Smartphones
A common question that many parents grapple with- when is the ‘right’ age to give kids a mobile phone? Put simply, there’s no universal, or prescriptive chronological age that’s deemed ‘right’ or ‘safe’ to give kids a mobile phone. Kids all mature at different rates making it difficult to specify an exact age at which […]
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I’ve been tentative about sharing this blog post, but I figure that my story and insights may help other people. Earlier this year I experienced a miscarriage. It was devastating to say the very least. My family and I were heart-broken. I only feel like I can now talk about this publicly. I wasn’t nervous about […]
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Is Typing or Handwriting Better for Kids? The keyboard versus the pen. Which is better for children’s learning? As laptops and tablets become commonplace in schools many parents and teachers are left wondering if note-taking with paper and pencil will become an obsolete skill. Do young children still need to learn how to […]
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Now this post certainly won’t make me popular with many parents and it certainly won’t be popular with kids, but it’s nonetheless important. In this episode I discuss why it’s important for children’s bedrooms to be “tech-free” spaces. In an ideal world this means no gadgets in bedrooms at all. No TV, iPads, gaming consoles. Absolutely nothing. […]
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The summer holidays are fast-approaching here in Australia. I’m thrilled to be spending these holidays opposite the beach. And I plan on spending lots of time there. Making special memories with my kids. As I started to pack the beach bag the other day, I frantically searched for my phone. When I couldn’t find it […]
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As your toddler’s tiny fingers swipe, tap and pinch a smartphone or tablet screen, you simultaneously fill with pride and fear. This is the modern parents’ dilemma. On one hand you are filled with pride because want your child to be a proficient technology user. There is no doubt that they will inherit a […]
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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 […]
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Parental distraction with iPhones…This is the post you were never going to see. It’s the post that has been brewing for weeks. It’s been drafted, tweaked and re-written and then…shelved. I have resisted the urge to press ‘publish’. Why? I know that it’s a controversial topic. I’m aware that this post will most likely […]
Read MoreTechno-guilt. Do you suffer from it? I do. Sometimes I feel guilty about allowing my son to use the iPad (or watch TV). Yep, even as a children’s technology researcher I am sometimes plagued by this affliction. And I know I shouldn’t feel guilty but somehow I have bought into this guilt thing. I […]
Read MoreChildren love them and adults do too. But can apps really make parenting easier? Can they really help you to streamline things? Can they really help your children get dressed with bags packed in the morning, without constant nagging? You bet! As a busy Mum myself I am […]
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