YouTube Introduces YouTube Kids App Profiles

YouTube started rolling out Kid Profiles on November 2, 2017. The purpose is to have a kid-safe YouTube Kids account that your child can use to access kid-friendly content. It also means that parents won’t have to share their YouTube account with their children anymore. YouTube explains the decision to create Kid Profiles this way: “After talking to parents all over, we know that kids who love the YouTube Kids app are getting older and want a platform that’ll grow with them. Whether kids are watching Monster High, DC Kids, LEGO, learning their ABCs, or picking up the latest tricks … Continue reading

Teach Your Kids How to Spot Fake News

Parents should give their children the tools they need to safely navigate their way through the plethora of information that can be found online. Teach them how to spot fake news. Fake news is an article, website, or social media post that was created with intentionally false information. It is usually designed to evoke a strong emotional response – which urges people to share the fake news on social media. Example: Someone made a Twitter account that used what looked a lot like the icon for the BBC. The fake account used a photo of the Queen of England and … Continue reading

Robot Babies Don’t Prevent Teen Pregnancy

When you were in high school, you might have been assigned to carry around an egg, or a baby doll, as part of your sexual education coursework. It provided just enough awkwardness, and annoyance, to make teens realize that being a parent can be difficult. Today, some teens are assigned to care for a robot baby. Unfortunately, these adorable robot babies don’t prevent teen pregnancy. Robot babies are infant simulators with wireless programing and reporting capabilities. At first glance, you might think it was a real baby. The robot baby will cry when it needs to be fed, burped, rocked, … Continue reading

Things to Know About Preschoolers and YouTube Videos

Your preschooler may have developed an interest in YouTube videos. There are some videos out there that were created for young children to view. The majority of YouTube, however, is not intended for young children. Here are some things that parents need to know about preschoolers and YouTube videos. Limit Screen Time The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that television and other entertainment media should be avoided for infants and children under age 2. They also recommend that children and teens should engage with entertainment media for no more than two hours per day – and that the media … Continue reading

4 Reasons to Helicopter Parent Your Pet

It has been said that helicopter parenting might not be the most ideal parenting style. Kids need some room to make mistakes and learn from them. That being said, there are a lot of great reasons why you should helicopter parent your pet. Reasons Why You Should Helicopter Parent Your Pets Pets Don’t “Grow Out of It” Babies and toddlers go through a stage where they put everything they can grab into their mouths. They will grow out of this stage eventually. Pets, however, will always have a tendency to try and eat things that may or may not be … Continue reading

Focus on the Candidates – Donald Trump

This blog is part of a series that focuses on the candidates who are running for President of the United States in the 2016 election. This blog focuses on Donald Trump. According to his official website, Donald J. Trump is a graduate of Wharton School of Finance. He is the author a popular business book called The Art of the Deal. You might recognize his name from Trump Tower, the Trump International Hotel, or his “Celebrity Apprentice” TV series. Unlike the other Republican candidates, Donald Trump does not have any background in politics. He has never held an elected position. … Continue reading

Re-Evaluating your Family Media Boundaries this Summer

While driving on a trip or around town do you find yourself yelling, “Look up! Baby cows, or bald eagle!” or pointing out some other exciting view out the window? The goal is for your kids to disengage and not miss the world passing them by. Take time this week to sit down and make a plan for your family digital diet.  For everyone.  In 2015 we struggle with all the media options we have starting at a very young age.  Take the time to set boundaries for this diet to keep your life balanced. Look for our upcoming series … Continue reading

Tips for Coping After Losing Your Spouse

Losing a loved one can be very traumatic, especially when the person who has passed away was your spouse. Grief is something that you cannot rush or outsource, and it will take as long as it needs to. Here are some tips for coping after losing your spouse. Five Stages of Grief People who have lost a spouse are going to be feeling a flood of emotions. You might find some comfort in knowing that what you are experiencing is something that all humans go through. Let yourself feel whatever emotion it is you are feeling, and realize that this … Continue reading

Ways to Prevent Your Baby Monitor from Being Hacked

We are entering the very beginning of “the internet of things”. The simplest explanation of what that means is that there are now several appliances and electronics that are constantly connected to the internet through Wi-Fi. The purpose is to make life more convenient. Unfortunately, sometimes this interconnectedness can cause security issues. A family discovered this in a very unpleasant way when their nanny noticed that someone had hacked their baby monitor. A stranger was able to talk to, and see, the room the baby was in, the baby, and the nanny who was caring for the infant. How did … Continue reading

Your Tween May be Posting Personal Information on Instagram

Instagram is a popular social media website that is primarily about photos. People post selfies, photos of what they had for dinner, vacation photos, and whatever else they want to share online. What many parents don’t realize is that teens and tweens are sharing a lot more than photos on Instagram! The terms of service at Instagram state: “You must be at least 13 years old to use the Service”. It is possible for a teenager to simply make their own Instagram account without asking their parent for permission to do so first. Some parents will make an Instagram account … Continue reading