Is it ok to let my kids play with the iPad when I need a break?
February 27, 2013
I have two kids, ages 7 and 2. My eldest is given access to the iPad on car trips and once in a while at home. My younger son likes to sit by his brother while he plays and of late, has been pointing to it and asking for it. There are some days when […]
February 20, 2013
Q: Hello, I am the mother of a 10-year-old boy. We don’t allow violent video games in the house, but we do allow him to play first-person shooter hunting games (Duck Hunter, Cabela’s, Big Buck Hunter, etc.), which he loves, especially as he takes a hunting trip with his father every year. My fear is […]
February 6, 2013
Q: Hi, I am a parent of a first grader who attends public elementary school. Her school offers the option of having an outdoor recess period after lunch or an indoor free-time in the school’s media center (essentially an extension of the library, featuring several computers, tablets, and eReaders). When I first heard about this […]
January 10, 2013
Q: At the therapeutic day school where I work, we’ve been encountering a number of internet and social media issues with our students (all kids with emotional/behavioral special needs). I would love to get your thoughts and ideas on how to best educate our kids and their parents on how to understand and appropriately use […]
December 27, 2012
Q: I am the mother of a 7-year-old girl who is a voracious reader. I have been considering buying her a no-frills e-Reader that doesn’t have games, video, or other features, but just allows you to read books. We are a minimal electronic media household–we don’t own a TV, and our girls (ages 4 and […]
December 18, 2012
The holiday season is often filled with family traditions that are passed on from generation to generation, year after year. From special foods, activities and decorations, to visiting with family and friends, this is the time of the year when we celebrate traditions and look to share them with our children and the ones we […]
December 16, 2012
Q: I am the mother of a 5 year old, an 8 year old and a 12 year old. I am numb with grief, fear, and rage… yes, rage. Rage at myself and at my society, more than anything else. I am numb, but not immobile. Last night I went through all of our DVDs […]
December 10, 2012
Q: My 14-year-old daughter has been begging to get ‘Snapchat’ on her iPod Touch. I searched for information and I wasn’t initially impressed. I am tech savvy and know screen shots can easily be saved, but also, if she loses her device and someone else sends something, she could be held responsible. I don’t like […]
November 30, 2012
My almost 3-year-old son loves to watch Caillou on Sprout, a TV channel that carries programming for infants and young children. Throughout Caillou, there are many pop-ups that soundlessly advertise Sprout or the next show that will air. These pop-ups distract me as an adult. Have there have been any studies on how they affect young […]
November 20, 2012
Thanksgiving is considered a time of reflection, giving thanks, family togetherness, and, of course, delicious food. But when all the toasts have been made, the plates cleared, and the leftovers tucked away, it can be easy to fall into a state of media mindlessness—dozing off in front of the TV, checking cell phones for scores […]