Lost Skills of Old-Time Communication

Submitted by Lynn Jatania on 04 Apr 2019.

The other day, a friend of my 11-year-old daughter called the house to make arrangements to get together for a group project.

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Cell Phones and Texting, Parents

Keeping It Private Online

Submitted by Lynn Jatania on 11 Feb 2019.

Recently, my nephew, age 12, received a letter in the mail. It was addressed to him personally, by name. Inside was a photocopied article about the powers of a new virility medicine, complete with the usual graphic promises for pleasuring the ladies. The article mentioned a specific “doctor” by name, but other than that, there was no contact information or order form or any other action request. It appeared to just be spam but in paper form.

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Cell Phones and Texting, Cyber Security, Internet & Mobile, Parents, Privacy

Sick Days

Submitted by Lynn Jatania on 10 Jan 2019.

I work from home, and I think that means my kids get more sick days than the average student. It’s pretty easy for them to convince me that they need a day of rest if they have a bit of a cough or a slight fever. I admit I’m probably too easily swayed and I do tend to cave in when they look up at me with big sad eyes from where they have swooned onto the couch.

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Cell Phones and Texting, Digital Health, Excessive Internet Use, Parents, Social Networking, Television

Knowing My Password

Submitted by Lynn Jatania on 10 Dec 2018.

My three kids all know the password to my phone.

It’s because I rely on them to play secretary for me when I’m driving. If the phone rings or there is a bing of a text, 99% of the time it’s a member of my immediate family trying to get in touch with something relatively pressing.

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Cell Phones and Texting, Cyber Security, Parents, Privacy

Doing Good with Social Media

Submitted by Lynn Jatania on 14 Nov 2018.

My teens are still young and new to social media, so until now, we’ve mostly been focusing on the risks. Our main message to them has been to be careful, and that less time online is always better.

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Cell Phones and Texting, Digital Citizenship, Parents, Social Networking

Driving and Touch Screens

Submitted by Lynn Jatania on 01 May 2018.

Our son turned 15 last month, and we’ve had plenty of wary, nervous comments since then about how driving is just around the corner. Next year, he’ll be getting his beginner’s licence! Just 11 more months before he’s behind the wheel!

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Digital Health, Internet & Mobile, Parents

The Spotify Problem

Submitted by Lynn Jatania on 20 Apr 2018.

We have a few smartphone rules in our house: no phones after 9:30 p.m., no phones at the dinner table or other family events, and no phones in bedrooms.

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Cell Phones and Texting, Digital Health, Excessive Internet Use, Instant Messaging, Music, Parents, Social Networking

Raising a Generation of Data Defenders

Submitted by MediaSmarts on 28 Mar 2018.

How can you help pre-teens understand the value of their personal information and empower them to take steps to manage and protect it? Data Defenders, an educational game for children ages 10 to12, lifts the curtain on data collection by showing how apps and games can find out all kinds of things about them and by providing steps they can take to control the collection of personal information online.

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Internet & Mobile, Online Marketing, Parents, Privacy

Teens Losing Sleep to Tech

Submitted by Lynn Jatania on 12 Feb 2018.

As a kid, did you ever hide a flashlight under your pillow? Then pull it out after you were supposed to be asleep, so you could sneak in another half-hour of reading?

I did that. A lot.

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Cell Phones and Texting, Internet & Mobile, Parents, Social Networking

Getting Used to Google Home

Submitted by Lynn Jatania on 12 Feb 2018.

We got a new tech toy at Christmas this year – a Google Home. I must admit, I’d only learned that such a device existed a couple of weeks before I ordered one as a gift for my husband. I wasn’t sure what it would do or how we would use it, but it seemed like fun and it was on sale, so I picked one up.

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Internet & Mobile, Parents

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