What Eight Inspiring Young Canadians Taught Us About Parenting in the Onlife World

Over the past twelve months, we have had the privilege of interviewing eight remarkable one Canadian youth and 7 Canadian teens, the youngest being just eight years old. Each of them has been using technology, the internet, social media, and artificial intelligence in ways that were not only creative and productive, but also thoughtful, responsible, and inspiring. Some were using AI to support their learning, others were creating digital content, building online communities, exploring entrepreneurship, or pursuing personal interests that simply would not have been possible a generation ago. Although each young person had a different story, different interests, and different goals, one common thread emerged in every conversation, none of these young people were navigating technology alone.

Behind every one of them was a parent or caregiver who was “actively” involved in their child’s digital life. Not in a controlling or intrusive way, but in a connected, intentional, and supportive way. They understood the technology their child was using, they asked questions, they learned alongside them, and they remained present as trusted guides rather than distant supervisors.

In several instances, we also had the opportunity to speak directly with the parents and caregivers of the youth and teens we interviewed. Those conversations revealed another important pattern that stood out even more than the technology itself. Their primary focus was never the technology, their primary focus was developing the human being who was using the technology.

These parents spent years intentionally building what we have come to call the “human element”. They invested in character, empathy, curiosity, resilience, emotional intelligence, responsibility, communication, critical thinking, and trust long before they worried about apps, algorithms, or artificial intelligence. Technology certainly mattered, but it was never treated as the foundation of parenting. Instead, it was viewed as one environment in which the values they had already instilled would be tested and strengthened.

They also remained actively involved in their children’s digital experiences. We often describe this as “digital sheepdoging.” Like a shepherd watching over a flock, these parents and caregivers were present without being overbearing. They created opportunities for independence while remaining close enough to provide guidance, ask questions, recognize emerging risks, and step in when needed. Rather than relying solely on parental controls or restrictive rules, they developed relationships that encouraged their children to seek advice before problems became a crises.

What struck us most was that these families were not raising children who feared technology, nor were they raising children who were simply left to figure it out on their own. They were raising young people who had developed the judgment to use technology wisely because they had first developed the human qualities needed to navigate an increasingly complex onlife world. For those who say that youth do not have this capability because of their underdeveloped brain, experiences shows us otherwise.

This experience reinforced something we have observed throughout our work with hundreds of thousands of youth, parents, caregivers, and educators over the past two decades. Technology will continue to evolve, social media platforms will change, artificial intelligence will become more capable, new apps will appear while others disappear, legislation will evolve, and parental control software will become increasingly sophisticated. 

However, one thing remains remarkably constant. Youth and teens who have strong relationships with engaged parents and caregivers, combined with opportunities to develop sound judgment, empathy, resilience, integrity, and critical thinking, are consistently better prepared to navigate whatever technological changes come next. More Importantly, they are more likely to reach out for help if they find themselves in a dangerous or problematic online situation. 

That realization ultimately inspired us to write and self-publish our newest book, “The Human Element: Why Raising Children in Today’s Online World Requires More Than Parental Controls and Legislation.” As part of our commitment to supporting parents, caregivers, and educators, we hope to release this new book as a FREE resource before the end of the summer.

The book is not an argument against technology, nor is it an argument against using parental controls or supporting sensible legislation. Those tools certainly have a role to play. However, they should never become substitutes for the human relationship between parent and child.

Our central message is simple, the most powerful protection a child will ever have is not an app installed on their phone, a parental control setting, or legislation that restricts access based solely on age. It is the judgment, character, resilience, and critical thinking they develop within themselves. While technology and legislation can play important supporting roles, neither can replace the lasting protection that comes from raising a child who has the confidence, wisdom, and values to make sound decisions, both online and offline.

When parents and caregivers invest in the human element of their child by building trust, nurturing curiosity, encouraging open communication, teaching ethical decision making, and remaining engaged in their child’s digital life, they equip their children with something that no app, algorithm, government regulation, or parental control can ever fully provide, they equip them with judgment.

In an onlife world where technology will continue to change faster than any parent or caregiver can predict, the “human element” may be the most valuable digital safety skill we can help our children develop both online and offline.

Post Script: To view these youth and teen interviews click this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G4cH40E6K8&list=PLoVKKRoNdLhtqCnWKTlvVywwbeLoJa_wB

Digital Food For Thought

The White Hatter

Facts Not Fear, Facts Not Emotions, Enlighten Not Frighten, Know Tech Not No Tech