Among the many community events The Family Dinner Project has been a part of in 2015, our Digital Media-themed Community Dinner, presented in conjunction with Common Sense Media, stands out as an exciting new model for families and educators. We gathered at the Waring School in Beverly, MA to share food, fun and conversation around the sometimes challenging topic of digital citizenship and what it means for parents and kids in an increasingly tech-oriented society. More details and reactions from families who were present for the dinner can be found in our blog post about the event; we also were able to create a helpful graphic from the thoughts and feedback provided by both parents and students during the course of the evening.
Now, FDP and Common Sense Media have partnered to create a new resource based on the success of this community dinner model. We believe that similar events would be valuable to communities across the country, whether presented in schools, community centers or other venues serving families with school-aged children and teens. Using the Waring School event and feedback from the attendees, we’ve worked together to produce a toolkit to help others host their own community dinner events on the theme of digital citizenship. Everything from planning and set-up tips to specific conversation starters, proven activities and materials to be used during the dinner are included in this unique guide. We encourage you to download and share it with those in your community who may be interested in bringing families together to discuss the important issue of responsible digital media use.