Glenbard programs offer advice on parenting, technology

The Glenbard Parent Series: Navigating Healthy Families next week has two free presentations.

Randy Sprick will present "Positive Parenting: Mastering Motivation, Attitude and Responsibility: Practical Strategies to Impart Independence, Problem Solving and Self-Control" at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 12, in the auditorium of the Glenbard South High School, 23W200 Butterfield Road, Glen Ellyn. A pre-meeting dinner begins at 6:30 p.m.

The second presentation, "Raising the Selfie Generation: The Implications and Opportunities of Growing Up in Today's Digital World," with Alec Couros, begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, in the auditorium at Glenbard North High School, 990 N. Kuhn Road, Carol Stream.

Sprick, who presents the positive parenting seminar, is a parent, grandparent, director of Teaching Strategies Inc., and lead consultant for Safe and Civil Schools in Eugene, Oregon. If your children sometimes drive you crazy, you sometimes feel unsure about how to discipline your children, you would like your children to be more motivated and cooperative and you want to feel better about yourself as a parent, Sprick's presentation is for you.

He will discuss things parents can do to help their children learn to behave responsibly and respectfully. Attendees will learn how to inspire children to be motivated, how to create clear expectations for positive behavior, how and when to use consequences for misbehavior and how and when to use praise.

In the second presentation, Couros, professor of educational technology and media, will share strategies parents can use to protect their children and help them avoid the pitfalls as they explore the digital world.

Critics of technology use speak of a narcissistic, disconnected and disengaged generation lacking social abilities and addicted to the latest fads and gadgets. Yet, great numbers of young people are accessing and creating powerful learning networks to become passionate, self-determined learners.

Couros discusses how parents can help shape the digital footprint their teens are leaving behind and how they can help make that experience a safe one.

For both presentations, CPDUs are available for education professionals.

For information about Glenbard Parent Series programs, visit glenbardgps.org or contact Gilda Ross, Glenbard District 87 student and community projects coordinator, at (630) 942-7668 or gilda_ross@glenbard.org.