Category Archives: Parenting

Screens, Social Media, and Middle School Kids

Personally, I’m a huge fan of our middle school principal and his measured and thought provoking commentary on what is happening in the school. This is just a snippet from a recent newsletter, but thought it worthwhile to share:

We notice how much of the drama and struggle kids have at school is linked directly to the time and influences they are getting from social media, edgy television, and interactive gaming when those things go unmonitored. I can’t tell you how many friendship break-ups happen in 5th and 6th grade because someone insulted someone else while playing Fortnite! I can’t tell you how many issues that would have been forgotten by 4pm but have grown into anxiety because kids continue the petty conversations through their texting apps and social media late into the night. I can’t tell you how many parents seek the school to fix these things or label other people’s kids as “the problem” when the real problem is any kids having unlimited access to interactive technology when their brain is not developed enough to deal with it. This is a societal problem.

Something I can tell you, is I believe as parents we’re all trying to do our best. I can also tell you that no child is born mean. Kids just aren’t ready for all that we’ve allowed them access to, because it’s so darn intriguing (and designed to addict us all).

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Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself. You would think this should be self evident these days, but apparently not...

Schooling – The Minimalists Podcast

You have to listen to this! If you don’t think you have time, start at 45 minutes. T.K. Coleman makes some great points.

Schooling – The Minimalists Podcast

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Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself. You would think this should be self evident these days, but apparently not...

Telling Our Kids To “Walk Up, Not Out” Isn’t Just Wrong, It’s Incredibly Dangerous

Absolutely love every bit of this. Just a few nuggets…

“it isn’t an either/or proposition”

“Walking out is a powerful political statement being made by students too young to vote, but old enough to have performed multiple lockdown drills in their school.”

“insinuating that children are responsible for mass gun violence because they simply don’t take the time to “befriend the lonely kid” is not only victim-blaming, it’s dangerous”

“Walk up to the mirror, look yourself in the eyes, and tell yourself that you’ve done everything you can to prevent the next mass shooting. And if you can’t, stop looking to the students to save themselves and start looking at yourself.”

Telling Our Kids To “Walk Up, Not Out” Isn’t Just Wrong, It’s Incredibly Dangerous

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Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself. You would think this should be self evident these days, but apparently not...

Feed Your Kid Dinner at 3 P.M.

Seems like an interesting concept if you can pull it off. My only reservation is that it can cut down on “family time”, but if it means better bedtime routines then it may just be worth it.

Feed Your Kid Dinner at 3 P.M.

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Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself. You would think this should be self evident these days, but apparently not...

Porn is not the worst thing on obscure social media sites

Love the reminder why my kids aren’t getting a phone or going on social media any time soon (if ever)…

“Puberty is harrowing enough in physical form, asking a child to also manage an online ego is like asking them to thread a needle while the plane is going down”

Porn is not the worst thing on Musical.ly. – Anastasia Basil – Medium

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Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself. You would think this should be self evident these days, but apparently not...

Stop Asking Your Kid About Their Day

It probably wouldn’t hurt for me to remember this. My goal is for them to want to talk to me when there really are important things weighing on their minds, and I know I did and still do tend to shut down just as described when treated the same way.

Stop Asking Your Kid About Their Day

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Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself. You would think this should be self evident these days, but apparently not...

The Confidence Gap

Job #1. Try to instill confidence in my girls…

Success, it turns out, correlates just as closely with confidence as it does with competence.

Read the full article here

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Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself. You would think this should be self evident these days, but apparently not...

3 Things I Wish Parents – and Teens – Knew About Pot

You learn something new everyday. And naive little me thought marijuana was just marijuana.

3 Things I Wish Parents – and Teens – Knew About Pot

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Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself. You would think this should be self evident these days, but apparently not...

Why You Should Let Kids Fight

Interesting, and yet hard to do sometimes. My gut says that generally speaking husbands are more apt to do this, but maybe that’s just speaking from personal experience 🙂

Why You Should Let Kids Fight

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Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself. You would think this should be self evident these days, but apparently not...

The Essence of Fatherhood: 6 Simple Lessons

Having been doing this for 10 years there’s lots of truth here…

  1. Your first job is to love them
  2. Your example is more important than your words
  3. A hug is more powerful than punishment
  4. Trust them
  5. Let them be who they’re going to be
  6. Read with them

Read the full article here

 

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Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself. You would think this should be self evident these days, but apparently not...