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How important is outdoor recess for children in elementary school?
 How important is outdoor recess for children in elementary school? 150 150 Mediatrics

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…

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How can I ensure social media safety for students with special needs?
 How can I ensure social media safety for students with special needs? 150 150 Mediatrics

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…

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The Mediatrician’s tips for choosing family-friendly holiday films
 The Mediatrician’s tips for choosing family-friendly holiday films 150 150 Mediatrics

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…

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Should I let my 14-year-old use the ‘Snapchat’ application?
 Should I let my 14-year-old use the ‘Snapchat’ application? 150 150 Mediatrics

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…

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We gather together.
 We gather together. 150 150 Mediatrics

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…

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Will my young kids be ‘missing out’ without a smartphone?
 Will my young kids be ‘missing out’ without a smartphone? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: I am mom to a 3-year-old and a newborn. I’m careful about the amount and content of my kids’ screen time. I occasionally try to find simple computer games for my toddler to develop keyboard and mouse skills, but I wonder if these skills will be relevant for her in the future. I’m starting…

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What should I do when my 8-year-old won’t stop asking me for a cellphone and other gadgets?
 What should I do when my 8-year-old won’t stop asking me for a cellphone and other gadgets? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My 8-year-old son sees a lot of kids around him with iPods, iPads, video games, and phones, and keeps asking us for them. Even though we have explained that he doesn’t need all of these electronics and expose him to lots of other activities, the peer pressure is getting to him. What can I…

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My 15-year-old daughter is having pornographic conversations online–what do I do?
 My 15-year-old daughter is having pornographic conversations online–what do I do? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: I found out that my 15-year-old daughter has a profile on a social network site where she has pornographic conversations with boys. Is this normal teenage behavior? How can I get through to her without driving her further into secrecy?

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How can my kids experience nature when we live in a media-saturated city?
 How can my kids experience nature when we live in a media-saturated city? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: I live in a big city with my 3 year old son and 1 year old daughter, and I’ve noticed that children who live in such cities spend a lot of time playing on cement playgrounds and on the Web. I know that spending time in nature is good for children’s development, but how…

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How can I encourage parents to be involved in their kids’ online lives?
 How can I encourage parents to be involved in their kids’ online lives? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My 16-year-old goddaughter’s parents are not Facebook friends with her, so when someone stole her phone and posted some degrading things to her account, they didn’t know until I told them. Another friend asked me to look at all her 19-year-old daughter’s pictures and let her know if I saw anything inappropriate. How can…

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