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Nov
14
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 According to researchers at the Education Development Center in Newton, Massachusetts, 13% of teens involved in sexting reported a suicide attempt during the time interval during which the sexting occurred. I agree with lead researcher Shari Kessel Schneider that association does not imply causation. Nonetheless, whenever there is a link between teens’ behavior and emotional distress, parents should be more than just a little concerned. “Teens will be teens” just doesn’t apply.
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Archive for the ‘Technology & Kids’ Category
Blog Posts by Barbara Greenberg
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Oct
31
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The last time I went trick or treating, I was 15 years old. My friend Colleen and I didn’t even bother dressing up — I think we just wore something vaguely pajama-ish. The nail in the coffin was when a woman answered the door, blinked and said, “Aren’t you two a little old to be asking for candy?” (I was glad it was dark outside and that she couldn’t see our faces turning as red as the mini-Twizzlers in our bags.)
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Aug
09
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The other day while I was driving I noticed that the car in front of me was slowing down. I passed it and saw that the driver was an adult woman with two teenagers. The woman appeared to be texting while driving. She was putting all of us near her on the road at risk. Was her text really as important as our collective safety?
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Jun
07
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It is almost that time again…school’s out for the summer! While classes and homework are wrapping up, kids are gearing up for the summer ahead. The iPad 2 has just been released, new cell phone apps are coming out daily and social networking activity is at an all-time high. With more free time on their hands (and potentially less on yours), it’s important to start the summer off right, and make sure that your kids are safe when using all of this technology.
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May
02
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Bullying has taken on a whole new and aggressive form, and it’s sweeping the nation. With constant access to computers, cell phones and other wireless devices, kids are able to instantly upload pictures, make comments, or send messages that are hurtful in nature – oftentimes without even thinking about it. With technology, there’s no “think” button: there’s just the option to instantly send, share or save, and this is causing major problems amongst teens and tweens in the United States. Sadly, it’s hard to read the news without seeing some mention of a new cyberbullying incident or tragedy. While major studies are currently being conducted in this area to better understand it, what we do know is that an overwhelming amount of young kids and teens report being cyberbullied.
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Apr
04
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Last week the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a new clinical report, “The Impact of Social Media Use on Children, Adolescents and Families ”, which warns parents that social networking sites can potentially fuel depression in some teenagers. As parents, how seriously do we take these latest findings? Do we act on them? Do we brush these claims off? Do we ban our teens from popular networking sites? There is a realistic and healthy approach to these latest findings that will help to answer these questions.
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Mar
14
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The Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) states that 40% of 8-18 year olds visit a social networking site at least once a day. Let’s face it: social networking is here to stay. Like it or not, it will play a role in our lives at some point, if it hasn’t already. So the question for parents is, how can we control our children’s exposure to it? Many parents may argue that as long as their children live under their roof, they can restrict things like social networking. However, this idea of restriction may not be completely realistic or necessary. Think of all the times your child has begged you to let them sign up for Facebook or some other social networking site. Have you found yourself scratching your head wondering: are social networks safe for my kids to use? Depending on the household, this answer to this will vary. Here are several basic considerations that will help you decide whether or not social networking is appropriate for your kids.
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Feb
10
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Does a 10-year-old need a cell phone? I get that he WANTS one. I get that “EVERYONE” in his grade has one but him. But do we really need to buy him a phone? To me, a phone is a necessity when you need to reach someone. If you are always at school or always at home, who do you necessarily need to be calling? To him, it is a cool toy to show off to friends. It is a status symbol. | |||
