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Why we need to pay attention to our kids’ social media

November 13, 2013 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

Just when you think you have a handle on all the social media sites your child could possibly frequent, a new one crosses your radar. Take Ask.fm, a social networking website that originated in Latvia and allows users to anonymously ask and answer questions of each other. (It’s similar to the U.S. based Formspring, and […]

Making fitness fun is just a click away

August 23, 2013 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

When my daughters first acquired their cell phones several years ago, their thumbs got so much “exercise,” I envisioned them winning thumb-wrestling contests. Thankfully, their activity levels even then surpassed the physical demands of texting. But as technology has evolved – and their interest in fitness has increased – they have found ways to use […]

Making the case for a summer unplugged

July 18, 2013 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

It occurred to me the other day that the speed in which we live really changes our perspective on the world around us. We were in the car, and I wanted to point out to my kids the neighborhood where I delivered papers as a boy. The houses rolled by too fast to share the […]

Is social media ruining our kids’ social skills?

May 9, 2013 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

There’s no question that social media, or more specifically social networking, has radically changed the way we communicate. In just over five years, the opportunities and advantages for those who use it properly have exploded. However, a less positive change comes with a breakdown of interpersonal skills in young people – those we euphemistically refer […]

Is there such a thing as texting etiquette?

January 8, 2013 | Posted in: High School, Middle Years

My kids’ drive-thru request was simple: two shakes and an order of popcorn chicken. “May I take your order?” the voice on the other side of the speaker asked. I got through “two small vanilla” when the voice asked me to hold on please. Less than a half-minute later, the voice came back. “Sorry, I […]

Cellphones are useful, but parents need to set some rules

July 12, 2012 | Posted in: Elementary, High School, Middle Years

There are times as a parent when it is hard to stick to your guns. That was the case several years ago when our second child desperately wanted a cellphone. “When you are 13,” we said. That was the age at which her older sister had gotten a phone, and we felt it was an […]

Will Angry Birds really teach my kids principles of physics?

May 11, 2012 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

In this age of digital distraction, parents who use the apps on their smartphones and iPads to occupy their children while they are running errands, on the phone or doing any number of tasks are less likely to feel guilty if the apps are educational. This revelation comes from a small study we came across […]

Texting while driving is life-altering choice

March 27, 2012 | Posted in: High School, Middle Years

Jeanne Brown never thought she’d be touring the country, sharing an anguished plea with every teenager she meets. She never expected to meet Oprah Winfrey or go on the talk queen’s former daytime show. In fact, Jeanne Brown planned to continue her life as a mom and teacher in Lubbock, Texas, until her kids were […]

‘TV diet’ gets high ratings

February 29, 2012 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

It should come as no surprise that watching too much television contributes to obesity in children. The obvious reason: Watching TV doesn’t require much physical activity beyond the thumb on the remote for channel surfing. Studies about childhood obesity also point out that kids frequently snack more when they’re in front of the tube – […]

Cutting down on tube time

January 31, 2012 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

Q: I’m a working mom, and I let my son watch TV in the evening so I can prepare dinner and get things done around the house. I know TV isn’t great for my preschooler, but how can I get housework done without depending on the tube to entertain my child? A: You raise an important question. […]

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