Close
Enter your
text here

Tweens

Boy online search
My 12-year-old son searched for “son and mother sex videos” online. What should I do?
 My 12-year-old son searched for “son and mother sex videos” online. What should I do? 750 315 Mediatrics

Q: My 12-year old son is insecure due to the fighting in our country, Syria. We’ve had to move several times and my son expresses concern over losing me or his father, but mostly me. If I am in another room for a while, he will call from his own room, just to hear my…

read more
Kik ATM
Should I let my tween use the Kik messenger app?
 Should I let my tween use the Kik messenger app? 750 315 Mediatrics

Q: Would you allow an 11-year-old child to use the Kik app? I say “no”, but would like to know your thoughts – thanks! ~ Kik Me, Annapolis, MD A: Dear KM, Parenting in the 21st Century includes deciding how to manage children’s screen media use, which means many different decisions about issues from television…

read more
Online Comments
How can I protect my child from inappropriate comments online?
 How can I protect my child from inappropriate comments online? 750 315 Mediatrics

Q: How do you deal with racism, vulgarity, and hatred found in comment sections, even on websites hosting material that is appropriate for my child like YouTube or educational coding websites? ~Troll Fighter, Grand Rapids, MI A: Dear TF, This is a great question, and one I’m sure anyone who has ever scrolled through an online…

read more
Internet device addiction
How should clinicians diagnose patients with “Internet Addiction”?
 How should clinicians diagnose patients with “Internet Addiction”? 750 315 Mediatrics

Q: I am a clinician who teaches psychiatry at a major medical school, where I lead a class on assessment and diagnosis of mental health and behavioral disorders. Recently my students asked me what kind of diagnosis one should give to designate Internet Addiction. What is the current understanding and clinical best practice? ~ Befuddled…

read more
twins cell phones
Should I give my tween twins smartphones?
 Should I give my tween twins smartphones? 750 315 Mediatrics

Q: I have a set of twins, ages 11 soon to be 12. My son has Asperger’s Syndrome and my daughter has ADHD.  They both have a natural affinity for screens and are very rule-oriented.  My daughter very much wants a smartphone, as “everyone” at middle school has one and she wants to fit the…

read more
Porn Button on keyboard
My 11-year-old daughter masturbates while watching porn, what should I do?
 My 11-year-old daughter masturbates while watching porn, what should I do? 750 315 Mediatrics

Q: I just caught my daughter watching porn. She is 11 years old and told me that she masturbates while watching. Will having orgasms at 11 affect her future? ~  The Big Uneasy,  USA A: Dear Big, While I am sure this was a worrying experience for you, remember that your daughter, like all healthy…

read more
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…

read more
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…

read more
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…

read more
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…

read more