Maggie Dent: How to Protect Your Kids From Social Media, AI & the Dark Side of Tech

Sarah Grynberg (0:00)

Welcome to A Life Of Greatness, proudly brought to you by Chemis Warehouse. As you know, greatness isn't found in one defining moment. It's built through the choices we make each day to care for our minds, our bodies and our wellbeing. And that's why we're so proud to have partnered with Chemis Warehouse with trusted health, wellness and everyday essentials. They're helping Australians invest in living healthier, fuller lives. Because every great life begins taking care of yourself. Live your life of greatness with Chemis Warehouse.

Maggie Dent is one of Australia's most trusted parenting educators, a bestselling author and former teacher. Through her work supporting families, she helps parents understand what children and teenagers need to feel safe, connected and confident in an increasingly complex world. This is my third interview with Maggie and each time I speak with her, I come away with a deeper understanding of how we can better support our children.

In this fascinating discussion, we talk about how social media and technology are shaping young minds, the growing exposure to pornography and how parents can guide their children through the digital world. We explore how to raise resilient children and teenagers in the tech era, why connection matters more than perfection and how our own behaviour becomes the example they follow.

Maggie Dent (1:30)

Life is an unexpected ride. It's never going to be all wonderful, but it doesn't always have to be all awful. If you look even when things are really hard, you will find that word glimmer. Whether it's a flower in the garden, whether it's a really nice cup of tea on a cold day.

If you look through a different lens, there is always something beautiful that's existing in amongst the chaos and the pain.

Sarah Grynberg (2:06)

I'm Sarah Grynberg and this is A Life Of Greatness. Through my years of studying and researching the connection between human behaviour, personal growth and transformation, I have discovered the keys to unlocking greatness within others. In this podcast, I share stories and experiences from my own teachings along with conversations with inspiring guests to help you learn the simple tips, habits, practices and strategies to cultivate an extraordinary existence. My hope is that this conversation helps you parent with greater confidence, awareness and compassion, because our children may not always listen to what we say, but they are constantly learning from who we are.

Maggie, welcome back to the podcast for a third time.

Maggie Dent (3:00)

I'm so lucky. Thank you, Sarah.

Sarah Grynberg (3:02)

It's a true honour. You're one of our favourite child educators, but you are a lady who has had varied roles over the years. And I think if you haven't listened to the prayer episodes, people don't really understand the breadth of stuff that you've done. Besides being a teacher, there is a lot of other work that you've done over your life. I'd love you to talk to that.

Maggie Dent (3:25)

Yeah, it's interesting.

I think being raised on a farm in the Wheat Belt in Western Australia means that we're exposed to a much more depth of life. So early on, you know, things like bushfires, we're always a part of that. So I guess, you know, as I got to be older, just when I was on my intensive breeding program, I felt I needed to contribute. So I volunteered as a support person in the Albany Hospice. So I became a bereavement support person that then became a death dauler where I was helping families to facilitate the death of their loved one at home rather than in a hospital. And that was something that I found incredibly enlightening. People would think it would be really hard and difficult, but it was the opposite. It's a bit like death is a bit like a new birthing. In so many different ways. So that was another angle. And then I was in suicide prevention because it was sort of linked to that with my counselling work. And then that helped me go to visit communities after natural disasters, whether it was floods or bushfires or in the midst of drought. And that's where I accidentally ended up speaking with men in shearing sheds because I have an innate ability because I spent so much of my childhood more with my dad and my mum of being able to communicate in a way that made common sense and cuts through things. And so I've kind of ended up in all sorts of strange places that has shaped my work and my understanding. And as a parenting educator, I realised I've got sort of the three legs on a three legged stool.

So I have been a teacher. I really understand the education process. I have been a parent and I'm now a nanny to eight beautiful grandies. And I also have that other leg that I've been a counsellor.