We have 11 podcast episodes we recommend that will engage you and your family this summer while on long car rides, lazy days, hikes and runs and more. We hope these audio discoveries will spark discussion, debate, and action at times.
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In some homes, managing screen time is the source of a lot of stress and tension. It can often be downright toxic. If you are at your wits' end about screen time issues, seeking the help of a professional coach or counselor can be beneficial.
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Jennifer Lawrence was talking to the press after winning a Golden Globe she told a reporter to put their phone away. “You can’t live your whole life behind your phone, bro… You can’t do that, you know, you have to live in the now.” Today we explore the art of asking someone to put their phone away.
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Are youth more lonely now than in the past? I often wonder if this is true, especially when you see a group of teenagers hanging out together looking down at their phones.
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Myth: We do not know how screen time can affect our kids, so we don’t need to be concerned about it until we do. Fact: The truth is screen time can have positive and negative effects on our kids, so we need to be aware of what they are doing online and how long they are doing it.
Scare tactics might work for short term behavior change—but for the long term I believe “Share Tactics” work much better. Learn more in today’s Tech Talk Tuesday.
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There is no question in my mind that, on average, the most challenging years to parent screen time is in middle school. It can take a caregiver on a brutal emotional rollercoaster ride. How we interact with our middle school age kids changes too. Today I share a few strategies that helped me:
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The struggles around sleep and youth are what I call “Bedtime Madness.” At night, parents are tired and kids are wired. Getting kids and teens to bed is often a hard job, especially when you are trying to get them to turn off the screens. Today I give you tips and strategies to try to put an end to bedtime madness.
Last month in Marin County, California, police arrested a person who was selling drugs. What makes this arrest different than most other drug busts is that this person was selling drugs on Snapchat. Today I look at how law enforcement is monitoring these deals and how to talk to your teens about this.
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Which hacks decrease undesired screen time? Today I share with you 8 hacks to help you, your kids and teens cut down on digital use.
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Last week Prince Harry publicly shared his major concern with video gaming and Fortnite in particular. He spoke about having friends who are struggling with their children over the game.
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Policies, laws, rules—who makes them? Who follows them? Who agrees or disagrees with them? And, how can each of us get involved in making them? These are critically essential questions to bring up with youth. And watch my 1-minute video of France’s new cellphone ban in schools.
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Parents are saying that their child’s elementary school has no cell phone policy because they assume that most kids do not have phones yet. But, we have found that is just not accurate.
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With many of our kids on Spring Break, now is a good time to think about helping them find things to do creatively online and offline. In a Common Sense Media report they found that only 3% of what kids do online is actually content creation, i.e. making videos, music with programs like GarageBand, writing blogs, etc. Today I write about 16 ideas to get them creating this break.
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People often ask me how much time is too much. Given that screens have become so pervasive in every place and aspect of our lives, I think that a better way to look at it is all the places and times you decide not to allow screens.
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To track or not to track. That is the question. GPS and cell phone technology has made it possible to follow our kids’ every move. Just because we can, is it ok to do it?
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Sexting, do you know the laws in your states for your teens? Do your teens know the laws? Today's Tech Talk Tuesday looks into this.
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We want youth to grow up feeling comfortable talking with people—whether that’s a cashier at the grocery store or someone or on a tram in the airport. This not only builds confidence but these simple acts have been scientifically proven to evoke happiness. Today I explore the science of this happiness trick... and how to get our kids looking up and talking to people around them.
I hear from parents regularly about their frustrations that although they set limits around their phones and game consoles when it’s time to do homework, they then have found out that the child/teen simply resumes their social media interactions and gaming on their homework device, i.e. tablets, laptops or desktops.
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Some analysts say the majority of YouTube videos people watch are discovered by the suggestions the company gives. That can be helpful... and harmful. What concerns me, beyond the time suck, is that algorithms are defining our children and forcing them deeper into silos.
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