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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. | |||
Archive for the ‘Technology & Kids’ Category
Blog Posts by Katie LeClerc Greer
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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. | |||
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Jan
28
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Now that the holidays are over and we’ve made a dent in the new year, no doubt the kids are glued to the many new electronic wonders that have showed up over the last month or so. This is part of being a kid and certainly fine…. in moderation. The problem is we just keep piling on the electronic, time-eating gadgetry without ever compensating. Not many parents pulled the TV out of the house when the computer first arrived. This is a significant problem that we need to address. | |||
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Jan
20
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Sex. Drugs. More sex. More drugs. Parents and teachers who are complete idiots. Just another day in the life of the average high school kid. And just another TV series that’s going to make parenting even more difficult. That was my takeaway from the premiere of the much-talked-about MTV series Skins. | |||
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Jan
17
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Social networking sites are an important part of most teen’s social life, yet they can cause stress in teens. According to research from the Kaisey Family Foundation, American youths between the ages of 8 and 18 years spend an average of 7 ½ hours per day using electronic devices, including smart phones, MP3 players, and computers. These can provide a lot of cyber experiences that cause stress in teens. Read more » | |||
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Oct
14
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I don’t know about you all out there, but I have major issues with cell phone use. To be more exact, I have issues with texting. I find myself saying, “I don’t know what it is about it that drives me so nuts,” but I actually think I do. And the more I think about it, the more I really feel as parents we need to set healthy limits. | |||
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Feb
25
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Is Big Brother watching your child? Blake Robbins, a 15-year-old student at Harriton High School in suburban Philadelphia, is saying that his school administrators have been spying on him outside of school, via a school-owned laptop – and now he and his family have filed a federal lawsuit. | |||
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Oct
21
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I’ve been giving all my friends pop quizzes on technology issues since EP editor Elisabeth Wilkins wrote about the texting habits of teens and how it might have a long term affect on a teen’s ability to communicate and socialize. I stuck a recent cover of The New Yorker magazine under their noses and asked what they could decipher in the cartoon that depicted a child teaching a roomful of gray haired grannies and middle-aged parents the commonly used abbreviations of texting and online communication. My friends flunked and my husband fared no better.  What I did find out is the parents of tweens I know are already afraid of technology because they don’t understand it or see a practical application for it. | |||
