One phrase I hear over and over again from parents when it comes to raising kids in a digital world: “This is exhausting.” Exhaustion makes sense. In the absence of meaningful legislation or tech accountability, we’ve outsourced the burden of online safety and protection almost entirely to parents and kids. Tech companies have consistently prioritized… Read More →
“I have barely figured out how to talk to my kids about viewing online porn,” a parent shared with me recently. “It’s so overwhelming to think about them or their friends creating sexual content. The AI stuff is just so overwhelming. Can I just opt out of this altogether? I want to opt out!” she… Read More →
“What do you wish adults better understood about your relationship with technology?” I asked this question to a group of seven high school student leaders last week, in front of an audience of one hundred and fifty educators. I was lucky enough to share a conference keynote stage with a group of thoughtful young people… Read More →
“What kinds of questions feel easier to ask AI than a human?” This is a question that the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Center for Digital Thriving has been encouraging adults to ask young people since ChatGPT and other models burst onto the scene a few years ago. Now, a national survey from Common Sense… Read More →
“Make some noise if you love to read!” I could barely make out the last word before the entire playground erupted in cheers. To add excitement to the already-pumped up crowd, the DJ transitioned into Golden. Even kids who had chosen monkey bars over the dance party were now convinced to join the blacktop dance… Read More →
“Get closer!” my son said. I was standing in front of a giant piece of art that spanned half the wall. The image was completely captivating and I was reluctant to lose the perspective I had from across the room. My kid, on the other hand, was nearly climbing into the artwork. His insistence, and… Read More →
“I love the Australia ban,” a parent said to me recently. “I wish we would do something like that in our country.” “Say more,” I responded with curiosity. “Honestly, it just feels good to see someone actually do something. I’m not sure if it will work, but it just feels good to take action.” The… Read More →
“Your phone is blowing up!” a friend noticed during a walk together. “Everything okay?” I laughed and showed her the avalanche of cow, sunglass-smiley-face, and poop emojis pouring down my phone screen. “Ah. New smartwatch?” she asked. “Yup,” I responded. A persistent string of nonsensical emojis is typical for a pre-teen exploring what’s possible on… Read More →
We humans love stories. We love telling them and listening to them. Stories are how we communicate who we are and who we want to be. One of the best parts of parenting is curling up with kids to read a good story. But stories don’t always start with “once upon a time.” We create… Read More →
“Have you noticed all these sports betting ads this year?” I asked my family as we waited for the Super Bowl halftime show. “That means a lot of people are losing a lot of money.” “Yeah,” my teenager replied. “But someone else is winning a lot of money…” I took in a sharp breath, resisting… Read More →
