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So, you want to become a parenting influencer
If you are a parent and you’ve been thinking of starting a blog, writing for parenting magazines, or becoming a social media influencer in the parent sphere, keep reading.
Filters, social media, our kids and ourselves
A few years ago, I mostly stopped using filters on my Instagram photos and stories. I had been using ones that weren’t intentionally changing the way I looked - or at least, I wasn’t trying too hard for that. I was selecting ones that bettered my lighting or made me look less tired.
Advertising is changing – how is it affecting us and our kids?
Advertising has been constant for years even when it shows up in different media. But are people becoming more conscious of ads (especially with efforts to not target kids) or has the integration of ads into social media and influencer marketing made them harder to spot?
Building Better Tech Habits: A Guide to Digital Well-being
Screen time is one of parents’ top tech-related concerns, according to MediaSmarts’ research, and it’s the most common source of tech-related conflict between parents and young people in Canada. Kids are worried about their screen use too: almost half say they spend too much time on their phones.
A parent’s take on Instagram’s new Teen Accounts
Instagram just announced that they are introducing Teen Accounts - with security features built in, parental controls and more. They tell us it’s for parental peace of mind. Will these new features make it safer for kids? And will they help this parent with their peace of mind?
Movie soundtrack albums – a lost art
Which movie soundtracks did you own when you were younger? Do you still stream them or purchase them?
Family bonding through the emotional journey of the Wicked soundtrack
Last month, I wrote an article about how I felt as though movie soundtracks aren’t as popular as they used to be. Sure, some do well via streaming services, but once upon a time, many of us were collecting soundtracks to play over and over again (likely while we also had the movie poster on our bedroom walls).
Raising Digitally Resilient Kids
The Raising Digitally Resilient Kids parent workshop outlines how parents and guardians can support children’s well-being and help them balance the risks and benefits of digital media. Based on insights from MediaSmarts’ research with youth, the workshop provides an overview of online risk categories and provides resources and essential strategies that participants can take to manage these risks.
More isn’t better during the holidays
The holiday season is meant to be a time of joy, comfort, and togetherness. However, we also know it brings about stress too. It can be far too easy to get swept up in shopping and buying, and so the season can leave us feeling far too Grinch-like (before his heart grew in size, of course).
Media Safety Tips: Early childhood (birth to 5 years old)
Media risks
The risks that kids encounter in media fall into four categories:
Content risks, where kids are exposed to or engage with harmful content such as violence, hate, or sexualized media
Conduct risks that come from what kids do or how they interact with other users
Consumer risks related to money, advertising, and data collection