Technology

Teen confession sites: What they are and what parents can do about them

Last week my husband stumbled on a Twitter account that shared “compliments” about local high school students. While many of the Tweets were harmless – “The juniors have the hottest guys” or “Kelly is the sweetest girl I know” – frequently, they veered into more explicit territory, commenting on students’ sexual prowess and worse. Some posts were anonymous; others included Twitter handles or the students’ full names. Then we found another account, this one sharing anonymous “confessions” (many appear to be rumors) from area students. Most of the posts involve drug abuse and casual sex. Many include first and last names and/or the name of the school the “confession” originated from. Few are fit to be reprinted here. Reading through these was enough to make me want to ban both of...

12 YouTube science channels to keep your kids learning this summer

YouTube is brimming with quirky, entertaining and educational science programs. As much of it is produced for a general lay audience, there’s plenty of appealing content for precocious kids and parents.  Here are some of the best YouTube science channels to check out. 1. AsapScience Whiteboard illustrations explain every-day questions like if video games make you smarter and if plants think. During the Olympics, learn more with videos on topics like why Olympic records are always broken. Not all the content is kid appropriate though. For example, there’s a video on if sex affects athletic performance. The video merely acknowledges people have sex and focuses on non-titillating questions like how many calories sex burns and its effects on energy, anxiety levels and alertness, but ...

Is screentime beneficial or harmful for your toddler? Surprising new findings!

Last week, an advocate for limiting young children’s exposure to technology reversed his opinion, surprising both parents and pediatricians. Seattle pediatrician Dr. Dimitri A. Christakis helped write the 2011 American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) guidelines recommending parents avoid any exposure to TV or media for children under the age of two. But in the March issue of the journal JAMA Pediatrics, Christakis wrote an opinion piece in which he admitted he was reconsidering his position. Why? In a nutshell, even though the AAP’s recommendations were published in 2011, the guidelines were written and reviewed before 2010, when the iPad was introduced. Doctors had no such device in mind; and since then, technological advances have far outpaced research. “Now, 3 years later...

At what age should I give my child his own cell phone?

When my son turned 10 this month he asked for a smartphone and a service plan. “Hmm,” I mused. “I’ll have to think about that. What about …” and before I could complete my sentence, he was way ahead of me. “A real phone, not a Firefly phone!” He was referring to Firefly Mobile, a kind of kid-friendly phone that can come with a pre-paid service — more about that in a minute. It’s unavoidable, I now have to wrestle with the question: How do I know if my kid is ready for his own device? And if he is, how do I decide what it should be? This may already be a moot point for some parents — your child is already running around with the tablet or phone they got for Christmas. But if it’s not too late, here are a few questions you should ask yourself first. 1. Does your child...

To share or not to share? That is the question modern parents must ask.

Since having children, the lure of adorable kid photos in combination with the powers of Facebook have helped me reconnect with family and friends from across the country. I try not to flood my friends’ feeds with pictures of the girls. But when especially cute and/or amusing moments happen, like my toddler crying in a corner (Caption: “Sometimes baby puts herself in the corner.”) or my 3-year-old sitting next to a newborn calf at a farm, I can’t resist sharing. How else will my cousins in Boston or husband’s relatives in Arizona get to see them? Family members tell us regularly to keep posting photos of the kids as they brighten their days. And it makes me smile a little too when I see a photo I posted of the girls taking a horse-back ride on their dad getting dozens of ...

Mama Said: Facebook Etiquette for Moms

Educators are constantly talking about how to teach kids responsible use of the Internet and social media. Parents look over their child’s shoulder while he or she is logged on. Schools try to address social media safety and appropriate Google searches. We use software to try to block “bad” sites. But what about moms on Facebook? Facebook provides many of us with a place to connect with family and friends dispersed all over the country. It is an easy way to say, “Hey, look what we’re up to!” or “Don’t the kids look awesome?!” It is fun to log on and get a glimpse into our old friends’ lives. It makes us feel that we are a still a part of them. And it gives us a place to vent about the latest ridiculous story in politics or entertainment. Facebook has made it easy to find friends we thought...

5 Reasons to Go on a Technology Fast

It's the information age. We are bombarded with facts and figures from dawn til dusk. We simply addicted to technology and media - we can't leave home without our smartphone or sit at home without the tv or radio bathing us in ideas and information.

Protective parenting faces new highs and lows with technology

In the 21st century, parenthood and paranoia often walk hand in hand. For some, the blessed event is followed by high-tech surveillance — a monitoring system tracks the baby’s breathing rhythms and relays infrared images from the nursery. Toddlers and grade schoolers can be equipped with GPS devices enabling a parent to know their location should something go awry. To cope with the uncertainties of the teen years, some parents acquire spyware to

9 Tech Accessories Busy Parents Need

If you’re a busy parent who relies on technology to help you cope with crazy schedules, communication, entertainment and everything between, you’re probably always on the lookout for great accessories that compliment your phone or computer of choice. I know I have a weakness for a good gadget or accessory and I know I’m not only in that tendency. Recently I’ve acquired and tested several accessories that will be a helpful addition for any tech-savvy parent. They range from helpful to stylish. Here’s a run down of my recent favorite picks.

MobiStories Virtual Mobile Books, Another Way for Your Child Enjoy Reading!

Recently I purchased an iPhone and discovered that my daughter is fascinated by my phone. She enjoys playing kid-friendly games my iPhone which led me to a search for age appropriate books in the form of an iPhone app. I found a wonderful website called MobiStories, which are virtual mobile books that can be read on iPhones and computers. The book choices are listed on the website and are broken down into age categories. The books can be downloaded straight to your computer and iPhone or a DVD can be shipped to you. The website is very kid friendly. My 6 year old daughter was able to watch a short preview of several different books on the MobiStories site. We chose the book she wanted and we downloaded it instantly to my iPhone. Now in addition to playing games on mom’s iPhone, she c...

Hot Topic: Win Tickets to Elitch Gardens and the Georgetown Loop Railroad!

Summer break is here! To keep those summer doldrums at a minimum be sure to check out the biggest, baddest list of mom-recommended summer activities in town! Contests: *Passes aboard the Georgetown Loop Railroad. *Enter your cutie in our monthly Cutest Kid Picture Contest and be entered to win a huge Great Harvest Bread basket. *For Father’s Day, win one of five $25 Best Buy gift certificates or an Insignia Digital Camera.