Hey everyone! This week, the Moxies team had the chance to attend Aura’s Digital Parenthood Summit. We were inspired by a lineup of incredible researchers, authors, educational leaders, and digitally native teens- to name a few. Their insights were too valuable to keep to ourselves, so we’re excited to share our debrief with you:

Parenthood Summit Digest: 

Parents should approach their child's relationship with technology, focusing on understanding rather than controlling the situation. Since technology is here to stay, they should use it to enable digital confidence. Parents can better support and guide their child's tech journey by taking a step back and gaining a holistic understanding of their child's digital interactions.

OVERALL MAJOR TAKEAWAYS FROM THE SUMMIT: 

Approach your child's digital experiences with understanding and curiosity: Engage in conversations with your child about their online experiences, exploring what aspects they find beneficial and which ones are harmful or causing challenges.

Foster digital confidence in an evolving tech landscape: Recognize the permanence of technological advancements and strive to comprehensively understand your child’s digital experiences to support their growth and safety online.

Advocate for child-friendly digital spaces: As technology advances, companies must prioritize the well-being of young users by designing apps that genuinely promote the health and development of children and teenagers. Big tech is not designing apps with kids' well-being in mind, causing harm. 

Promote personalized and interactive online experiences for children: Shift the focus from mindless content consumption to offering healthy personalized and engaging digital spaces that cater to each child's unique interests, moving beyond default content delivery.

Modernize education with technology: The U.S. education system has remained largely unchanged despite technological advances. Embrace technology as a tool to transform and enhance educational practices for a more effective learning experience.

ACTION POINTS INFLUENCED BY THE SPEAKERS: 

Dr. Becky's concept of 'Gazing In' vs. 'Gazing Out': Encourage children to develop a solid internal sense of identity rather than relying on external online validation. Focus on helping them connect with themselves first, rather than through their digital interactions and content consumption.

Foster open and curious dialogues about online experiences: Engage in understanding conversations with your child about their digital interactions. Ask what they enjoy and what troubles them online, creating a comfortable space for ongoing discussions.

Dr. Lisa Damour on preparing children for inevitable online toxicity: Acknowledge that kids will encounter harmful content on most digital platforms. Start early conversations about digital safety and well-being to equip them with the tools to navigate and handle such encounters.

Dr. Jacqueline Nesi suggests actively addressing technology’s impact on children despite uncertainties: While there are many unanswered questions about how technology affects children, taking proactive steps is crucial. Foster open communication, encourage curiosity, and establish guidelines to navigate their digital experiences safely and effectively.

Digital Natives suggest striking a balance between trust and support with your child: Show children you trust them while being available as a resource and guide, creating a balanced approach to their digital experiences.

SIGNIFICANT QUOTES:  

“Boundaries are when we tell our kids what we do and require our kids to do nothing.” Dr. Becky Kennedy

“Not being against technology, but being for everything that helps kids thrive.” Dr. Lisa Damour 

 “Technology should be a gateway for how we use education.” Keri Rodrigues 

“Have storytelling be a vehicle for change, mobilize young people through initiatives to know that they are active agents in change. Activating agency leads to better changes.” Emma Lembke 

“Including parents in education decision-making is important because they are an important stakeholder.” Kate Dias 

“Instead of saying we want to put the genie back in the bottle. How can we give parents a toolbook to help them succeed?” Dr. Dave Anderson 

“We have to trust ourselves and we have the capacity to do this work. What would you want someone to say to you to convince you to change behavior? You can do it!” Dr. Alfie Breland-Noble

“​​Let’s focus on principles in science that move the needle in resilience and cultivating close connected relationships.”  Dr. Aliza Pressman 

WHAT MOXIES IS DOING: 

• Moxies avoids dark patterned persuasive designs that existing social media platforms are built with. We have the well-being of Gen Alpha girls at the forefront of our mission, as Moxies is a place for girls to cultivate creative confidence and grow their digital literacy. 

• Current social media platforms are unsafe and have unmoderated content. Moxies uses AI and human moderation, ensuring COPPA compliance.

• Moxies is built for girls alongside our community, working with parents, teens, and Gen Alpha girls to produce the best product for them and create something that is not just safe and healthy but that they actually want to use.

• Moxies avatars feature thousands of inclusive and diverse traits, including different body types and puberty traits like acne, braces, gap teeth, pimple patches, and upper lip peach fuzz. This gives girls the chance to reflect their unique identity and activate self-expression. 

• Moxies is focused on active creation over passive consumption. We give users the chance to collaborate directly with brands through polls, posts, and quests to have their voices heard and be rewarded for their participation. It’s create, play, and earn!

Here’s how you can get further involved!

• Follow us on IG 

• Check out the Moxies Demo Video

• Join our Waitlist 

• Share with your friends, family, and community!