Four times a week, 13-year-old Evan Spencer and his buddies rush to their Xboxes to play Call of Duty, the violent, popular sniper game set in the Second World War.
While some of his friends shoot enemies long after they're down, or spray bullets indiscriminately, Evan does not. (more…)
How much screen time is too much for kids ages four and under? How much physical activity should they be getting? How much sleep should they get? Trying to figure out the answers is enough to make parents' heads spin.
Raising children is a joy, except when it’s absolutely maddening. And it may be more frustrating today than it’s ever been, says Katherine Reynolds Lewis, author of the new book The Good News About Bad Behavior: Why Kids Are Less Disciplined Than Ever – And What to Do About It. We spoke to Lewis about how to avoid yelling matches and the frustrations of trying to discipline kids. (more…)
No parent, especially an enlightened, modern parent, wants to accuse their teen of using drugs or drinking. And some parent may feel inclined to sweep odd behaviour under the rug, rather than confront their child and ‘be the bad guy’.
Have no idea what your kids are saying when they type TTYL, BBFN, LMK, or TMSIDK?
Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many of us parents feel the same way. It’s like your kids are texting or writing in a foreign language, one designed specifically to keep you out of the loop. (more…)
Confessions of a luddite mom: or, how my secret weapon has taught me well
Okay, okay, I know I’m mixing metaphors or what have you in my title, but you trying living with a Smug Teen.
It’s hard out there when your knowledge of technology reaches its limits with knowing how to program the VCR , being able to turn on and off your computer and being able to send a text. (more…)
Yes, you read right. The US Federal Trade Commission tells us that legally, Social Intelligence Corp (a private company) can archive up to 7 years of your online life. (more…)
Remember when you were at school? If you weren’t part of the ‘cool crowd’, chances are you experienced bullying at some stage. It isn’t pretty and it can leave a lasting impression.
I know, because it happened to me. (more…)
The answer is yes, to a point.
Before you start contemplating buying a big padlock for your computer, the real answer is far more complex.
As parents, naturally, we want to protect our children from the Big Bad Whatever – whether it be outside or online. (more…)
As every parent of a teen with a mobile phone, sexting is a problem.
Not just a problem of racy photos and racy messages getting into the wrong hands, or the recipient being the one to pass the sext around, but a problem with the law. In many cases, a sext pic of a scantily clad underage girl sent to a teen boy, has landed that teen boy in hot water – sometimes earning him the charge of sex-offender. (more…)
