Parenting in the Digital Age

Whether it's a physical barrier (no iPads at the dinner table) or a conceptual one (turn off devices by 11 p.m.), users say these weaning techniques are improving their relationships - and their sanity. "Disconnecting is a luxury that we all need," said Lesley M. M. Blume, a New York writer who keeps her phone away from the dinner table at home. "The expectation that we must always be available to employers, colleagues, family: it creates a real obstacle in trying to set aside private time. But that private time is more important than ever." Much of the digital detoxing is centered on the home, where urgent e-mails from co-workers, texts from friends, Instagram photos from acquaintances and YOLO updates on Facebook conspire to upend domestic tranquillity.

"Parenting wired kids can be difficult, especially if you didn't grow up with the same technologies. These resources can help."

"Your kids know a lot about being online. Start catching up with them today with this streaming presentation. You will learn about what kids are doing online, the risks they may face, and what you can do to keep them safer. "

"Ever thought how odd your online life is? Ever thought what could go wrong?"

"The reason is that our capacity to control impulses is limited on any given day. Sleep, downtime, or exercise is needed to recharge our supply. Stress, negative feelings, and 'high demand' environments diminish our reserve of self-regulation. That's why people tend to eat junk food when they are sad or at the end of the day when their will power is worn down after hours of refusing sweets. So it takes a lot of mental energy to inhibit the urge to check Facebook for the latest news. When you find that your teen responded to a string of texts while writing a paper, it may be more out of mental exhaustion than outright defiance."

"That's why we're here. Welcome to Common Sense Media. If you've got kids, you know how much today's media and tech can affect them. We'll give you the scoop on the latest entertainment and tech so YOU can decide what's right for YOUR kid. As an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, we're here for you."

"At Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Me., admissions officers are still talking about the high school senior who attended a campus information session last year for prospective students. Throughout the presentation, she apparently posted disparaging comments on Twitter about her fellow attendees, repeatedly using a common expletive. Perhaps she hadn't realized that colleges keep track of their social media mentions."

"Did you read to your kids today? Did you park them in front of the television? Did you hand over your iPhone to keep them from whining at the grocery store? If so, you're not alone. A new study by Common Sense Media found that kids ages 0-8 spend an average of two hours a day with screen media like smartphones, video games, computers, television, and DVDs. And reading? They do that, too -- but not nearly as much as the other stuff."

"At this age, the Internet is no longer a solitary or passive experience. For preteens and teens, the Internet is social. Teens are using the Internet to express themselves and to experiment anonymously with different identities. While the desire to strike out on their own is age-appropriate, these kids still need parental guidance (sometimes from a respectful distance) on how to conduct themselves safely online."

Dissertation research study that examined parents of preteens and the protectionist and empowerment Internet mediation and media literacy strategies they reported using to guide their child's use of the Internet. Parents' use of protectionist and empowerment strategies, their confidence level in enacting these strategies, their attitudes about efficacy of these strategies, and the relationship among their attitudes about children's use of the Internet to these areas were examined. The study used an online survey (N=236) of parents who have preteens with Internet access at home, and parent interviews from a sample of the survey respondents (N=40), to gather data from a nationwide sample of parents. Parents were asked questions about their use of, confidence in, and perceptions of effectiveness of protectionist and empowerment Internet mediation strategies, what topics related to Internet use they have discussed with their child, and overall their attitudes about the Internet and children. The survey results show that the majority of parents use a combination of protectionism and empowerment strategies, but more heavily use protectionist Internet mediation overall. Parents reported high confidence in using most of the strategies, with slightly less (but still notably high) confidence in using empowerment strategies. Even though parents reported feeling confident using empowerment strategies, they used them much less than protectionist strategies. Protectionist strategies were also ranked as more effective than empowerment ones. Parents' attitudes about the Internet were also associated with behaviors. Parents' level of comfort in using the Internet and computers was positively associated with their overall engagement in their preteens' Internet use, whether protectionism or empowerment. Parental attitude about the Internet being a good place for their child was associated with the likelihood to use protectionist strategies. However, parents who did not believe the Int

"Maintaining your online reputation is exactly that: maintenance, which means it's long-term and you have to work at it. Here are a few easy ways to get a head start on cleaning up your social media networks and keeping them above board in the future."

"Online safety for the purpose of greater learning opportunities is the focus of a recently released report by the Aspen Institute Task Force on Learning and the Internet. The report, titled Learner at the Center of a Networked World, details a set of recommendations for ensuring that today's young people are at the center of, and have access to, safe learning inside and outside of the classroom. The cross-sector, cross-partisan report addresses the serious issues of digital literacy, accessibility, trust, safety, and privacy, especially for underserved students. In their recommendations, the task force outlines actions to help all students connect safely in order to maximize learning experiences online."

"You can help your child become a responsible, ethical digital citizen with healthy online relationships. To do that, you'll use the same successful parenting skills that you're already using at home. Resilient digital citizens recognize and seek out the 3Cs-appropriate contact, content, and conduct-in all digital settings (e.g., iPods,instant messaging, chat, computer games, game consoles, cell phones, text messaging, webcams).  "

"Danah Boyd, a scholar and senior researcher at Microsoft Research, who recently wrote the book "It's Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens," offered two reasons for the phenomenon. First, teenagers have a desire to connect, and the solitude of night allows for intimate conversation. Second, they are reacting to overbooked schedules packed with sports, music lessons and homework that give them less free time to pursue personal interests. "

"Check out Edutopia's collection of articles, videos, and other resources on internet safety, cyberbullying, digital responsibility, and media and digital literacy."

"Terrell hopes that students will consider the responsibilities that come with their digital actions and recognize that they are privileged to have access to so many people and ideas. With every post on social media, they should understand what's at stake. Students can hurt others with their words through thoughtless remarks or cyberbullying. Or they can spread compassion and joy. So how do we instruct our students to be mindful of what they put online? Here are a few tips we think will help students practice better digital citizenship."

"This goes against years of research showing that screens, in any capacity, do everything but help us fall asleep. In 2012, the American Medical Association's Council on Science and Public Health said that "exposure to excessive light at night, including extended use of various electronic media, can disrupt sleep or exacerbate sleep disorders." Sleep researchers say that looking at a blue light, which is produced by smartphone and tablet screens, sets off brain receptors that are designed to keep us awake and interferes with circadian sleep patterns. Experimental research has found that if people use a tablet for up to two hours before bed, it takes an extra hour to fall asleep."

"But a slew of new apps - including Wut, Secret, Confide, Popcorn and Telegram - that have come out in recent months are offering hope to the Anthony Weiners of the world, and to the rest of us, too. They are intended to let users either talk secretly with people they know, or blurt out random comments to total strangers."

"Do you have a child that uses the Internet or plays with an app on your phone or tablet? Unless you live in Mad Men times, you've probably answered "yes" to these questions. Then, you should have heard about COPPA, right? As a new parent, I didn't until recently. I assumed it was the Barry Manilow song. However, COPPA is the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, a U.S. federal law enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to protect the privacy of children when they go online. It requires parental consent from websites and apps looking to collect personal information from users under 13-years-old. It's the most significant overhaul of the nation's laws to protect children's online privacy. In short, COPPA is good news."