If you’re like many parents, you probably have some concerns about your teenager’s smartphone use. Smartphones can be helpful and useful in many situations, but they can also distract your teen from things like schoolwork and family time. And it may be more than a simple distraction. A preliminary study suggests that smartphones may be triggering ADHD in teenagers. Take a look at what you need to know about this potential problem. The Study Researchers […]
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Bullying has always been a problem that children and teens have had to deal with. And parents who remember their own childhoods may remember that girls and boys often experienced typical bullying very differently. A teen boy who was being bullied might come home with a black eye or other evidence of physical violence. A teen girl who was being bullied might be deliberately shunned by her classmates or have her reputation damaged by malicious […]
Even if you can remember a time when cell phones were a luxury and not a necessity, you may not realize how much things have changed in regard to phone use since the advent of the smartphone. Smartphones have been integrated into everyone’s lives almost seamlessly. Today’s teenagers have grown up with them as a fact of life, and even their parents rely on their phones. It’s easy not to notice when an unhealthy dependence […]
If you’re the parent of a teen who has a driver’s license and car keys, or if you will be soon, you’ve probably thought about the dangers of distracted driving. Texting behind the wheel is dangerous for any driver, but it may be particularly dangerous for teens who already have limited driving experience. And if your teen is still a pedestrian, there’s still reason to worry. Distracted walking may not be as potentially dangerous to […]
Many parents of teenagers today can remember when smartphones were a luxury or even an unheard-of device for a teen to own. But today’s teenagers have grown up with them, and their smartphones are almost an extension of themselves. Sending texts to friends is a natural to them as passing notes in class was to their parents. It’s easy for parents to see the smartphone as a convenient way to enforce discipline – if teens […]
For parents today, smartphones are a hot topic. What was once a luxury item is now a necessity for many families. Fewer homes have house phones, and parents want their kids to be able to contact them even when they’re out of the house. At the same time, parents are rightly worried about the implications of their children and teens carrying around a pocket-sized device that allows them to access all of the internet at […]
If you find that you’re having trouble tearing your teen’s eyes away from their smartphone screens, you’re not alone. While phone users of all ages tend to overuse their phones, today’s children and teens are growing up with them and using smartphones at younger and younger ages, and they seem particularly attached to their phones. But why are children and teenagers so susceptible to smartphone addiction? The answers lie in their brains. Smartphones and Dopamine […]
Your teens use their smartphones for so much more than just talking and texting. There are new apps becoming available and popular every day. Some of them are fun, educational, or practically useful. Others are potentially dangerous, putting your teen at risk of encountering cyberbullies, objectionable material, or even online predators. How can you tell the difference, and how can you keep apps you don’t approve of off of your teenager’s phone? Take a look […]
A cell phone is more than just a way to make phone calls and texts – these days, the average phone offers access to the entire internet, as well as an array of apps, games, and other functions. As a parent, this can be tricky territory to navigate. You may be tempted to take your child’s phone away, either to protect them from online dangers or as a method of discipline when they misbehave. But […]
Online challenges can take a number of different forms. There are innocuous challenges that involve harmless actions like changing one’s social media status to reflect a particular message. There are challenges that are intended to raise money or awareness for some cause, like the Ice Bucket Challenge that was associated with ALS research and went viral in 2014. Then there are the challenges that sound and look incredibly dangerous (and stupid) like snorting condoms or […]
The correct age for kids to start using a smartphone is a subject of much debate among parents, teachers, and experts. But there is little debate over whether teens should have smartphones at all. More and more, a smartphone is becoming a necessity of life that a kid needs by some point in their teens. Teens use smartphones for more than just selfies and games – they’re a safety feature in a world where payphones […]
If you have a teen who enjoys gaming, there’s a good chance that you’ve heard about Fortnite, a free game that’s available on a variety of formats, including PC, XboxOne, and PlayStation 4. It will soon be available on mobile platforms as well. It’s not surprising that a game that’s free to play and available to many gamers regardless of their preferred gaming device is hugely popular among teens and tweens. But should you allow […]
If your child has an iPhone, you have probably already figured out that there are positives and negatives to your child’s smartphone use. On the one hand, it can be nerve-wracking to allow your child to have unfettered access to messaging and the internet. On the other hand, it’s helpful to be able to reach your child anytime and anywhere, and the iPhone gives your child access to a number of fun and even educational […]
If you’ve been following the news, you’ve probably heard about how data about voters who used Facebook ended up in the hands of Cambridge Analytica and was then passed on and used by political campaigns. While most of the framing of this story has to do with the effect on voters, it’s important to consider what’s happening to the data of Facebook users who are too young to vote, and who are therefore the most […]
If your teen has a smartphone or other mobile device, chances are that you’ve paid close attention when headlines about teen sexting scandals make the news. Perhaps you’ve wondered whether your child is engaging in this type of behavior, or maybe you’re confident that they know better. Either way, this is an issue that will likely affect your teen in some way or another – even if your own teen never sends a sext, they […]