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kids tablet laptop
Is technology decreasing kids’ ability to communicate face-to-face?
 Is technology decreasing kids’ ability to communicate face-to-face? 750 315 Mediatrics

Q: As a mother and a student examining media as a social issue, I’m concerned that technology is decreasing youth’s ability to communicate face-to-face, largely because most of their communication and activities are done through a screen. Is there evidence for this concern? ~  Face Facts, Bridgeport, CT A: Dear Face, Young people walk hand…

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Summer Camp ATM
Is resetting house media rules after my kids return from summer camp a good idea?
 Is resetting house media rules after my kids return from summer camp a good idea? 750 315 Mediatrics

Q: What advice do you have for when kids (ages 10, 13 and 13) return home from sleepaway camp where they’ve had no devices for weeks (or months)? This seems like a great opportunity to reset the house rules for media use, as I cringe at the idea of falling back into old habits of…

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Social Media Addiction ATM
My 14-year-old daughter is addicted to social media, what should I do?
 My 14-year-old daughter is addicted to social media, what should I do? 750 315 Mediatrics

Q: My 14-year-old daughter is seemingly addicted to her smartphone, particularly social media (Instagram and Snap Chat) and texting with her friends. I’ve never seen it this bad before. During the school year, she had no problem leaving her phone in her backpack while at home, and she’s always been a good student, with plenty…

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Baby Bounce TV
Is it ok for me to watch TV while I bounce my baby to sleep?
 Is it ok for me to watch TV while I bounce my baby to sleep? 750 315 Mediatrics

Q: Our daughter is three months old and likes to look at the bright colors and moving images on the television screen when I am bouncing her in the evenings. The images seem to calm her down, which is helpful for both of us (she usually falls asleep after just a few minutes and will…

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sleeping computer
Should I be concerned about my teen using YouNow to stream everything from his band’s “jam sessions” to his sleep?
 Should I be concerned about my teen using YouNow to stream everything from his band’s “jam sessions” to his sleep? 750 315 Mediatrics

Q: My 14-year-old son is an aspiring musician and has recently been using YouNow to broadcast himself and his band’s “jam sessions.” I wasn’t too concerned until I realized that it is a live stream (I thought it was another version of YouTube) and that he also leaves it running after the band leaves and…

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Mexico Friends ATM
Since moving, my teen son spends a lot of time connecting with his old friends through media instead of making new friends – what should I do?
 Since moving, my teen son spends a lot of time connecting with his old friends through media instead of making new friends – what should I do? 750 315 Mediatrics

Q: Our family moved recently from the U.S. to Mexico for my husband’s job, and while most things have been transitioning smoothly, I am concerned that my 14-year-old son is spending too much time with screens and not enough time making friends. Since moving, he spends a lot of time Skyping or playing video games…

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Facebook Suicide Teen
What should I know about the relationship between social media and suicide?
 What should I know about the relationship between social media and suicide? 750 250 Mediatrics

Q: Yesterday one of my daughter’s friends committed suicide. She was a sophomore in college. I am saddened and angry. I went to the girl’s Facebook page and saw that she had 1,194 friends. All of her pictures show her with an impossibly bright smile. Her wall is full of messages sounding like, “I know…

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hands texting
Should I worry about my teens texting, or is it similar to the time I spent talking to my friends on the phone when I was their age?
 Should I worry about my teens texting, or is it similar to the time I spent talking to my friends on the phone when I was their age? 750 250 Mediatrics

Q: I’ve noticed that many parents worry a lot about their children texting. But when we were kids, we would spend hours on the phone, sometimes not even talking much. When my teens are texting with friends at home, I liken it to those phone calls of yesteryear. I don’t allow texting during family meals…

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First Person Shooter Games
I’m 14-years old and don’t like playing first-person shooter games like my friends – what should I do?
 I’m 14-years old and don’t like playing first-person shooter games like my friends – what should I do? 750 250 Mediatrics

Q: I am 14 years old, and currently debating my choice of friends. They all play first-person shooter (FPS) games, while I choose other kinds of games. They often tell me how great their games are but criticize mine. When they clamor for the new Call of Duty, I freak out over the new Sonic…

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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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