How does screen time seem to always take over?  You’re not quite sure how it happens. When the first day of summer arrives everyone is so excited. There are BIG fun plans for the school free days ahead. There will be camps and crafts. Swimming in the pool, picnics in the backyard, trips to the park and family game nights. There’s no way anyone will get bored. The kids will be so busy having fun, they won’t even think about watching TV or playing on the ipad, except maybe for the occasional rainy afternoon. But by the end of that first week, somehow things just aren’t quite turning out lik ..read more

Inside:Tech Rules for Teens and Tweens (printable) Parenting is Hard. And then there is parenting tweens and teens, which is like The Real World meets Survivor. Truly, it’s like some kind of reality show, and we just keep looking for the cameras, because seriously some days….. BUT on top of all that, in today’s world, it sure as heck feels like in all our non-existent spare time we need to be getting our Ph.D. in Techno Ninja skills.  If Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg could just get together and create some kind of manual for all of us, that would be freakin’ fantastic! Until that happens ..read more

Do you ever hear yourself saying any of these phrases that have become all too common in homes across the world these days?  “I can’t get my kids to stop playing on their DS/Wii/Playstation/iPad/Phone” “Anytime I tell them to turn it off, it turns into a major battle” “It feels like technology is taking over our lives”   Managing technology and our kids can feel overwhelming.  Every time we turn around there are new devices, new apps, new types of social media and new online threats. We all feel like we’re barely keeping up and technology becomes just one more area where were no ..read more

Inside: 10 Dyslexia Apps. Using technology as a tool to help your special needs child For all of the issues technology presents, there is no doubt that it has also become an incredibly beneficial tool in the field of education. This is especially true when it comes to helping children with special needs.  Tablets  and/or iPads are transforming the way schools, and parents, work with specific learning challenges. These dyslexia apps can be used for children or adults and are fun ways to keep learners engaged while making necessary gains. You may even help turn a struggling reader ..read more

Life was so easy when my kids were little and perfectly content to watch the safe and often sweet Kids TV Shows found on Disney Jr and Nick Jr. They adventured with Dora and Diego, Sung along with Mickey Mouse Playhouse and Danced with those groovy kids on The Fresh Beat Band. But all too quickly they began to want to watch more “grown-up” TV shows and I panicked. There’s already so much mommy guilt about screen time.  And it’s all only made worse with worries about what they are watching. Especially in these years between pre-school and teendom, it’s like we become stranded in a kid ..read more

It feels like these days whenever our kids get free-time they want to use it playing video games or watching TV.  Fighting the screen-time battles with our kids gets old. But what if you could set aside the fights and find a way to use that tech time for good? If they’re going to be on their devices, why not allow them to use them for something that will actually engage their minds. Ted Talks for Kids are a great way to spark inspiration, innovation, and help your children grow from watching experts and real people talk on different topics. We don’t always have to feel guilty about the ti ..read more

Inside:Podcasts for kids that will light up their minds and help them discover the wonder of the world around them “Mom, can I watch TV?” “Mom, I need more Xbox time!” “Mom, will you download a new app for me?” Seriously, it seems like everything our kids want to do today involves some kind of screen-time and technology! We know it’s not all bad. But we wonder….. We wonder if they’re spending too much time on tech, we wonder if any of it is actually educational, we wonder if it’s really adding to their lives in any positive way. If you’re worried about this, then take a deep breath, because th ..read more

The other day we had plans to go to a park with some friends. My kids had been playing Minecraft on their tablets for a little while as I was finishing up some laundry.  I had given them the five minute warning. “Hey guys, it’s time to start wrapping up. We’ve got to leave soon for the park. You’ve got five minutes to finish what you’re doing and then shut down.”   After I put the last folded clothes away, I walked into the living room. They probably had gotten a few extra minutes of screen time, so I thought for sure we were good. “Okay, time to turn it off, we’ve got to go.” “But M ..read more

Inside:Apps for SAT and ACT prep. A fun and easy way to help teens get the scores they need. It seems like just yesterday we were reading Dr. Suess, mastering how words rhyme, and learning our times tables. In the blink of an eye, now it’s time for scheduling college tours, filling out applications and preparing for the dreaded SAT and ACT tests. Being the parent of a high school student is full of new territory and things have changed a lot since we were sweating our way through the college choice process. These days, most high school students will take both the SAT and ACT exams and they can ..read more

Inside:ADHD Apps for kids to help them stay focused and overcome daily challenges If you have a child with ADHD, you understand many of the difficulties associated with the disorder, but you may not always sure how to help them to overcome their challenges. Technology is providing new solutions for parents, educators and therapists that are proving to be powerful tools. If your child has an iPad or iPhone, theses highly rated ADHD apps can help them learn to focus and master everyday tasks.  10 ADHD Apps for Kids Endless Reader – This is a highly rated app created by a team of passionate ..read more