The Screenagers Blog

tech talk tuesdays

Cyberbullying is a big concern for parents, but how do we define it and do our children see it differently? The definition of bullying from StopBullying.gov is:

tech talk tuesdays

A recent article in the Washington Post about sexting and a podcast called Note to Self got me thinking about the subject. “Sexting” is the exchange of sexually explicit images between minors (17 years or younger) via tech, usually cells phones. A study from 2012 found that roughly 20% of U.S. adolescents between 13 and 19 reported having sent, or posted, a nude or semi-nude photo of themselves, and 28% said they received a sext message intended for someone else.

tech talk tuesdays

My daughter is in 9th grade in a junior high, and my son in the high school, and it seems every year they, and I, are not entirely clear on the rules at school around cellphones. Tessa tells me that one teacher has a zero tolerance policy. On the first day he told them that if he catches them with a phone, he will put it on his desk—In this first week, he has not confiscated one during her class. Another “more chill” (in Tessa’s words) teacher says if you finish your work you can be on your phone. He added that there are “appropriate times to be on your phone and non-appropriate times.” I’m eager to have a Tech Talk Tuesday tonight with my kids about how this is all working...the different rules, their desire to check their phones versus their need to pay attention, etc.

tech talk tuesdays

Screen time and homework can be a real problem. Our children often need screens to do their homework and then are automatically vulnerable to distraction when they need concentration the most. Famous research out of Stanford showed that when people multitask they feel as if they are doing better and better at the different tasks but actually they are doing worse and worse on all of them.

tech talk tuesdays

When I was young I saw the Truffaut film, Small Change, that made me want to be French. I started working at various jobs at 12 and by 16, I was able to pay my way to France for a summer to travel alone. Ok, why am I telling you this? Well, I remember trying to stay connected with people back home in Berkeley and spending a lot of time picking out postcards to send. I remember hoping the postcards would get home before I did—geez, did postcards to take forever back then, and even now they still take so long. I thought this would be a great conversation to have for Tech Talk Tuesday this week. Here are some questions to get the conversation going:

tech talk tuesdays

As summer break nears its final days and I see the fall frenzy of school-and-everything-else schedules coming my way, I am preparing for the transition. Amidst considerations around supplies, extracurriculars, transportation, and meals is of course…managing screen time.

tech talk tuesdays

When we screened Screenagers to employees at Pixar, the organizer Guido Quaroni, V.P. of Software R&D at Pixar (and also the voice Guido in Cars) and I talked about their recruitment efforts. He told me that the hardest people to find for Pixar were good story writers, animators, designers... not programmers. The creatives, however, he said ... "Ahhh, man, that is hard."

tech talk tuesdays

Today we are talking about exploring science through technology. There are many ways to spark a conversation with your kids about science including watching YouTube videos together. Tessa and I like watching “How It's Made" videos. We just watched one on how natural rubber is made and the images are incredible. And I just posted this interesting Ted Talk about using virtual reality to bring science to life in the classroom. In Screenagers we show researchers talking about the latest science around screen time and brain development, the social science around empathy and self-esteem, and the science of parenting.

tech talk tuesdays

A recent survey found that 76 percent of travelers post their vacation photos to social networks. People have different feelings about this--for example, some people love to see people on vacation and others may feel envious.

tech talk tuesdays

Pokémon GO is has taken the country by storm, and it's not just kids, adults are playing too. According SurveyMonkey, Pokémon Go has become the biggest mobile game in the history of the US. The app now has more than 21 million daily active users, which surpassed the very popular game Candy Crush when it was at its height in 2013.

tech talk tuesdays

Pokemon GO is sweeping the nation. Kids (and adults) are running around trying to spot imaginary characters floating in the real world. It’s getting kids outside and moving but they are still looking down at their screens. This is a highly seductive game that has found a way to tap into the reward centers of teen’s brains. Some things to know about teen’s brains...

tech talk tuesdays

This summer there are many opportunities for kids to be plugged in, but also many are getting the unique experience of unplugging because they are going to away to camps or in day camps that don't allow devices. There was a study done out of UCLA that shows that children who spend even 5 days without their devices, in tech-free camps, have restoration of the capacity for empathy.

tech talk tuesdays

It’s morning. You are snuggled under the covers, your eyes open, your brain registers that it’s a new day. Is your first interaction with the world an in-person one -- “Good morning, honey” – or a screen one – a text, FB post, or news and traffic update — quick, before anyone in the house says ‘hello’? How about for your kids?

tech talk tuesdays

According to a Gallup Poll, 70% of teens check their phone several times an hour. We know that is true for many adults too. Constant notifications from social sites, texts and more play a big part in this compulsion.

tech talk tuesdays

Check your phone while driving? 56% of parents say they do. Check your device during conversations with your family? 77% of parents say their teens do and 41% of teens say their parents do. Listen to music while doing homework? Browse online and text friends while watching tv? Check and respond on multiple screens and devices at once?

tech talk tuesdays

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) just released recommendations for the number of hours a night that kids and teens need to sleep, to function at their best.

tech talk tuesdays

Summer break is upon us and even though our kids won’t be on campus with their friends every day, they can keep the social scene alive on their favorite social media sites.

tech talk tuesdays

As we enter into the final weeks of the school year, we are all extra busy trying to fit it so much in. Summer break is right around the corner, and many of us are looking forward to having a little more free time. But what activities will fill that time? Screen-based activities will be more enticing than ever. Are you ready? Frankly, I know it will be a challenge in my home. I have been thinking of things I plan to do and have a few ideas...