Reminding parents and kids to stop and make eye contact should not be worthy of a blog post. I mean, didn’t we master this skill somewhere in the 16th century? Unfortunately, in today’s gadget-happy culture, this lost art is positioned for a long-overdue comeback. We talk on this blog a lot about teaching kids to navigate Read more…
We sure didn’t see this one coming. Turns out, our teenage son’s password (and our bank account) recently got hacked—by a friend. Seems the theft was pretty simple to pull off. The culprit—a frequent visitor to our home—simply looked over my son’s shoulder as he typed in his iTunes password. Then, for the next six Read more…
In the age online sharing (and over sharing), opting for privacy is nearly becoming a social faux pas. Think about it. Have you ever noticed the snub you get if you untag yourself from a photo, hide a post someone put on your page, or leave group conversations? Have you felt the digital shiver when Read more…
When raising kids, parents wear a lot of hats: We become therapist, teacher, paramedic, coach, chauffeur, and referee. In today’s wired culture most of us can also confidently add “spy” to that list (I prefer superhero, but my kids insist on spy). If you are like most engaged parents you may feel a wave of Read more…
You may have overheard your kids talking about “catfishing” or someone getting “catfished.” No, they aren’t talking about gills, hooks, or vacationing on the lake. Rather, catfishing is a new digital sport that’s taking place online. The Urban Dictionary defines a “catfish” as “someone who pretends to be someone they’re not using Facebook or other Read more…
“Whaaaaaat?! No way! How did that happen?” My 12 year-old screeched from the couch, sat straight up, and locked shocked eyes on her phone. “What’s wrong?” I asked readying myself for some degree of bad news that was sure would follow. Was it a terrible accident? A fall out with a friend? A bad grade Read more…
Following the Boston Marathon tragedy this month, organizations such as Google leveraged technology to instantly connect people and assist in the logistics of the tragedy. No doubt, the Internet—which includes online news sites and social media platforms—is an increasingly popular and powerful channel to gather emergency information, coordinate resources, and give loved ones critical Read more…
With more teens flocking to social networks outside of Facebook, it’s more important than ever for parents to understand—and coach their kids—through the rapid-moving, drama-filled environment of Twitter. Twitter has become a hot spot for teens, many of whom view Tweets the same way they view texts. They tweet quickly and often. And, sometimes things Read more…
We write a lot about new apps on this blog because apps are hot in the very mobile teen world. Kids use apps to stay connected to the outside world and that’s where you as a parent need to be looking when it comes to threats to their personal safety. This week we’re looking Read more…
Many parents shudder at the thought. Some even experience a shortness or breath and heart palpitations when they imagine what might really happen if they took their teenager’s phone away as a consequence for poor choices. When you consider a teen’s sheer dependency on their phone for a social and emotional connection to their peers, Read more…