Blog
No tablets at the table
Screens seem to be invading our lives. Everywhere we turn, there are screens vying for our attention. And the dinner table isn’t immune to this screen invasion either. As adults, our reliance on our smartphones and gadgets has ushered us into completely new ways of parenting. We’re often quickly trying to reply to an email between […]
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Raising Your Child in a Digital World Book Launch
To see a big goal come to fruition is equal parts exciting as it is terrifying. For me, it was the sudden, very stark realisation that my ideas would be shared and may not be well-received. In the days leading up to my book launch, I oscillated between excitement and absolute fear- what if my book […]
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Preventing Techno-Tantrums
Your child screams at you telling you, “You’re the worst mum in the world!” This might be followed by feet-stomping, huffs and puffs, clenched fists, grunting and a host of other (undesirable) behaviours. And all of this because you simply asked for your iPhone back! As modern parents, chances are we’ve experienced our children throwing […]
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Why kids can’t turn off screens
Techno-tantrums- most of us have experienced the dreaded techno-tantrum with our kids. This is when our otherwise well-adjusted child (not just a toddler) emotionally combusts when we ask for our smartphone to be handed back, or the TV to be switched off. Today’s children often have digital appendages. They’re often clutching (our) smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles […]
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How Young Children’s Media Exposure is Shaping Their Body Image
Children today are bombarded with ads in TV, apps, and movies. And then there’s traditional media such as magazines, newspapers and printed advertising material (the kind that clogs your letter box). Both traditional print and digital media exert a very powerful influence over young children’s formation of body image. Media conveys powerful (and often […]
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South Curl Curl
// Worried about your child’s screen time? // Want to end your techno-guilt once and for all? Dr Kristy is offering a parent seminar at South Curl Curl Surf Club to help modern parents, of children aged 0-12 years, understand what kids really need to thrive in a digital age. Children’s technology and development […]
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Managing sad or distressing news in the media
Our screens and print media are filled with distressing current global events. Sadly, natural disasters, shootings and terrorist attacks infiltrate our news feeds, newspapers and TV screens on a daily basis. In recent times, there have been some very distressing global events that are heavily reported in the media. This information and footage can be distressing […]
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Post Cautiously
As proud parents we’re often guilty of clogging our friends’ and families’ Facebook and Instagram feeds with pictures of our kids, but many cyber safety and parenting experts are concerned about where these images can end up. Everyday photos of children engaging in simple activities are being used as sexual contraband by paedophiles online. It’s not just […]
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How Much Screentime for Children?
Today’s children, often referred to as ‘digital natives’ or ‘Gen Z’ are growing immersed in a digital world. Technology is having a direct and dramatic impact on young children’s childhood and is shaping the ways in which they learn and develop. We are at an interesting juncture in terms of childhood: we now know more […]
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Are Your Children’s Photos Safe Online?
Posting pictures of kids online. It’s a contentious topic and one that most parents have strong opinions on. Trust me when I say it’s controversial. Of all the topics that divide parents in the workshops I deliver, this is definitely one of them. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Parenting is hard. […]
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Why is Parenting in the Digital Age so Hard?
There’s no denying that children are experiencing “digitalised childhoods”. Screens and devices are now an everyday part of life for most children. Their world flashes, beeps, pings and booms. Many children today can tap, swipe and pinch screens often before they’ve learnt to ride a bike or tie their shoelaces. Research confirms that many […]
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3Cs – Guideline to children’s screen content use
In this podcast, Dr. Kristy talks about why it’s important to consider what children are watching on screens rather than focusing narrowly on how much. It’s more important to focus on ‘what’ and ‘when’ children are using screens and also why. But ‘what’ and ‘when’ is more important to consider than simply providing a time metric. […]
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