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How do I get my 4 year old’s grandpa not to play violent video games with him?
 How do I get my 4 year old’s grandpa not to play violent video games with him? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My father-in-law bonds with my 4-year-old son by playing video games. Recently, he bought a LEGO pirates game, rated for 10 year olds, and the two play it for about an hour every time they see each other. I love that they spend time together, but since they started playing this game, my son…

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How can I tactfully ask our family not to give my kids character toys?
 How can I tactfully ask our family not to give my kids character toys? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: I don’t want to seem ungrateful, and I know my children would probably like the Dora or Batman version of toys, but I just find that sort of commercialism unnecessary. How can I tell my family that we’d prefer they not get the character versions of toys when giving my kids gifts?
A: Let your family know how important it is to you that your child make up her own stories during plattime instead of having her playtime scripted by pre-digested plotlines.

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Is sexting a sign of early sexual activity?
 Is sexting a sign of early sexual activity? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: I thought I had a handle on my 15 year old’s texting habits, but I recently found some sexually explicit texts between him and a 12 year-old friend. Are my son and his friend more likely to jump into sexual activity, since they have been so daring in their texts?
A: A report from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy shows that 40% of all teen boys report having sent a sexually suggestive text, so your son and you are part of a growing proportion of families…
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician®

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My son’s PS3 requires access to the Internet, but I don’t want Internet in his bedroom—what do I do?
 My son’s PS3 requires access to the Internet, but I don’t want Internet in his bedroom—what do I do? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My 12-year-old son wanted a PS3, partly as a birthday gift and partly out of money he’s saved. This was to replace his PS2 because some of the games he wanted were not available for PS2. His PS2 is in his room on a non-cable hooked up TV so that all of his approved,…

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How should I get my kids set up with their first email account?
 How should I get my kids set up with their first email account? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My kids are “tweens” and want to get their own email accounts. What is the best email program for children of this age?
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician®

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Does being in control of video games make kids more easily frustrated in the real world?
 Does being in control of video games make kids more easily frustrated in the real world? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: Many of the kids I know who’ve been playing video games from a very young age have grown up to be anti-social and easily frustrated. Are there any studies showing a link?
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician

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My daughter feels left out because she doesn’t use the media her friends use–what do I do?
 My daughter feels left out because she doesn’t use the media her friends use–what do I do? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: My children know it is not right to watch, play, or listen to things that are not for their ages, and they understand why, as we have explained to them. But their friends tend to walk away from them because of this. For instance, my 12-year-old daughter was asked by her friends to dance…

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Can kids and teens help each other use media safely and wisely?
 Can kids and teens help each other use media safely and wisely? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: Much of the discussion on kids’ media use centers, appropriately, on parent involvement. I’m wondering, though, are there ways kids and teens can help each other use media safely and wisely?
Answered by Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician®

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How can kids respond to email chain letters?
 How can kids respond to email chain letters? 150 150 Mediatrics

How an empowered mom helped her tween daughter deal with upsetting email chain letters.

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How do Facebook and Twitter affect social skills?
 How do Facebook and Twitter affect social skills? 150 150 Mediatrics

Q: We feel “webbed out” of our teenage son’s electronic social life. Are you aware of studies tracking the psychological impact that technologies like Facebook and Twitter have on developing “normal” social skills?

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