Addiction
The Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma has garnered much attention in recent weeks, in mainstream media and ironically on the social media platforms that were vilified in the documentary. The Social Dilemma proposes that social media companies manipulate users by using algorithms and persuasive design principles that result in ‘addiction’ to their platforms. It also suggests that […]
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Young people are facing a mental health crisis, both here in Australia and internationally. There’s a concerning increase in the rates of mental health issues amongst young people and the finger is often pointed at technology, particularly social media and smartphones, which are contributing factors. But is technology to blame? The dominant, alarmist narrative suggests […]
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Calls crescendo from parents concerned that their sons are ‘addicted’ to online games. There are a few weeks that pass where I don’t hear from parents tearing their hair out about their son’s (problematic) gaming behaviours. Parents who tell me that their son has punched holes in the all when gaming consoles were peeled from […]
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YouTube and YouTube Kids have now replaced TV as the chief source of entertainment for both kids and teens. This media juggernaut (which has over 300 videos uploaded to its platform every single minute!) has kids of all ages flocking to it and it has left many parents confused and concerned about its appeal and […]
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I want to write about the dreaded ‘f’ word that’s causing angst in many families. Fortnite! (Not that word!) In the last couple months, I’ve been inundated with questions from parents both online and during my Parent Seminars about the game Fortnite. There have been numerous blog posts written and also shared on social media […]
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The 60 Minutes episode called Screen Addicts has caused much concern amongst parents and early childhood educators. I’ve been inundated with parents of young children asking me to share my insights so I thought this blog post would answer some of your questions and help guide you in terms of how to manage children’s screen-time […]
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Young children addicted to Minecraft. It’s a reality facing many families today. Perhaps you’re experiencing it first-hand with your own children as you attempt to pry the gaming consoles from their hands, or ask them to log off the computer and complete techno-tantrums ensue. Perhaps your friends have told you about their children’s […]
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“My child’s addicted to Minecraft.” It’s a common complaint I hear from worried parents, who’ve “lost” their child to Minecraft, a digital, block world. For some children, Minecraft becomes a complete obsession. It’s all they want to do when they’re awake. It’s all they talk about when they’re not playing. They watch You […]
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This post has been brewing for a couple of months now. It’s sat in my drafts folder and I’ve deliberated about posting it. But now I’m feeling brave enough to say, “Unplug your child…please.” Why’ve I been so tentative? To be completely honest, I don’t want to sound like a hypocrite. I don’t ever want […]
Read MoreA recent blog post has caused much concern amongst parents and teachers alike in recent days. I have fielded a couple of media calls about this controversial post and have also had friends and worried parents asking me about some of the claims in the blog post. So I thought I should respond to the […]
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