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Brain Development

What do I need to know about Slender Man?
 What do I need to know about Slender Man? 750 500 Mediatrics

Q: My 11-year-old daughter was invited to a “Slender Man” themed Halloween party where everyone dresses up as some sort of creepy internet meme, like Slender Man. I thought it was innocent enough, but have recently become concerned after seeing how much my daughter is searching about the 2014 Slender Man stabbing (I looked at…

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Baby Skype
Is it dangerous to have my 3-month-old Skype with his grandparents?
 Is it dangerous to have my 3-month-old Skype with his grandparents? 750 315 Mediatrics

Q: I’d like my parents to be able to see and start talking to my three-month-old son via Skype on my smartphone. I’m concerned about how the video emitted from the screen will affect his brain development and his eyes. Any advice will be helpful! ~ Nana Skype, New York, NY A: Dear Nana, This…

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Child playing Minecraft
My 11-year-old is addicted to Minecraft, what should I do?
 My 11-year-old is addicted to Minecraft, what should I do? 750 315 Mediatrics

Q: My 11-year-old daughter is addicted to the game Minecraft. During the week it doesn’t seem to be a problem as she is busy with sports and homework. However, during the weekends she has a lot more free time and tends to spend hours playing Minecraft. What would be the amount of time that you…

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teen boy using laptop
My 14-year-old no longer wants me to monitor his social media – what should I do?
 My 14-year-old no longer wants me to monitor his social media – what should I do? 750 250 Mediatrics

Q: My 14-year-old son recently told me that he wants more privacy and no longer wants to allow me to check his text messages, Instagram, and emails. He claims that he needs more freedom and independence as he is growing up and feels as though my checking his social media is an invasion of his…

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How can I help my daughters shift their media routine into back-to-school mode?
 How can I help my daughters shift their media routine into back-to-school mode? 750 250 Mediatrics

Q: I have two daughters, 8 and 6, who will be returning to school this September. I tend to be fairly liberal with the rules around media use during the summer, but this year both girls will be receiving iPads from their schools to use for classwork and homework. I’m concerned about getting the girls…

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My 15-year-old opened secret social networking accounts, what should I do?
 My 15-year-old opened secret social networking accounts, what should I do? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My 15-year-old son has taken it upon himself to secretly open up social media accounts, one of which is Snapchat. We found out about these sites because we do go through his ipod and computer from time to time. He knows that we have the passwords to all his online accounts for which we have…

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Should apps be part of a library’s story time?
 Should apps be part of a library’s story time? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: There is a discussion among children’s librarians about including tablets and apps in story times at the library for children ages 2-5 or even younger. The assumption is that apps can and should be one more type of material that supports early literacy development (vocabulary, narrative skills, letter knowledge, phonological awareness, etc.). Some think…

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What can I do to stop students from texting in class?
 What can I do to stop students from texting in class? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: I read an article you were cited in about college students texting during class and the negative impact it can have on their learning and overall academic performance. I am a high school teacher, and texting during class is one of the biggest challenges that I am facing. Unfortunately, I feel that I have…

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Are reading systems like Tag Junior helpful for toddlers?
 Are reading systems like Tag Junior helpful for toddlers? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My mother-in-law just bought a Tag Junior for my two and a half year old. It feels unnecessary for my son, who already loves books and is learning the alphabet at his own pace through puzzles and songs, etc. Is there any support (beyond that promoted by Leap Frog) for this as a useful…

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Are there home school media literacy programs for seven-year-olds?
 Are there home school media literacy programs for seven-year-olds? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: We are a homeschooling family who has decided to exclude media from our daughters’ lives until they turn 7. Our daughters have never watched TV and have never seen an advertisement, movie, YouTube clip, etc. Our eldest is turning seven in June, and we want to introduce her to media though a media literacy…

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