Educating Teens About Technology is Necessary with Clayton Cranford

Please stop yourself from saying, “This could never happen to me
or my family.” We can all have vulnerable blindspots when it
comes to those we love being exploited or endangered. Even the
best trained educators can be manipulated into making a mistake.


Today’s guest is Clayton Cranford. Clayton is the founder of
Cyber Safety Cop. He is a retired sergeant from the Orange County
Sheriff's Department who served as a school resource officer,
juvenile investigator, and behavioral threat assessor. He is one
of the nation’s leading law enforcement educators on social
media, child safety, teen drug abuse prevention, and behavioral
threat assessments. He is the author of the definitive parent
guide to online safety, Parenting in a Digital World.
Show Notes:

[1:10] - Clayton shares his background as a school resource
officer in 2012, which was the year that saw the adoption of
smartphones by teens.

[2:48] - It all amounts to a simple and common narrative: a
good kid made a bad choice and a parent who had no idea what was
going on.

[4:08] - The turning point in Clayton’s career was his first
day as a school resource officer.

[6:14] - There are things that parents can do to absolutely
make a difference.

[8:20] - Technology has changed our kids, particularly their
mental health.

[10:06] - Schools and counselors are alarmed at the number of
children who are struggling with anxiety and depression.

[12:50] - Clayton shares some of the data that shows an
increase in depression and suicidal ideation in teens.

[15:40] - Parents could come together to make real change,
but oftentimes, parents don’t often make a change until it's too
late.

[17:51] - A lot of parents are using devices to help their
kids regulate their emotions.

[21:06] - Boys tend to lean more into video games, but girls
tend to spend more time on social media. There are differences in
the effect on their brains.

[24:52] - When it comes to friends, teens have gone from
quality to quantity.

[27:02] - Every new generation that is now exposed to social
media from the time they are born are experiencing severe mental
health concerns.

[30:03] - Parenting styles have changed through each
generation.

[32:03] - Why are parents giving their children phones so
young?

[36:41] - Clayton says not to give your child a smartphone
until high school.

[37:48] - There are apps that you can put on your child’s
phone that will help regulate screen time.

[39:45] - Clayton discourages parents from putting
technology, particularly mobile devices in your child’s bedroom.

[40:49] - Parenting in a digital world is more about how to
talk to your children than telling them what they should and
shouldn't do.

[42:16] - Snapchat is an especially big problem. How can we
have this conversation?

[44:51] - The number 1 app that puts drugs in a child’s hands
is Snapchat.

[45:50] - Your relationship with your child is important, but
you need to be aware of what each app can do and what it can lead
to.

[47:10] - Parents are saying that they are glad they didn’t
have the internet when they were growing up.

[49:02] - Interacting online takes away the sense of
consequence that we feel when we interact in person.

[52:10] - The way kids think is normal. But they don’t
understand the consequences of their online behavior.



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Cyber Safety Cop Website


Parenting in a Digital World by Clayton
Cranford