It is a privilege for you to have a phone. It really is our phone, we bought it and we pay the monthly charge. If the rules are not followed, we will take the phone back. We will always know the password. Always answer when we call you.

Bullies have always been around, but technology now provides them with a new inroad. Cyberbullying is unique because it can happen 24/7 and there is always an audience. Oftentimes the bully can remain anonymous and be difficult to trace, all while never leaving his/her chair. Bullying can have a serious impact on the emotional state of our kids and may lead to anxiety, depression, withdrawal, and even thoughts of suicide. Staying involved in your kid’s cyber world, just as in their real world, can help protect them.

Since many parents are not comfortable with their children having a Facebook account, tweens have turned to Instagram. But there are a few things mom and dad need to be aware of.

Scientists at the NIH.gov have begun the largest long term study on tech impact on the human brain. They’ll follow more than 11,000 kids for a decade, and spend $300 million doing it. The interviews and data from the NH study have already revealed that kids who spend more than two hours a day on screens scored lower on thinking and language tests. Many other reputable studies have confirmed links between: increased screen time and decreased cognitive ability and social skills; impaired language development; mood disorders; poor sleeping and eating habits; short attention span, and irritability.