Brave Parenting Guide to Amino
What is the app Amino and should my kids have it? Here’s the 5 Facts you need to know about Amino: #1 The Basics Amino is a social networking app aimed at teens that builds communities around specific interests. Their website states: Amino has authentic mobile Communities for whatever you’re into. YOUR INTERESTS…TIMES INFINITY Amino […]
Brave Parenting Guide to VSCO
What is the VSCO app & should my kids have it? Here’s the 5 Facts parents need to know about VSCO: #1 Photo Sharing Similar to Instagram, VSCO allows users to edit and add filters to photos in order to share or save. VSCO provides a direct option to share your photo to Instagram, Instagram […]
BARK: Parental Control Monitoring
BARK Digital communication presents challenging situations for parents. Quite possibly some of the hardest scenarios you’ll ever come across as a parent. Even if you trust your child to communicate appropriately, kindly, respectfully, and legally, there is always the concern of what others may communicate with them. The best and most on-top-of-it parents around can’t […]
The Remind App: More Than Just Convenience?
As school goes back across the country, the Remind app (formerly Remind 101) claimed a temporary position as the #1 Free App in the iTunes app store. It’s easy to assume apps and services like Remind are required for students and parents, as so many teachers are integrating smart technology and conveniences into their classrooms. […]
Phones in Hand
During a routine perusal of the Sunday ads, this made my 13-year-old daughter and I stop in our tracks. Miss Mix-A-Lot: A+ Looks she can shuffle and play on repeat We get the reference to music and clothes, yet there are no headphones. Just 6 young girls holding phones and taking a selfie. Is it […]
If It’s Between YouTube and Me – Pick Me!
In the minute it took to click the link to this article and begin reading, 400 hours of videos were uploaded to YouTube. YouTube is engaging its viewers intently across 91 countries and 80 different languages. In a calendar year, people watch 46,000 years worth of content. The enormity of that volume can barely be […]
School Breaks: Keeping Technology in Check
As another school break rolls around, we’re answering some commonly asked questions regarding screen time when not in school. But in reality, these questions hold true for every day. My children are at home by themselves while I am at work. How do I keep them off the internet all day long? First, children should […]
The Real Problems with Fortnite
The creators of Fortnite are geniuses. If Epic Games hasn’t been nominated yet for the “TIME 100: Most Influential People”, they should be. This one game, created by one company, carries an incredible power of influence over many children (and some adults) who play it. For many parents, they only know the game is fun, […]
“LIVE LISTEN”: The Eavesdropping iPhone Feature & What Parents Do Next
Every new, expanded feature in tech has both the potential for BENEFIT and the potential for HARM. Apps and websites meant to positively connect people are also used to spread hate, plan crimes, or connect predators to their victims. Smart technology can make our home entertainment options vast and convenient. That same smart technology, however, […]
Is Your Child’s Smartphone their Best Friend?
There is great value in knowing who your adolescent child’s friends are. Most specifically, who they consider their best friend. In this relationship, they will be more influenced by them than by you. Your adolescent’s growing independence should never preclude you from knowing who or what holds this power of influence. You may not be […]
Why Everyone Needs a Phone Basket
Every year we host a “Christmas Cookie and Hot Coco” party for our middle school aged children. It all began because Grandma, a Cambridge Culinary School trained chef, loves to bake dozens upon dozens of extravagant Christmas cookies for the kids to indulge in. Not wanting our kids to eat them all, we invited all […]
Apple iOS 12 Parental Controls: Content & Privacy Restrictions
Apple’s iOS 12 introduced new parental control features called Screen Time, allowing for more granular limits and mindfulness of time spent. Before diving into these Content & Privacy Restrictions you’ll need to first install iOS 12 onto your phone or device. Then set up Screen Time for your child’s account on your phone. In the […]
Apple iOS 12 Parental Controls: Setting up Screen Time
Apple iOS 12 introduced the Screen Time features that can help parents and children with both limits and mindfulness. One new limit is “Downtime”, when a designated amount of apps are unavailable under password protection. Additionally, time limits for specific apps are also possible now. To promoting mindfulness, Screen Time tracks your phone usage – […]
Inside Instagram: What Every Parent Needs to Know [VIDEO]
Back in 2017 we published an article: What Every Parent Needs to Know About the Updated Instagram. To this day, it stands as our most popular article reaching over 550,000 people. Parents are rising up in bravery and making informed decisions about how their children engage online – this is great! In the time since […]
Always Available, Instant Communication is Hurting You: Here’s Five Ways to Change
I once asked a group of young middle school aged girls how they practiced patience with their smartphones. One girl proudly announced that she shows patience as she waits for the iMessage bubble indicating the other person is typing to display her newly received message. For many of us adults, this may be the extent […]
Neglect Your Phone (Not Your Child)
You probably think your teen spends too much time on their phone. A majority of parents (72%) feel this way according to new research.[1] And…over half of teens (52%) AGREE they spend too much time on their smartphone. Your child probably thinks YOU spend too much time on your phone. Over half of teens (51%) […]
Parenting Fail: A Smartphone Will Make You Happy
“If you loved me, you’d want me to be happy!” How many parents throughout the generations have heard their child cry this desperate song? It is a whine as old as time and one that parents have wisely dismissed. But then the smartphone was released. Around 2012, the age of ownership began a steady decline […]
Grandparenting in the Digital Age: What Grandchildren Actually Need (hint: it’s not your smartphone)
Earlier this year, I joined the ranks of the white-haired, wise sages who’ve gone before me: Grandparents. Except, I am neither white-haired nor do I possess the wisdom of a sage. I am a Gen X-er who is barely hanging onto my thirties and still raising six children in my home. Other than my thoughtful […]
10 FORTNITE Facts Every Parent Should Know [VIDEO]
There seems to be some new viral trend captivating our kids every six months. Whether it be a dance move (Whip Nae Nae), toys (fidget spinners), crafts (slime), or apps (Pokemon Go) – kids today love to jump on the bandwagon and ride it all the way to obsession. The current obsession: FORTNITE. Epic Games, […]
Screens and Summer Webinar Recast
Do you long to feel like you have control over the screens in your home? SCREENS & SUMMER will teach you how to reclaim control of the screens and internet! This video isn’t about theoretical parenting. It’s not about having brave conversations with your kids (although those are important). It’s about how to actually safeguard, […]
Can I Have My Own YouTube Channel? 5 Questions to Ask Your Child Before Answering
Back in the early 90’s, I was a freshmen in high school and obsessed with the first reality television show of its kind, MTV’s: The Real World. One night my friend and I borrowed her Dad’s VHS camcorder and filmed our own version of this iconic reality show. Recorded entirely in my friend’s basement, it […]