“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 →
We are familiar with the checklists that help us spot when things are going wrong when it comes to screen time. Our eyes quickly scan the list, hoping that the symptoms or behaviors won’t resonate. We are eager for a sigh of relief: “Maybe I have less to worry about than I thought I did.”… Read More →
We’ve all seen the chilling public service announcements. A girl is messaging someone online and the conversation appears to be taking place between friends. The person asks for a photo and promises support and care in return. Then the screen splits, revealing that it’s actually an older man on the other end. These dramatic “reveals”… 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 →
I am the kind of person who organizes my life around traditions. There is a joke in our community that once we do something once, we put it on the calendar in perpetuity. These traditions and rituals shift and change over time, but they still function as the glue that holds us together. I gathered… Read More →
Caregivers are inundated with guidance about screen time. Some of it helps families find firm footing; much of it is conflicting, oversimplified, or untethered from the latest developmental science. It’s no wonder parents feel tired and eager for clarity. On our most exhausted days, we just want someone to tell us what to do. At… Read More →
