Blog
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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Phones at a Restaurant
Are you worried that toddlers, teenagers, and even adults stare at their smartphones at restaurants and cafes are becoming a common sight and that these are accepted as the norm and practice in the digital age? In this podcast, Dr. Kristy talks about children needing attention, not iPhones. This is definitely a contentious topic, but […]
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SnAPPy Parents: Apps for Parents
Tick those that apply: *You take lots of photos on your smartphone. *You look at them at the end of the day, exhausted and then… do nothing with them. *You have the best of intentions to print them off, but sadly that never happens. *Every now and then you think about backing them up in […]
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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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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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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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Digital Manners
We’re seeing increasing numbers of cafés and shops that are refusing to serve people who are talking on their smartphones. We’re seeing restaurant diners getting exasperated when a nearby diner talks loudly on their phone. Loudly and inappropriately. There’s a rising opposition to people not showing good digital manners. So what are the basic rules […]
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Learning in Lounge rooms
As school resumes throughout Australia for students, many parents have been busy organising school supplies (I’ve been part of this mania too as a [nervous] first-time school-mum). But school bags and homework routines now look a little different. Instead of book lists, many schools have app lists. Textbooks are being replaced by tablets. Homework often […]
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Protecting Children’s Eye sight in the Digital Age
Given that our children are spending more and more time with screens (and often from an earlier age) many parents and health professionals are worried about the long-term and developmental impacts on children’s eye health. So in this Podcast, I share five simple tips to minimize the potential harmful effects of excessive or inappropriate use […]
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Digital Dimentia
Our digital devices have become the cornerstone of our lives. We rely on them every day. But the more we rely on these devices, the less we rely on our brains. And our memory-making capacity changes as a result. Our digital habits are literally altering the architecture of our brain What is digital dementia? “Digital Dementia”, is a […]
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Worried about Kids and WiFi?
Do you worry about your child’s increasing exposure to WiFi? Everywhere we turn these days it appears that there are signs advertising “Free WiFi”. Up until recently, I thought this increasing WiFi access was great. I could literally use my devices anywhere, anytime. We don’t yet know the long-term health consequences of EMR exposure. Especially when it […]
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