It’s no secret that today’s teens are growing up in a dauntingly different world than the world we parents grew up in. And honestly? It can be overwhelming to step into our kids’ shoes and see the world from their eyes. That’s why we were so thankful when a START parent—who is also a middle school teacher—offered to be our tour guide, giving a peek into the harsh reality our kids are navigating.

When it comes to technology, we recommend a driver’s ed approach – one that you can apply even to individual apps like Snapchat, and we’re now offering a free Parent’s Guide to Snapchat to help you get started! We hope this info is helpful for all families, but we especially recommend this guide for parents of elementary age children.