December 31, 2016
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 […]
October 12, 2016
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 […]
August 19, 2016
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 […]
April 12, 2016
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 […]
February 1, 2016
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 […]
December 28, 2015
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 […]
December 22, 2015
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 […]
October 23, 2015
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 […]
August 21, 2015
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 […]
June 16, 2015
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 […]
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