an official GKIS Connected Family, you are prepped to not only benefit from weekly articles but also get free lifetime access to our private FB page! Connected Family members can

  • GET DIRECT ACCESS to me for support and extra tips and tricks as you go.
  • BRAINSTORM novel solutions with other parents and share useful resources.
  • FEEL INSPIRED by the progress of others, even when your brilliant little manipulators push back.
  • GET ENERGIZED with the reassurance of other parents just like you. You may even spark some great friendships!
  • GET A CHOICE. Whether you need to be connected to a few friends for individual support or prefer to share openly on the forum, you’ll always have other VIP GKIS parents and me to rely on!

To join, search “Screenage Connected Families” on Facebook and ask to join. Like our GetKidsInternetSafe Facebook page while you’re at it. 🙂

The GKIS Mission

GetKidsInternetSafe helps families achieve screen sanity, prevent digital injury, and form deeper, more meaningful relationships. We don’t have to give up screens to be safe. GKIS offers tools and strategies that keep the joys of childhood discovery alive for all of us in today’s overtasked world.

About Dr B

Dr. Bennett is the screen safety expert who teaches families how to strengthen relationships AND achieve screen sanity. She is CEO and Founder of GetKidsInternetSafe and author of Screen Time in the Mean Time: A Parenting Guide to Get Kids and Teens Internet Safe. She is a clinical psychologist who has treated thousands of families with digital injuries in over twenty-five years of clinical practice. Her clinical and personal background is uniquely complimented by research and teaching as adjunct faculty at California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI). She teaches addiction studies, parenting, clinical psychology, and directed studies with an emphasis on screen issues. Dr. Bennett served on Facebook’s Youth Advisory Committee 2018-2021 and was the honored recipient of Global Ambassador in 2017 for Teensafe. 


Dr. B In the News!

Watch my news interviews for a quick view of HOT TOPICS. You can also browse my YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/DRTRACYBENNETT for more!


Click the links below for my answers to real parent questions:


Another free thank you gift for you, my 
MAKE YOUR DIGITAL FOOTPRINT WORK FOR YOU Webinar!

Many of my clients are high school students prepping apps for college, internships, and career opportunities as well as younger kids who showcase their talents using social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. 

If your youth would benefit from personal branding on social media, consider watching this one-hour webinar together. Schools, churches, family organizations, and private organizations hire me to speak on this topic. But for you, it’s a bonus for becoming a GKIS Connected Family. 

Enjoy! Here’s your LINK TO THE WEBINAR.


ALSO FREE ACCESS TO OUR SOCIAL MEDIA READINESS COURSE FOR TWEENS & TEENS

To access the Social Media Readiness Course, click the yellow go button below or –

  • Click on “Log in” in the right-hand corner of the GKIS Home Page.
  • Enter your Username/Email Address and Password we emailed you and click on “Login”
  • Go back to the right-hand corner of GKIS Home Page to the arrow next to “My Account”
  • Select “Courses”
  • Go to middle of page and select “Social Media Readiness Course”
  • Viola! You should be on your Welcome Page for the Social media Readiness Coruse for tweens and teens.

GKIS Screen Safety Essentials Course FAQ's

How do I log in?

1) Click on the “Log in” in the right-hand corner of https://getkidsinternetsafe.com/.

2) Enter your username and password

3) Click on “My Account” then “Courses”

4) Under “Registered Courses” you’ll see your Essentials Course. Click on it and you’re in!

If you have any trouble whatsoever, email me at DrTracy@DrTracyBennett.com. 

 

Which video do I watch first, the parent video or the family video? What is the difference?

We recommend you watch the parent video first on your own. The parent video offers parenting ideas and strategies that support the family exercise. The family video offers an exercise for the whole family. We recommend you screen-cast it onto your tv for your family to view together. Of course, watching it on a computer or tablet also works. Each video is typically around 5 minutes long.

To make the course super convenient, we give you access to all weekly videos. That way if you skip a week, you can always go back later and view the videos. So you don’t miss anything, we recommend you at week 1 and move you through the sequence from there. 

 

What can I expect to learn?

FAMILY CONNECTION: Dr. B has found the safest families are those that maintain a screen-friendly, ongoing dialogue. With the comprehensive family course, your kids will learn to come to you for help, recognizing that they are not alone facing risk online.

PARENT EDUCATION: Tech immigrants usually don’t know as much as their tech natives. We catch you up on issues so you can earn your child’s admiration and you can lead with credibility. 

DIGITAL INJURY PREVENTION: Dr. B believes that learning and appropriately applying prevention strategies will decrease the chance your family will end up in a psychologist’s office for treatment due to digital injury. One can’t unsee what has already been seen. 

PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLNESS: Don’t wait until after your child has run into real, damaging trouble. Prevent digital injury, teach psychological wellness, and let go of the parenting guilt. With our 100% satisfaction guarantee, you really can’t go wrong.

 

What topics does the course cover? Should I buy other GKIS Courses too?

The Screen Safety Essentials Course takes you through content from ALL GKIS Parenting Courses, Agreements, and Supplements (plus more), and you get free access to our Social Media Readiness Course for tweens and teens! There is no need to buy any other GKIS parenting courses!

Dr. B walks you through the Connected Family Agreement during the first several weeks, a digital contract that sets rules and highlights important screen issues. She also offers sensible parenting strategies for setting up a cooperative parent-child alliance. From there, she runs you through setting up parental controls, home setup, and offers must-know information to keep you screen safety fluent. The family course offers parent expertise and credibility so you’ll be their go-to source when they make a mistake online or see something uncomfortable.

 

How much time do I have to commit to following the program?

As much as you want! But the Screen Safety Essentials Course is designed to save you time, so you can spend as little time as 20 minutes a week. You can skip weeks at your convenience. We offer an optional family exercise, downloads, and even reading links to go deeper if you’d like. It’s totally up to you! 

 

Why is this course so inexpensive?

Dr. B loves the families she works with and has been a child advocate her whole career. Rather than charge a lot for a few families, she went against expert advice and chose to charge a little for many. She’s spent her career treating digital injury and made a personal commitment toward prevention. A ridiculously low price made sense to her to achieve that.

 

What if we are already out of control with screen use? Are we too far gone?

It’s never too late, even with teens. GKIS strategies can be implemented immediately for positive change. And you’ll learn a ton so you won’t feel shut out anymore.

 

Won’t kids figure it out on their own?

Some will, some won’t. Just read the comments from any moms’ Facebook group and you’ll see that not everybody forms good judgment online. They say there are no original ideas anymore, but we have customers telling us all the time they’ve never heard of some of Dr. B’s strategies. She’s been building them and incorporating the best strategies from her work and research over 28 years of parenting, teaching, and clinical practice. That’s direct feedback from thousands of families! She knows what works and what doesn’t; her livelihood depends on it. 10 quick lessons for better screen safety & psychological wellness.

 

Will we get access to Dr. Bennett?

If you’d like individual coaching for support here and there, you can always sign up for coaching sessions with Dr. B separately. Coaching sessions are offered at a discount.Also, keep an eye on her GetKidsInternetSafe.com SAVE-THE-DATE page and attend a presentation! Or, make an appointment for an office consultation.

 

My coaching video has no sound.

Usually, that happens if your phone is on silent, your volume is down, or you need to tap the gray speaker icon in the right-hand corner of the video.

Screen Safety Essentials Course Lessons

Week 1 Parent Video: Creating the Screen Safety Dialogue

Week 1 Family Video: Your GKIS Connected Family Agreement

 

Week 2 Parent Video: Screen Use Transparency

Week 2 Family Video: Taking Inventory

 

Week 3 Parent Video: Learning about the iGens

Week 3 Family Video: Love and Protect

 

Week 4 Parent Video: Assertive Negotiation Skills

Week 4 Family Video: Conflict Resolution for Kids

 

Week 5 Parent Video: The Art of Consequence – what to do if your child breaks the agreement

Week 5 Family Video: Digital Citizenship, Online Reputation, and Netiquette

 

Week 6 Parent Video: Creating Your Screen Safety Toolkit

Week 6 Family Video: There is No Online Privacy

 

Week 7 Parent Video: Child-Safe Browsers

Week 7 Family Video: Monkey Business

 

Week 8 Parent Video: Setting Up Parental Controls on Child Devices

Week 8 Family Video: Screen Use Can Bring Fun, Connection, Learning, and Engagement

 

Week 9 Parent Video: Setting Up Parental Controls Through Your ISP

Week 9 Family Video: Dr. B’s Cheeseburger Story

 

Week 10 Parent Video: Third-Party Apps & Systems

Week 10 Family Video: Distraction from IRL Relationships

 

Week 11 Parent Video: Safety Centers

Week 11 Family Video: Distraction from Your True Self

 

Week 12 Parent Video: Learning Tools

Week 12 Family Video: Healthy Brain Development

 

Week 13 Parent Video: Home Starter Plan

Week 13 Family Video: Making Your Digital Footprint Work for You

Week 14 Parent Video: Predators, Cults, & Hate Groups

Week 14 Family Video: How to Identify You’re Getting Manipulated Online

 

Week 15 Parent Video: Screen-Free Zones

Week 15 Family Video: Distraction from IRL Activities

 

Week 16 Parent Video: Sexting & Nude Selfies

Week 16 Family Video: Protect Rejuvenating Sleep & Staging Your Bedroom

 

Week 17 Parent Video: Pornography & the Dark Net

Week 17 Family Video: Promote Screen-Free Dinners & Mindful Eating

 

Week 18 Parent Video: Screen Use & Mental Health

Week 18 Family Video: Cyberbullying

 

Week 19 Parent Video: Co-Workstations

Week 19 Family Video: Multitasking is a Myth

 

Week 20 Parent Video: Screens & Body Health

Week 20 Family Video: Creativity Kids & Maker Spaces

 

Week 21 Parent Video: Social Media Risks & GKIS Family Docking Stations

Week 21 Family Video: Emotional Awareness

 

Week 22 Parent Video: Screen Addiction

Week 22 Family Video: Risks & Benefits of Gaming – The Brain Traps

 

Week 23 Parent Video: Product Marketing

Week 23 Family Video: How to Spot Marketing

 

Week 24 Parent Video: Screen Guidelines

Week 24 Family Video: Cybersecurity

 

Week 25 Parent Video: Social Media & Gaming Launch Techniques

Week 25 Family Video: Persuasive PowerPoint

 

Week 26 Parent Video: Let’s Review

Week 26 Family Video: Setting Intention & Graduation

Below is your course menu. The lessons are designed to take in the order presented because each module covers an individual GKIS course. However, with the lesson bank below, you can look ahead and view them in any order you’d like. 😊

Let's Get Started!

Commonsense Disclaimer

My goals for GetKidsInternetSafe courses are to teach skills to parents, paraprofessionals, and professionals to inspire cooperative family dialogue and sound strategies for screen management and psychological wellness. General practical tips are offered for informational guidelines rather than clinical service. As a mother and licensed psychologist, I am profoundly aware that each child, parent, family, and community is different. Good teaching, mentorship, and parenting comes in many forms. Not all course tips work with all kids and families. Please use your best judgment when applying them. For specific questions pertaining to your child’s physical or mental health, please consult your local pediatrician or licensed clinical psychologist. If you are in crisis, please contact emergency services immediately. GetKidsInternetSafe Privacy Policy and Terms of Use apply. Thanks for reading through the legal and ethical stuff. Welcome to our GetKidsInternetSafe community, and please enjoy all that your GKIS course has to offer!

Screen Safety Essentials Course for Christian Families

Welcome!

Once kids have access to the internet, they have a variety of virtual neighborhoods at their fingertips. Social media is a fun way to meet new friends, socialize with friends, be creative, and explore a variety of topics. But social media also opens them up to risks their families have never thought of before. 

Our GKIS Screen Safety Essentials Course for Christian Families will teach you how to teach the red flags of online risk and the wellness strategies to keep your family safe online. Our goal is to help you empower your youth and their families from a psychological and spiritual perspective. With weekly course lessons, your family members will be primed to independently problem-solve and build healthy habits and resilience – all along the way building trust and family closeness. Empowerment is key and so is healthy attachment as a family and religious community.

Not only will your families be in the know regarding online risk, but they will also learn family-tested psychological wellness tools that I’ve been using in my psychology practice for over 25 years. These wellness tools have been demonstrated to be effective for improving mood and empowering your families to make their best choices when faced with parenting challenges. Best of all, your kids will be more likely to share and ask for coaching and support. Isn’t that what we want most of all? Having healthy, capable kids who feel safe in a trusted, loving, and secure environment? 

Not only will your Essentials Course give you twenty-six lessons toward screen safety, but we also offer tons of free content to support your parenting for years to come. 

TO ACCESS LESSONS FROM THIS PAGE – SCROLL DOWN TO THE BOTTOM

Here are some of the bonuses you get with your course purchase:

Your Free Weekly GKIS Blog Articles

We all know that family life has its magic and its challenges. GetKidsInternetSafe blog articles offer inspirational parenting techniques, discuss current events, and feature interesting and relevant topics related to today’s tech-influenced family life. My CSUCI (California State University Channel Islands) interns help me identify and research important topics so we stay on top of the ever-changing virtual landscapes our kids spend time in.

Use our free GKIS weekly blog articles to equip you for ongoing, clever tech-topic conversations with your youth and families or refer them to the GKIS Blog directly so they can cover critical topics with their kids over a weekly screen-free dinner. You can sign up for free weekly quick-read articles (and our Connected Family Agreement) by providing your name and email address in the orange opt-in box on the top of the GetKidsInternetSafe welcome page

*SPECIAL BONUS*
Your Private GKIS Screenage Connected Family Facebook Page

Now that you are an official GKIS Connected (Spiritual) Family, you are prepped to not only benefit from weekly articles but also get free lifetime access to our private FB page! Connected Family members can

  • GET DIRECT ACCESS to me for support and extra tips and tricks as you go.
  • BRAINSTORM novel solutions with other parents and share useful resources.
  • FEEL INSPIRED by the progress of others, even when your brilliant little manipulators push back.
  • GET ENERGIZED with the reassurance of other parents just like you. You may even spark some great friendships!
  • GET A CHOICE. Whether you need to be connected to a few friends for individual support or prefer to share openly on the forum, you’ll always have other VIP GKIS parents and me to rely on!

To join, search “Screenage Connected Families” on Facebook and ask to join. Like our GetKidsInternetSafe Facebook page while you’re at it. 🙂

The GKIS Mission

GetKidsInternetSafe helps families achieve screen sanity, prevent digital injury, and form deeper, more meaningful relationships. We don’t have to give up screens to be safe. GKIS offers tools and strategies that keep the joys of childhood discovery alive for all of us in today’s overtasked world.

About Us

Dr. Bennett is the screen safety expert who teaches families how to strengthen relationships AND achieve screen sanity. She is CEO and Founder of GetKidsInternetSafe and author of Screen Time in the Mean Time: A Parenting Guide to Get Kids and Teens Internet Safe. She is a clinical psychologist who has treated thousands of families with digital injuries in over twenty-five years of clinical practice. Her clinical and personal background is uniquely complimented by research and teaching as adjunct faculty at California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI). She teaches addiction studies, parenting, clinical psychology, and directed studies with an emphasis on screen issues. Dr. Bennett served on Facebook’s Youth Advisory Committee 2018-2021 and was the honored recipient of Global Ambassador in 2017 for Teensafe.

Pastor Julie Morris joined the Mount Cross community as Pastor on August 1, 2019. Pastor Julie has been an Episcopal Priest since January of 2002.  The Lutheran and Episcopal churches are full communion partners.  Pastor Julie has been married for 22 years and has three daughters.  Pastor Julie says that she most values her relationship with God, her marriage and children, her connection to the church, and her relationships with extended family, friends, and the earth. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theology and continued to earn a Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Theology.  


Dr. B In the News!

Watch my news interviews for a quick view of HOT TOPICS. You can also browse my YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/DRTRACYBENNETT for more!


Click the links below for my answers to real parent questions:


Another free thank you gift for you, my 
MAKE YOUR DIGITAL FOOTPRINT WORK FOR YOU Webinar!

Many of my clients are high school students prepping apps for college, internships, and career opportunities as well as younger kids who showcase their talents using social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. 

If your youth would benefit from personal branding on social media, consider watching this one-hour webinar together. Schools, churches, family organizations, and private organizations hire me to speak on this topic. But for you, it’s a bonus for becoming a GKIS Connected Family. 

Enjoy! Here’s your LINK TO THE WEBINAR.


ALSO FREE ACCESS TO OUR SOCIAL MEDIA READINESS COURSE FOR TWEENS & TEENS

To access the Social Media Readiness Course, click the yellow go button below or –

  • Click on “Log in” in the right-hand corner of the GKIS Home Page.
  • Enter your Username/Email Address and Password we emailed you and click on “Login”
  • Go back to the right-hand corner of GKIS Home Page to the arrow next to “My Account”
  • Select “Courses”
  • Go to middle of page and select “Social Media Readiness Course”
  • Viola! You should be on your Welcome Page for the Social media Readiness Coruse for tweens and teens.

How to Log In to Your Screen Safety Essentials for Christian Families

Click “Log in” in the right-hand corner of the GKIS Home Page

Enter your Username/Email Address and Password and click “Log In”

Go back to right-hand corner of GKIS Home Page to the arrow next to “My Account.” Select “Courses.”

Go to middle of the page and select “Screen Safety Essentials Course for Christian Families.” Voila! You should be on your Welcome Page. 

Screen Safety Essentials Course Lessons

Week 1 Parent Video: Creating the Screen Safety Dialogue

Week 1 Family Video: Your GKIS Connected Family Agreement

 

Week 2 Parent Video: Screen Use Transparency

Week 2 Family Video: Taking Inventory

 

Week 3 Parent Video: Learning about the iGens

Week 3 Family Video: Love and Protect

 

Week 4 Parent Video: Assertive Negotiation Skills

Week 4 Family Video: Conflict Resolution for Kids

 

Week 5 Parent Video: The Art of Consequence – what to do if your child breaks the agreement

Week 5 Family Video: Digital Citizenship, Online Reputation, and Netiquette

 

Week 6 Parent Video: Creating Your Screen Safety Toolkit

Week 6 Family Video: There is No Online Privacy

 

Week 7 Parent Video: Child-Safe Browsers

Week 7 Family Video: Monkey Business

 

Week 8 Parent Video: Setting Up Parental Controls on Child Devices

Week 8 Family Video: Screen Use Can Bring Fun, Connection, Learning, and Engagement

 

Week 9 Parent Video: Setting Up Parental Controls Through Your ISP

Week 9 Family Video: Dr. B’s Cheeseburger Story

 

Week 10 Parent Video: Third-Party Apps & Systems

Week 10 Family Video: Distraction from IRL Relationships

 

Week 11 Parent Video: Safety Centers

Week 11 Family Video: Distraction from Your True Self

 

Week 12 Parent Video: Learning Tools

Week 12 Family Video: Healthy Brain Development

 

Week 13 Parent Video: Home Starter Plan

Week 13 Family Video: Making Your Digital Footprint Work for You

Week 14 Parent Video: Predators, Cults, & Hate Groups

Week 14 Family Video: How to Identify You’re Getting Manipulated Online

 

Week 15 Parent Video: Screen-Free Zones

Week 15 Family Video: Distraction from IRL Activities

 

Week 16 Parent Video: Sexting & Nude Selfies

Week 16 Family Video: Protect Rejuvenating Sleep & Staging Your Bedroom

 

Week 17 Parent Video: Pornography & the Dark Net

Week 17 Family Video: Promote Screen-Free Dinners & Mindful Eating

 

Week 18 Parent Video: Screen Use & Mental Health

Week 18 Family Video: Cyberbullying

 

Week 19 Parent Video: Co-Workstations

Week 19 Family Video: Multitasking is a Myth

 

Week 20 Parent Video: Screens & Body Health

Week 20 Family Video: Creativity Kids & Maker Spaces

 

Week 21 Parent Video: Social Media Risks & GKIS Family Docking Stations

Week 21 Family Video: Emotional Awareness

 

Week 22 Parent Video: Screen Addiction

Week 22 Family Video: Risks & Benefits of Gaming – The Brain Traps

 

Week 23 Parent Video: Product Marketing

Week 23 Family Video: How to Spot Marketing

 

Week 24 Parent Video: Screen Guidelines

Week 24 Family Video: Cybersecurity

 

Week 25 Parent Video: Social Media & Gaming Launch Techniques

Week 25 Family Video: Persuasive PowerPoint

 

Week 26 Parent Video: Let’s Review

Week 26 Family Video: Setting Intention & Graduation

Let's Get Started!

Below is your course menu. The lessons are designed to take in the order presented because each module covers an individual GKIS course. However, with the lesson bank below, you can look ahead and view them in any order you’d like. 😊

Commonsense Disclaimer

My goals for GetKidsInternetSafe courses are to teach skills to parents, paraprofessionals, and professionals to inspire cooperative family dialogue and sound strategies for screen management and psychological wellness. General practical tips are offered for informational guidelines rather than clinical service. As a mother and licensed psychologist, I am profoundly aware that each child, parent, family, and community is different. Good teaching, mentorship, and parenting comes in many forms. Not all course tips work with all kids and families. Please use your best judgment when applying them. For specific questions pertaining to your child’s physical or mental health, please consult your local pediatrician or licensed clinical psychologist. If you are in crisis, please contact emergency services immediately. GetKidsInternetSafe Privacy Policy and Terms of Use apply. Thanks for reading through the legal and ethical stuff. Welcome to our GetKidsInternetSafe community, and please enjoy all that your GKIS course has to offer!

Social Media Readiness Training

Welcome to your social media readiness training course!

You Have Access to a Parent Version and Teen Version of the Course

Thank you for your purchase. You now have access to two Social Media Readiness Course versions:

  • one for parents (without the quizzes), and
  • one for teens with the quizzes.

You will see both versions on your dashboard under Courses after you LOG IN on the right-hand corner of the GetKidsInternetSafe website. It is optional whether you want to take the parent version. I gave you access so you could see what your child will be viewing so you can make an informed decision before you turn it over to them. You can take either version as many times as you’d like.

THE ONE YOU’RE IN NOW IS THE TEEN VERSION.

The Social Media Readiness Course

Once your child has access to the internet, they will have a variety of virtual neighborhoods at their fingertips. Social media is a fun way to socialize with friends, meet new friends, be creative, and explore a variety of topics. But social media also opens your child up to risks you’ve probably never thought of before. 

Our GKIS Social Media Readiness Training Course will teach your child how to recognize the red flags of risk that they will be exposed to online. Our goal is not to scare them, but rather to increase awareness so they are primed to independently problem-solve and build healthy habits and resilience. But education is only half of it! Not only will your child be in the know regarding online risk, but they will also learn family-tested psychological wellness tools that I’ve been using in my psychology practice for over 25 years. 

These wellness tools have been demonstrated to be effective in improving mood and empowering your child to make their best choices when faced with a challenge. Best of all, if your child has the information and skills they need to make good decisions, they’re more likely to come to you for coaching and support. Isn’t that what we want most of all? Having healthy, capable kids who feel safe in a trusted, loving, and secure family environment.

TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE LESSONS, SCROLL DOWN.

Your Free Weekly GKIS Blog Articles

We all know that family life has its magic and its challenges. Our GetKidsInternetSafe blog articles offer inspirational parenting techniques, discuss current events, and feature interesting and relevant scientific outcome studies, usually related to technology and screen time. My CSUCI interns help me identify and research important topics so we stay on top of the ever-changing virtual landscapes our kids spend time in.

The blog will equip you for ongoing, clever tech-topic conversations with your kids over a screen-free dinner.  Sign up for your free weekly quick-read articles (and Connected Family Agreement) by providing your name and email address in the orange opt-in box on the top of the GetKidsInternetSafe welcome page

*SPECIAL BONUS*
Your Private GKIS Screenage Connected Family Facebook Page

Now that you are an official GKIS Connected Family, you are prepped to not only benefit from weekly articles but also get free lifetime access to our private FB page! For Connected Family members only, you’ll be able to 

  • DIRECT ACCESS to me for support and extra tips and tricks as you go.
  • BRAINSTORM novel solutions with other parents and share useful resources.
  • FEEL INSPIRED by the progress of others, even when your brilliant little manipulators push back.
  • GET ENERGIZED with the reassurance of other parents just like you. You may even spark some great friendships!
  • YOUR CHOICE. Whether you need to be connected to a few friends for individual support or prefer to share openly on the forum, you’ll always have other VIP GKIS parents and me to rely on!

To join, search “Screenage Connected Families” on Facebook and ask to join. Like our GetKidsInternetSafe Facebook page while you’re at it. 🙂

Dr. Bennett's GKIS Story

Although I tend to be a private person, I’d like to share with you why I became passionate about preventing digital injury and founded GetKidsInternetSafe. In 2012 my dad died from a heart attack. I was crushed. He had always been my go-to person for everything in my life. Even at my age of 44 years old when he died, he was the first person I called when I was excited, ashamed, or overwhelmed. He was particularly brilliant at knowing how to reassure me and make me feel loved. His loss was profound for me.

To make matters worse, my mom was suffering from the late stages of dementia. We had always had a complicated relationship, partly due to her alcoholism and my desperate attempts to get her to stop. Like most families, I was left to watch her deteriorate without much influence on her personal decisions. As I worked through the complications of managing my dad’s estate, my mom was driving around town looking for children she thought she’d lost. I was terrified for her safety, and she was uncooperative. I had to go to court to finally get her the help she needed. It was tough.

Soon it was to become even more difficult. Within a year of my dad’s death, my stepmother was diagnosed with cancer. As she spoke to me about her devastating grief over the loss of my dad, she was struggling to stay alive herself. Six weeks after her diagnosis, I barely made it to her side as she passed away. My only sister and I became estranged through the process as well. Brutal.

So there I was, calling lawyers, accountants, real estate agents, and doctors trying to settle my mom and dad’s very complicated estates while grieving the loss of both of my parents, my stepmother, and my sister. I’d essentially lost my whole family within a year while raising my own three kids.

One day while in the middle of it all, I was feeling crushed and overwhelmed. I looked up from my computer and reflected on what my dad would think about the job I was doing trying to take care of everybody. At that moment, I recall hearing my two little ones giggling in the backroom playing Minecraft. I was flooded with gratitude, love, and fear. Too overwhelmed to be my best self, I became frightened about how much I was relying on screens to distract the kids like the families I’d seen in my practice, families who sought me out to help them cope with digital injuries like disconnection, cyberbullying, online predators, and porn addiction. I realized at that moment, we could be next.

I got myself out of that chair that day, sunk into the couch behind the kids, and started to make a plan that would allow safer screen time and also help me bond even better with my family. I wanted to be their go-to person when they needed help the most as my dad has always been there for me.

That is how GetKidsInternetSafe was born. As I pulled together the know-how I’d earned from my many years of mothering, training, private practice, and teaching, I got increasingly passionate about preventing digital injury rather than just treating it. I published my book, Screen Time in the Mean Time, offered keynote speaking and media interviews, consulted, wrote weekly blogs with my interns, and ultimately developed a toolkit of courses to help families with kids of all ages. 

I can’t wait to hear what you think about your Social Media Readiness Training Course. Before you get started, I added a gallery of videos for you to check out if you’d like. Some of the videos are news reports and below that are some videos I made to answer specific parent questions. 

If you have any feedback or questions along the way, please email me at DrTracy@DrTracyBennett.com. And please, if you like what you’re learning, share the course link with friends and family. I’d also LOVE a testimonial so more families can learn about us. 🙂


Dr. B In the News!

For a quick view of HOT TOPICS, it may be helpful to you watch a few of these news clips. You can also browse Dr. Bennett’s YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/DRTRACYBENNETT for more!


Click the links below for Dr. B's Social Media Readiness Parenting Videos


Another gift for you, my MAKE YOUR DIGITAL FOOTPRINT WORK FOR YOU Webinar!

Many of my clients are high school students prepping applications for college, internships, and career opportunities as well as younger kids who showcase their talents using social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. 

If your child would benefit from personal branding on social media, consider watching this one-hour webinar together. Schools, churches, family organizations, and private organizations hire me to speak on this topic. But for you, it’s a bonus for becoming a GKIS Connected Family. 

Enjoy! Here’s your LINK TO THE WEBINAR.


Social Media Readiness Training Lessons

INTRODUCTION

Parent Primer to Getting Started

             Why is this course necessary?
             “PARENTING”
             Kids on the Internets
             Increasing Rates of Psychological Distress
             Growth Mindset & Grit

Teens: Why is it worth it to take this course?

             What is digital injury?
             Why not go screen-free?

MODULE 1 – PROTECTION FROM DIGITAL INJURY

Lesson 1 – Protecting Your Money and Information  

            Products for Sale Online
            Cybersecurity & Privacy

Lesson 2 – Protecting Your Reputation and Well-Being

            Cyberbullying
            Digital Footprint & Online Reputation
            Online Predators & Hate Groups

Lesson 3 – Protecting Your Emotional Wellness

            Violence Video Games
            Pornography
            Distraction from Real-Life Relationships & Activities
            Distraction from Who You Really Are

Lesson 4 – Protecting Your Physical Wellness          

            Overuse, Repetitive Strain, Postural, & Screen Distraction Injuries
            Brain Rewiring & Multitasking
            Screen Addiction

MODULE 2 – EMOTIONAL WELLNESS

Lesson 5 – Emotional Readiness Techniques

             A Growth Mindset & A Beginner’s Mind
             Identifying Emotional Triggers
             Setting Intention

Lesson 6 –Emotional Fitness & Mindfulness Techniques

             Mindfulness
             Body Scan
             Scaling
             Release Response
             Task Awareness

Lesson 7 – Emotional Reset Techniques

             Distract Yourself
             Anchoring: 4-3-2-1
             6-Second Belly Breathing
             Progressive Muscle Relaxation
             Imagery: Making Your Imagination Library
             Loving Kindness Meditation

Lesson 8 – Thinking Reset Techniques

             Hypothesis Testing
             Radical Acceptance
             Changing ­Stinking Thinking to Can-Do Thinking

Lesson 9 – Social Skills, Social Media, & Conflict Resolution

             Friends
             Social Media
             The 4 Responses to Online Conflict
             Your Psychological Wellness Toolkit

Lesson 10 – The Love of Learning

            Fake News
            Study Skills
            Digital Toolbox for Coping
            Digital Toolbox for Learning

Let's Get Started!

Below is your course menu. First, you”ll learn how you can benefit from the course. From there, you can work their way through 10 lessons, each with a quiz that must be passed with a 70% or higher to move to the next lesson. You can take each quiz as many times as you need to. Once you’ve completed the course, print your graduation certificate for social media readiness.

Commonsense Disclaimer

My goals for GetKidsInternetSafe courses are to inspire cooperative family dialogue and sound strategies for screen management. General practical tips are offered for informational guidelines rather than clinical service. As a mother and licensed psychologist, I am profoundly aware that each child, parent, and family is different and good parenting comes in many forms. Not all course tips work with all kids and families. Please use your best judgment and parental instincts when applying them. For specific questions pertaining to your child’s physical or mental health, please consult your local pediatrician or licensed clinical psychologist. If you are in crisis, please contact emergency services immediately. GetKidsInternetSafe Privacy Policy and Terms of Use apply. Thanks for reading through the legal and ethical stuff. Welcome to our GetKidsInternetSafe community, and please enjoy all that your GKIS Social Media Readiness Training Course has to offer!

Screen Safety Toolkit

GKIS Screen Safety Toolkit

Welcome!

With screen-loving kids, sound parenting strategies are simply not enough for online safety. Parents must also use smart tech tools for filtering, monitoring, and management. Parents were telling us how overwhelmed they felt trying to figure out which controls to try…

So by popular demand, we did the research for you! With the GKIS Screen Safety Toolkit, you can methodically implement the tools that fit for your unique child as they age. We even update it as tools improve and come on and off the market. To help you save money on subscription services, we even offer discount links when we can.

Please enjoy our GKIS Screen Safety Toolkit with links to our recommendations for our favorite tech tools for kids, tweens, and teens! But first…make sure you are taking advantage of the free stuff GetKidsInternetSafe has to offer!

Did you already grab your FREE
Connected Family Screen Agreement AND Weekly GKIS Blog Articles?

Do your kids roll their eyes when you try to talk tech? Mine did too until I founded GetKidsInternetSafe. With the help of my millennial interns, I have become a bit of a meme lord, I have to admit. My teens will never admit to being impressed, but they kinda are. Not only did it help this digital immigrant relate to my digital natives, it also made me more clear about my expectations of them, rules and regulations around screen use, and how to have more fun as a parent instead of feeling worried and guilt all the time.

After I started to benefit from my screen-related parenting strategies so much, I started sharing them with my clients. They were so stoked about all of it, I then took it online and founded GetKidsInternetSafe. To help my GKIS parents develop credibility with their kids, I decided to offer two things right off the bat: my free Connected Family Screen Agreement AND free weekly articles about all things screen-related. 

With your GKIS CONNECTED FAMILY SCREEN AGREEMENT, you’ll have a sensible structure to gently teach your kids what they need to know for safety and start cooperative, fun dialogue about all things tech. I developed this powerful tool to be valuable, comprehensive, and doable. 

Your free GKIS weekly articles are designed to give you an endless library of interesting and useful tidbits of information that will help you build a cooperative dialogue with your family, week after week.Super convenient and easy. If they are not for you, all you have to do is click the unsubscribe button at the bottom of each email.

I’m happy to report I have a surprisingly high open rate compared to other informational experts. I think that’s because I’m really picky about what we publish. Every article has to be clear, interesting, and short! In fact, I just gave two presentations yesterday and there were at least three people in each audience that had not only seen me speak before, but they said they LOVE their weekly articles. A few said they’ve been on my mailing list for many years and still look forward to their weekly GKIS read! How cool is that?

As a busy mom myself, I recommend you calendar well-deserved weekly cozy time for a cup of tea and your quick GKIS read. Creating that space for yourself will help you make a deliberate plan and stay consistent. Plus you’ll sound more credible to your family! You are no longer alone in this. We’ve written some great articles with you in mind.

GKIS articles include topics like:

  • Best-practice parenting strategies for fun time and relationship building.
  • How to block Internet dangers like sexual predators, violence, and pornography.
  • Hot topics and how to cope with them like cyberbullying, sexting, mental brownout, and Internet addiction.
  • Fun and educational online resources.
  • Cool facts and stories to share with friends and family

So, if you haven’t done it yet, go the GetKidsInternetSafe.com and enter your name and email address for your free GKIS Connected Family Screen Agreement and your weekly articles!

Commonsense Disclaimer

GetKidsInternetSafe courses are designed to inspire cooperative family dialogue and sound strategies for screen management. General practical tips are offered for informational guidelines rather than clinical service. As a mother and licensed psychologist, I am profoundly aware that each child, parent, and family is different and good parenting comes in many forms. Not all GKIS tips work with all kids and families. Please use your best judgment and parental instincts when applying them. For specific questions pertaining to your child’s physical or mental health, please consult your local pediatrician or licensed clinical psychologist. If you are in crisis, please contact emergency services immediately. GetKidsInternetSafe Privacy Policy and Terms of Use apply.

Thanks for reading through the legal and ethical stuff. Welcome to our GetKidsInternetSafe community, and please enjoy all that your GKIS Digital Toolkit has to offer!

Get Started With the Course Content Below!

Connected Family Course

Welcome to your GKIS connected family course!

Welcome!

Parents tell me all the time that they feel worried and ashamed that their kids are in the driver’s seat when it comes to screen use. It’s an epidemic issue. Parenting these days is part bliss and part guilt. For the first time in history, digital native kids know more than their digital immigrant parents. It can seem impossible to stay ahead of them. 

No more. The GKIS Connected Family Course will change that. Today you are getting started with a home staging program that will set up a system of safety, accountability, and cooperative negotiation. “Home staging”refers to the fact that this course sets up, or stages,your home for optimal success. With common understanding, sensible rules, parenting strategies, tech tools, and safer screen use stations, you’ll optimize balance and healthiest habits.

Not only will Connected Family setups fix the slips that are happening now, it will also launch habits that will pay off for years to come. You are no longer alone. When it comes to justifying the step-by-step changes to your kids, you can speak with utter confidence that you know what you’re doing and your directives will lead to positive changes. No more shame. No more blame.

Your Free Weekly GKIS Blog Articles

Each stage of child rearing has its magic and its challenges. GetKidsInternetSafe blog articles offer inspirational parent techniques, discuss current events, or feature interesting and relevant scientific outcome studies, usually related to screen time. Sign up for your free weekly quick-read articles by providing your name and email address in the opt-in box on the top of the GetKidsInternetSafe welcome page. 

BONUS 1
Your Private GKIS Connected Family Facebook Page

Now that you are an official GKIS Connected Family, you are prepped to not only benefit from weekly articles, but you also get free lifetime access to our private FB page! For Connected Family members only, you’ll be able to 

  • DIRECT ACCESS to me for support and extra tips and tricks as you go.
  • BRAINSTORM novel solutions with other parents and share useful resources.
  • FEEL INSPIRED by the progress of others, even when your brilliant little manipulators push back.
  • GET ENERGIZED with the reassurance of other parents just like you. You may even spark some great friendships!
  • YOUR CHOICE. Whether you need to be connected to a few friends for individual support or prefer to share openly on the forum, you’ll always have other VIP GKIS parents and me to rely on!

To join, like our GetKidsInternetSafe Facebook page and Instant Message me to send your invite!

BONUS 2
Your GKIS Home Starter Workbook

The GKIS Home Starter Workbook contains the same content as your GKIS Connected Family Course (minus videos and some downloads). It’s up to you if you’d like to stick with only the online content or if you’d like  to print this pdf format to carry with you. The workbook is currently offered on Amazon for $19.99 but is yours free as a bonus. Enjoy!

These days, parenting standards seem impossible to live up to. We feel guilty, worrying that we aren’t doing enough or that we’re doing too much. Where’s the perfect balance? It seems we are expected to provide our kids with almost constant entertainment, enrichment, and protection while giving them opportunity to build independent resilience. They are too often afraid to fail, and we are too often afraid to fail them. Add in screens expertly designed to capture our attention, and family life becomes even more challenging. 

Dr. Bennett is a mom and licensed clinical psychologist who is a Screen Safety Expert. Through 26 years of practice, research, and teaching, she has found that a fun, cooperative parent-child relationship and sensible proactive home setup is key for child safety and healthy development. Designed to establish the “basics” for screen safety and parental authority and screen competence, the GKIS Home Starter Workbook will help you set up your cooperative family tech dialogue, establish important rules and parameters, onboard your digital toolbox for filtering and monitoring, and set up home working stations to optimize supervision, creativity, and balance in ten easy steps. For families with toddlers, school age kids, and teens.

Dr. Bennett's GKIS Story

Although I tend to be a fairly private person, I’d like to share with you why I became passionate about preventing digital injury and founded GetKidsInternetSafe. Six years ago my dad died at 72 years old from a heart attack. I was absolutely crushed. Although he lived a thousand miles away from me, he had always been my go-to person about everything in my life. Even at my age of 44 years old, he was the first person I called when I was excited, ashamed, or overwhelmed. He was particularly brilliant at knowing how to reassure me and make me feel loved. His loss was profound for me.

To make matters worse, my mom was suffering from the early stages of a debilitating dementia. We had always had a complicated relationship, partly due to her alcoholism and my desperate attempts to get her to stop. Like most families, I was left to watch her deteriorate slowly without much influence on her personal decisions. As I worked through the complications of managing my dad’s estate, alone without help, my mom was driving around town looking for children she thought she’d lost. I was terrified for her safety, and she was uncooperative. I had to go to court to finally get her the help she needed. It was really tough.

Soon it was to become even more difficult. Within a year of my dad’s death, my sweet stepmother was diagnosed with stage 4 oral cancer. As she spoke to me about her devastating grief over the loss of my dad, the love of her life, she was also struggling to stay alive herself. Six weeks after her diagnosis, I barely made it to her side as she passed away. She and my sister had been in conflict overly dad’s property. This, along with other issues, contributed to a brutal estrangement from my only sister. 

So there I was, calling lawyers, accountants, real estate agents, and doctors trying to settle my mom and dad’s very complicated estates while grieving the loss of both of my parents, my stepmother, and my sister. I’d essentially lost my whole family within a year while raising my own three kids.

One day during that time, I was feeling particularly crushed and overwhelmed. I looked up from my computer and reflected on what my dad would think about the job I was doing trying to take care of everybody. At that moment, I recall hearing my two little ones giggling in the back room playing Mine Craft. I was flooded with gratitude, love, and fear. Too overwhelmed to be my best self, I became frightened about how much I was relying on screens to distract the kids like the families I’d seen in my practice, families who were suffering from digital injuries like cyberbullying, online predators, and porn addiction. I realized at that moment, we could be next.

I got myself out of that computer chair that day, sunk into the couch behind the kids, and started to make a plan that would allow safer screen time and also help me bond even better with my family. I wanted to be their go-to person when they needed help the most, like my dad has always been there for me.

That is how GKIS was born. As I pulled together the know-how I’d earned from my many years of private practice and teaching, I got increasingly passionate about how GKIS programs worked. My clients were raving, and my kids and clients were building resiliency. From there, I launched a mission of moving beyond treatment and committing to the prevention of digital injury using the huge reach of the Internet for help. 

I can’t wait to hear your progress as you move step-by-step through the GKIS Connected Family Course.

Let's Get Started!

In Chapter 1, we will start by assessing where you are now and where you want to be when you’ve completed the course by starting with your GKIS Parent Report Card and GKIS Home Starter Plan. With this initial commitment to change, you can track change as you move forward through your ten easy steps. By the end, you will be able to look back and recognize that you’ve followed through and achieved true success with an expert action plan for screen safety and more fun, connected parenting.

What does your screen safety plan look like now, before you’ve gotten started with your GKIS Connected Family Course?

Do your kids have open access to apps, games, and Internet content?

Are time or situational parameters set up for smart and safe use?

Perhaps you’ve seen hints that there is already a problem in your home. If you have young kids you may be noticing they are too enthusiastic about getting on their screens, begging to get on and having tantrums when they get off. You wonder if they are at risk for addiction or missing out on critical nonvirtual learning tasks like socialization, creative three-dimensional play, or physical exercise. If your kids are school age, tweens, or teens, maybe you’ve found inappropriate content on the browser history, digital photo album, or in instant messaging or texts already. Maybe there’s no sign of risk, but you worry about it. Or you know there’s more you can do but can’t figure out where to start or can’t seem to get your kids’ buy-in or find follow-through impossible.

No more! Today you are getting started with a program that will set up a system of safety, accountability, and cooperative negotiation. Step-by-step, we are going to make real change that will establish habits that will last for years!

MORE GKIS PARENT RESOURCES FOR YOU TO CHECK OUT

 

We highly recommend our free CONNECTED FAMILY SCREEN AGREEMENT to get started with screen safety right out the gate.This is like a digital contract but much, much more. It serves as a checklist for all of the things you need to be looking out for as a family. It also helps you negotiate sensible rules and start a fun, informed, mutually-educational tech dialogue. You want to be an ally from the beginning. Then your kids will come to your with challenges they run into in their virtual lives rather than shut you out. Dr. Bennett believes that a strong parent-child alliance is the #1 factor for family screen safety.

Did you know that kids are the #1 targeted population for identity theft? That’s because the cybercriminal can benefit from fraudulent charges for years before the victim discovers it. Protect your family from hacking, scamming, malware, and phishing with our CYBERSECURITY & RED FLAGS SUPPLEMENT. The low-cost supplement to our Connected Family Screen Agreement also offers the red flags for kids to alert them to online predators, hate groups, and cyberbullies plus the behavioral red flags for parents that signal when a child may be suffering digital injury. Recognizing red flags are an important first step to prevention.

 

Due to screen technology, this generation of children are more marketed to than any other children in history. Why? Because there’s BIG money in child and teen products. Kids are especially heavily marketed to in the video game niche, because the entertainment value of video games adds up to big money. In 2019, the global revenue for the gaming market reached 152.1 billion dollars! Social media influencers also market to kids, making big money from ads, affiliation fees with bigger brands, and their own product lines. Social media operates from the old adage, “If you can’t see the product, you are the product.” Teach your kids how to spot the strategies marketers and video game developers use to earn money from viewers with our HOW TO SPOT MARKETING RED FLAG SUPPLEMENT.

 

 

Too overwhelmed and busy to do the digital tool research? We’ve done it for you in our GKIS DIGITAL SCREEN SAFETY TOOLKIT! If you have screen-loving kids or teens, sound parenting strategies are not enough for online safety. You also need smart tech tools for filtering, monitoring, and management. Parents told us they felt overwhelmed by the number of options, so we made it easy for you. The GKIS Screen Safety Toolkit is a family-tested, outcome-based resource guide with our best recommendations, how-to information, and links to our favorite easy-to-onboard parental control systems. You’ll be set to create the custom screen safety toolkit for your unique child. Let go of the guilt, and let us do the research for you!

 

Driving has BIG RISKS for teens, so we require driver’s training.  The internet has BIG RISKS too…Did you know that 86% of parents feel their teen spends too much time gaming? That the average age of smartphone ownership is 10 years old! That 1 in 4 parents say their teen knows someone with depression & 1 in 10 know a peer who’s committed suicide? Most kids spend an average of 10.5 hours a day on their screens & 4 out of 5 tweens are on social media before age 12! Due to online education, it’s almost impossible to enforce screen limits. Social media is now a critical element of healthy teen socialization. Prepare your kids for the unexpected in social media & gaming that even the most internet-savvy parents don’t know about with our GKIS SOCIAL MEDIA READINESS TRAINING COURSE for tweens and teens.

 


Free GKIS Sensible Parent Guides

Commonsense Disclaimer

My goals for GetKidsInternetSafe courses are to inspire cooperative family dialogue and sound strategies for screen management. General practical tips are offered for informational guidelines rather than clinical service. As a mother and licensed psychologist, I am profoundly aware that each child, parent, and family is different and good parenting comes in many forms. Not all GKIS Connected Family Course tips work with all kids and families. Please use your best judgment and parental instincts when applying them. For specific questions pertaining to your child’s physical or mental health, please consult your local pediatrician or licensed clinical psychologist. If you are in crisis, please contact emergency services immediately. GetKidsInternetSafe Privacy Policy and Terms of Use apply.

Thanks for reading through the legal and ethical stuff. Welcome to our GetKidsInternetSafe community, and please enjoy all that your GKIS Connected Family Course has to offer!