2020 Hindsight: Make this the year of creating a culture of connection at home
Fifteen years ago, just before the advent of smartphones and social media, mobile devices landed in the hands of youth. At that time, my youngest hit middle school. He had purchased a “pay-as-you-go” mobile device with his own paper route money. My husband and I...
Responding to the stress of social media ‘likes’ during the holidays and beyond
A recent feature on Jersey 105.5 reminds parents that youth today experience stress with social media influences that can inspire great anxiety – especially around the holidays. There is more time to hang out on-line and young folks feel a pressure to take pictures to...
Crucial conversations about the hidden agenda behind vaping and other things trending in your child’s life
Executive summary The commercial interests hired experts to craft social media campaigns to engage minor-aged youth in vaping. The response to these commercial efforts using e-cigarette technology to get youth as nicotine consumers includes 1) a Surgeon General...
Nutrition tips to help youth deal with the emotional impact of social media
Device addiction is a thing Commercial interests have used brain science associated with addiction to develop apps and devices that tap the same short-term reward system of the brain like a drug. In this way, the underlying biochemical dynamic with addiction is a...
How parents model resilience
It is true that children learn from our example; by witnessing our reactions to the things that happen in the world, at home and in our communities. In this way I understand resilience as learning how to respond to anti-social and hostile behavior and adversity with...
