18 to 24 October 2026
Round Up Starting 18 October 2026: Screen Time, Wellbeing & Digital Skills
Welcome to this week’s Parents & Teachers digest.
This week, experts warn about heavy screen use in schools, a supportive article speaks to parents who sometimes struggle, schools share practical ways to teach digital literacy, and an English review calls for stronger protection against antisemitism. Here are four reports and practical ideas for home and school.
👨👩👧 Parents News Summary
🏫 Screens at School
More than 150 clinicians warned that heavy screen use at school could harm children’s physical and developmental health.
✏️ Handwriting Helps
Councillors noted that handwriting boosts brain activity compared with typing, and said technology should complement, not replace, good teaching.
💛 Struggling Does Not Mean Failing
The Conversation explains that finding parts of parenting unenjoyable is common and does not mean a parent loves their child less.
🤝 Small Moments Connect
The article recommends realistic expectations and small moments of connection, such as a bedtime story, a walk, a meal or a shared hobby.
🌱 Rethinking Screen Time and Parental Wellbeing
Councillors warn against devices replacing teaching in schoolsScottish councillors and more than 150 clinicians warn that heavy screen use in schools may harm children’s health, urging technology to complement rather than replace teaching.- The BBC reports that two Highland councillors in Scotland asked their council to check whether digital devices are replacing teaching in schools.
- The council provides laptops to pupils in years P6 to S6, while younger pupils share devices in classrooms.
- The councillors said there is growing evidence that heavy reliance on digital devices could hinder children’s mental processes.
- They noted that brain activity is enhanced by the physical act of handwriting compared with typing on a keyboard.
- More than 150 clinicians, including GPs and paediatricians, warned that the time children spend on screens at school could harm their physical and developmental health, including eye health.
Not enjoying being a parent? You’re not alone. Here’s how to handle this complicated feelingThis supportive article explains that finding parts of parenting unenjoyable does not mean a parent loves their child less, and it suggests realistic ways to cope.- The Conversation reports that many parents sometimes find parenting unenjoyable, and that this feeling does not mean they love their children less.
- A cited 2025 survey of 10,000 Australian parents found that almost half said tiredness interfered with being the parent they wanted to be.
- The article reports that roughly two thirds of Australian mothers experience high fatigue during early parenting.
- It suggests realistic expectations, small moments of connection and sharing responsibilities between caregivers.
- For persistent or intensifying difficulties, it recommends speaking with a GP, a maternal and child health nurse or a psychologist.
🍎 Teachers News Summary
💻 Digital Skills From Day One
A school in Falls Church, Virginia, devotes one hour each week during the first month of school to teaching specific digital skills.
🛡️ Safety and Kindness Online
A school in Mendon, Massachusetts, teaches pupils about cyberbullying and the potential role of AI in it.
📋 A Clearer Response to Antisemitism
A government commissioned review calls on schools and colleges in England to recognise antisemitism as a distinct category of harm.
🎓 Training and Support
The review’s 27 recommendations include dedicated teacher training and a national advice hotline for school leaders.
💻 Teaching Digital Literacy and Keeping Schools Safe
3 Ways to Build Elementary Students’ Digital Literacy SkillsThis practical article describes how elementary schools teach children to use technology safely, responsibly and purposefully.- Education Week describes how elementary schools build digital literacy, in an article by Jennifer Vilcarino.
- A school in Falls Church, Virginia, devotes one hour weekly during the first month of school to specific digital skills.
- A school in Mendon, Massachusetts, teaches about cyberbullying and AI’s potential role in it.
- Fairfax County’s digital literacy curriculum uses materials designed by Common Sense Media.
- Kindergarten materials use six characters, arms, legs, guts, feet, heart and head, with feet representing digital footprints and guts representing online safety.
Schools in England must recognise antisemitism as distinct category of harm, report saysA government commissioned review calls for schools and colleges in England to recognise antisemitism explicitly and strengthen their response to it.- The Guardian reports on a government commissioned review of antisemitism in schools and colleges in England, led by Sir David Bell, a former chief inspector of Ofsted.
- The review contains 27 recommendations, which the article says the government was expected to accept.
- A survey for the review found that three in five Jewish students had experienced antisemitism.
- Recommendations include dedicated teacher training and a national advice hotline for school leaders.
- The Community Security Trust recorded 178 school related antisemitic incidents in the first half of 2026, compared with 112 during the same period in 2025.
✨ Extra Pearls
For Parents
- Watch or play together and talk about what you see.
- Keep evenings calm and screen free before bedtime.
- Choose programmes that match your child’s age and interests.
- Give yourself grace: struggling sometimes is part of parenting.
- Share responsibilities and ask for support when you need it.
For Teachers
- Teach specific digital skills explicitly at the start of the year.
- Use structured curricula such as Common Sense Media materials.
- Talk with pupils about cyberbullying and the role of AI.
- Know your school’s reporting procedures for hate incidents.
- Share trusted resources and training opportunities with colleagues.
Remember: quality, connection and safety matter more than counting minutes.
Thank You for Reading!
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📚 Share Knowledge
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Check back next week for more conversations from the news.
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