Close
Enter your
text here

Mobile Media

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…

read more
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…

read more
Is brexting (texting while breastfeeding) okay?
 Is brexting (texting while breastfeeding) okay? 750 250 Mediatrics

Q: Does texting while breastfeeding affect how a mother bonds with her baby? ~ Connection Curious, on Twitter A: Dear Connection, This is yet another iteration of the most important question for parents in the Digital Age, one that will recur, in various forms, for both parent and child from infancy through adolescence. How do…

read more
How can I use screen media mindfully with a four-year-old and six-year-old twins?
 How can I use screen media mindfully with a four-year-old and six-year-old twins? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My wife and I have twin 6-year-old boys and a 4-year-old boy. Many of the strategies I’ve seen about responsible screen use, digital media, TV, etc. seem herculean for a family like ours. My wife will use commercial-free videos so she can take a break to cook, as well as online videos of volcanoes, jet…

read more
When and how should I introduce screens to my 2½ year old?
 When and how should I introduce screens to my 2½ year old? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: I have a 2½ year old, and so far, per the advice of our pediatrician, she has had no screen time. However, I have heard that educational television, such as Sesame Street, can be useful to offer in small doses after the age of two. My inclination is to continue not to offer her screen…

read more
Should I read my 14-year-old’s text messages?
 Should I read my 14-year-old’s text messages? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: Should I read my 14 year old daughter’s text messages?  I want to make sure she is safe and that she isn’t using her phone late at night.  She feels that I check her texts because I don’t trust her, but I feel that as a parent (who also pays for the phone), it…

read more
Is a bouncy seat with a tablet mount really so bad?
 Is a bouncy seat with a tablet mount really so bad? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: I’ve been hearing a lot about a new bouncy seat that includes a place where parents can put an iPad to occupy their baby. Is it really that different than watching TV, other than giving parents more control over content? –iPuzzled in Watertown, NY A: Dear iPuzzled, The recent attention on this toy is…

read more
A teen patient texted her friends about suicidal thoughts, and her stepmother found out. How should I counsel them?
 A teen patient texted her friends about suicidal thoughts, and her stepmother found out. How should I counsel them? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: A teen female patient of mine texted several of her friends disclosing that she felt suicidal. She did not disclose a plan, nor was there a suicide pact for her group of friends. Her stepmother found out about this text message several days later, and felt obligated to call the parents of all the friends…

read more
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…

read more
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…

read more