Lakeside School

The Human Development and Health department offers educational webinars each year to help parents and guardians learn more about the health and well-being of adolescents. Each event is grounded in helping parents and guardians learn knowledge and skills that they can apply to conversations with their children at home, and to encourage parents and guardians to reflect on their values in parenting.

Middle and Upper School parents and guardians are invited to all webinars offered unless specifically noted otherwise, and all webinars are hosted on Zoom and recorded. Links to register were shared in a Sept. 30 email from me, Julie Lutton, and will be posted in the Inside Lakeside email newsletter in the weeks preceding the event. Recordings of all webinars are posted on Lakeside’s parent and guardian webpage in the days following each event.

Dialogue Series: Adult-to-Adult Dialogue
Monday, Sept. 30, 7-8:30 p.m. 
Hosted by Debbie Bensadon, Director of Equity and Inclusion

This webinar will focus on learning more about what dialogue is and the framework we use as a school to navigate conversations about complexity and challenging topics. You will learn strategies you can use in your engagement with fellow Lakeside parents and guardians, employees of Lakeside, and in broader social and work contexts. We will spend time addressing various scenarios that will allow us to practice these skills and seek productive approaches to navigating difficult conversations. Whether we are engaged in conversations with coaches, faculty, administrators, or other fellow parents and guardians, navigating dialogue in productive ways can strengthen a community and foster a deeper sense of belonging.
 

Dialogue Series: Adult-and-Child Dialogue
Wednesday, Oct. 9, 7-8:30 p.m. 

In this webinar, parents and guardians will apply our school framework for dialogue to conversations with their children. In parenting, many conversations with your child require you to communicate in high-conflict and high-emotion situations. Additionally, dialogue with your child requires communicating through difference because being a teenager in 2024 is distinct from how parents and guardians experienced their adolescence. This webinar will provide strategies and tools for dialoguing with your child to strengthen your relationship and address difficult topics.
 

Preventing and Addressing Disordered Eating
Monday, Nov. 18, 7-8:30 p.m. 

This webinar will provide opportunities for understanding disordered eating in adolescents, spotting warning signs, and discussing concerns about disordered eating with your child. We will also explore ways to help your child foster a positive body image.
 

Technology Series: Guiding Your Child to Make Value-Driven Choices with Technology
Tuesday, Jan. 28, 7-8:30 p.m. 

Adolescent technology use is an ever-changing landscape. This webinar will provide opportunities to reflect on guidelines and routines parents and guardians can implement at home to help their children make healthy decisions about technology use. We will also discuss ways to talk with your child about your expectations for their technology use.
 

Technology Series: Talking about Pornography and Sexualized Media Content
Monday, Feb. 10, 7-8:30 p.m. 

A 2023 report from Common Sense Media indicates that 12 years old is the average age at which teens first view pornography. And yet, this can be a difficult topic to discuss with our middle and high school students at home. This webinar will review the latest research about the impact of pornography on young people and discuss ways to engage in respectful dialogue with your child about this topic.
 

Technology Series: Striking the Balance: Sleep and Technology
Tuesday, March 4, 7-8:30 p.m. 

Young people and adults often struggle to get good quality sleep for a myriad of reasons, but technology use is a familiar culprit. This webinar will explore how to help your teen (and everyone in your family!) create habits with technology use that promote restful sleep.
 

Lakeside’s Sexual Violence Prevention Program
Monday, April 7, 7-8:30 p.m. 

This webinar will be an opportunity for Middle and Upper school parents and guardians to learn more about the Sexual Violence Prevention workshops that are required for 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students, as well as other opportunities for students and families to build the knowledge and skills required to prevent sexual violence at Lakeside and in their communities.
 

Substance Series: Fentanyl and Other Opioids
Wednesday, April 23, 7-8:30 p.m. 

Fentanyl and other opioid use has had a devastating impact on young people across the country. This webinar will discuss the risks and misconceptions associated with opioid use and will offer strategies for talking with your child about opioid use.

*New!* Supportive Parenting, Safe Choices: Understanding the Risks of Hosting a Teen Party
Tuesday, May 6, 7-8:30 pm

Description coming soon!