Unplugging from Technology to Reboot Manners

A few days ago, as I was driving out of a local shopping center, I came upon a women standing in the center of the road texting.  She was not walking or moving.  She was just standing there texting.  Since I did not know which way she might move, I tooted my horn lightly just to let her know that I was going to be driving within a foot of her unmoving body.  I didn’t lean on the horn, just  a polite soft toot.  And what did she do?  She turned around and made a rude gesture in my direction.  I … [Read more...]

Is Your Child’s Profile Happier than Her Real Life? Social Media Use and Anxiety in Children

If you are on Facebook you already know what a recent study found - it makes you sad. Researchers revealed that the more young people used Facebook, the more they became dissatisfied with their lives. How ironic that the social network we use for fun and connection can lead to sadness and disconnect! From TV to smart phones to social media, the lives of U.S. children and families are dominated 24/7 by media exposure. It’s only now that we are beginning to research and understand its … [Read more...]

Untangling Our Wired Lives: A Plan for Parenting On and Offline

If you find yourself wondering if your time on the Internet and social media is harming your child, then you’ll want to read on. According to recent research, children as young as eight are experiencing a host of problems due to social media use. Even Randi Zuckerberg, sister of Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg, wants to help us untangle our wired lives. She recently started an online community called Dot Complicated and has published a new children’s picture book Dot., about a little girl … [Read more...]