The conversation about Pokemon GO has settled down quite a bit lately but a new update this week has caused a bit more discussion to begin again. I think parents need to hear some of what is being said. While this update adds a new 8 mph maximum speed to keep you from playing while driving and a few new Pokemon to catch, the issue most relevant to parents is the addition of Daily Bonuses to the app. (more…)
WhatsApp is all over the tech news sites today with the announcement of GIF support in their app. This is pretty cool news for users of WhatsApp but as parents keeping an eye on our children’s online activity this news makes it more and more interesting to our kids. So, what is WhatsApp and what should parents know? (more…)
To handle a language skillfully is to practice a kind of evocative sorcery. – Charles Baudelaire (Poet)
Working with digital devices requires the knowledge of a certain language. If you understand what certain words mean you are able to know what is happening in a certain device with just a glance. As parents, it is imperative that we can understand the activities our children are engaging in on their smartphones, tablets, and computers. This is why the thirteen words in this tutorial, of sorts, will be so powerful in your hands as a parent. (more…)
Joe and Beth have had a Living Room Workshop and bought What’s in Your Pocket? They are doing everything they can to protect their kids online. They have accountability software, filters, and they even sit down with their kids every now and then and talk about internet safety. It’s great…for a few months. Then, suddenly, during one of their family meetings Billy tells them he saw something he shouldn’t have. It bothered him pretty badly and the whole family is having to re-establish their plan. (more…)
I installed Musical.ly on my phone just to see what it was all about. “I have to do this sort of thing,” I said “it’s my job.” I then began to look around on the app and was annoyed very quickly. Unsurprisingly, it’s all about music. It’s about the latest pop hits, it’s about the classic songs everyone knows, and it’s about videos. Lots and lots of pre-teens making their own music videos. (more…)
There are many steps to take in order to start protecting your family online. Below is the checklist from our book What’s in Your Pocket? (more…)
In our book What’s in Your Pocket? we emphasise online and offline involvement in your child’s digital life. The fact is that…
You can talk to your kids until you’re blue in the face about the internet, but if you aren’t keeping tabs on what they are accessing, you’re not doing all you can to help them. On the other hand, you can keep watch like a hawk on what your kids do online, but if you never talk to them about it, you’re just gaining knowledge that you never use to make any change. You have to put forth the effort on both fronts.
You don’t have time to be searching for every new device that your kid is wanting. You may not have the capacity to easily unpack every new software or operating system. You don’t have the energy to shop and compare different internet filters to see which will best meet your need. You need someone to do those things for you. That’s what SAFE is all about. (more…)
Excerpt from our book, What’s in Your Pocket?
Finding your operating system is the first step to protecting your children online. Follow the process outlined for your device below to learn how to lookup the controls tutorials that meet your needs. (more…)
I think Snapchat is a bad idea, and not for the reasons you may think.
The video below gives a pretty good description of my feelings and what I think parents should do when they see Snapchat on their kids’ phone. (more…)