Brave Parenting Guide to Facetune
What is Facetune and is it appropriate for my child? Here are 5 FACTS every parent needs to know about Facetune: #1 Original Selfie Editor Facetune brings pro-level photo editing capabilities to your iPhone. Similar to what magazines have done with Photoshop for years, now it is available on your smartphone. Simply upload the photo […]
Amazon Prime Video Parental Controls
If you, like millions of others, pay for an annual Amazon Prime account you have instant access to Prime Video. Prime video has applications for smartphones, smart televisions, set top boxes (like Google Chromecast), game consoles, and more. Regardless where you access Prime Video from, activating the parental controls happens on Amazon itself. Amazon does […]
Disney+ Parental Controls
Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic all in one place – this is Disney+. For your daughter, all the princess movies; for your son, all the Star Wars. Hopefully you like superheros, Mom & Dad. The on-demand and ad-free streaming service is off to a big start with over 50 million subscribers in […]
Netflix Parental Controls
Updated Netflix Parental Controls! Netflix boasts 150 million subscribers. A lot of those are families who have been waiting for stronger parental controls for while. Well, they are finally here! Now, you can lock any profile with a 4-digit PIN. This feature prohibits kids from accessing the adult/parent profile with mature content. In the same […]
Screen Time Standards During COVID-19 Captivity
The standards you live by are important. They are like the bones of the body, which keeps it supported and structured. Imagine the floppy mess we’d be without bones. While bones and structure are essential for a functioning body, they are not what keeps us alive. It is our relationships that is the heartbeat of […]
The COVID-19 Chaos Could Be a GIFT to Your Family – Don’t Miss it!
Call the COVID-19 cancellations and closures CRAZY – Call it SAFE – Call it FEAR – call it whatever you want, but the reality is our kids are home and the toilet paper likely needs to be rationed. We are all asking the question “What on earth are we going to do for another week […]
Brave Parenting Guide to Reddit
What is the Reddit app and is it appropriate for my child? Here are 5 FACTS every parent needs to know about Reddit. #1 Front Page of the Internet Reddit is an American social news aggregation, web content rating, and discussion website. The name “Reddit” is a play-on-words, as in: “I read it on Reddit.” […]
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 […]
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, […]
KonMari Your Media
Have you KonMari’d your house yet? If you haven’t heard, KonMari is latest craze sweeping the nation. You go through your stuff (which we all tend to have a lot of) and hold every item. Then, you take a moment to decide if the item you are holding sparks joy. Yes? Keep it. No? Toss […]
“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 […]
Resolving to be a Transformed Parent
We’re desperate for change. Wouldn’t it have been wonderful to wake up on January 1stand be transformed? In the bleak dark winter, we nurture a warm hope deep in our souls. Change. Newness. Metamorphosis. What most of us realize about change is that it’s not about a day so much as it is about the […]
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 – […]