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Technology, time limits and getting it right for our kids

May 29, 2012 By 18 Comments

Do your kids get angry when you ask them to get off the computer, turn off the xbox, give someone else a turn of the Wii or put the ipod away?

Last week I was guest posting over at Planning with Kids about 8 things parents should know about technology and parenting. Many of the comments pointed toward a frustration by parents over the amount of time kids were online and the trouble they had in enforcing rules regarding the use of technology. Or overuse more to the point!

Here are a few pointers to help you take back control and help ensure your kids have a greater chance of being able to regulate their own behavior and time management as they grow up surrounded by the distractions of technology.

Start early  From the moment your little one can swipe an ipad make sure they know there are limits to its use. We want to be able to take things away without a fight every time.  And whilst you will more than likely get one the first few times you interrupt their extremely important, almost at my highest score game, they will learn. Like all aspects of parenting, the earlier you start getting them used to the boundaries, the greater control you will both have over their behaviour. [Read more...]

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Filed Under: Discipline, Modern Parenting, Technology and Parenting, Teenagers Tagged With: , , , , ,

Your Digital Footprint: How to preserve your kids online reputation

May 21, 2012 By 8 Comments

The moment we start using a computer, whether it be to log in to facebook, read a blog, book a flight, buy groceries, do the banking or look up the weekends weather forecast, we have already begun to formulate our digital footprint.

Essentially your digital footprint is a trail left by you, the user, that forms a network of data that becomes an online representation of the real life you.

We have both a passive digital footprint, which can be any information collected online which hasn’t been initiated by the person, ie public records or postings and we have an active digital footprint which is created when we deliberately release information about ourselves. When we post things on facebook or Twitter, upload photos, email, message and chat with others we are continouously adding to this network of data. Regardless of the intention for these things to stay private or not, all the information that exists online becomes part of our digital footprint.

You will notice too, that the advertising on sites such as Facebook is very relevant to you, to the searches you have recently researched, items you have bought or topics you have talked about. This is not a coincidence, but a very real and deliberate analysis of you, your interests, what you are likely to buy, from who, where, when and how much you are likely to spend. [Read more...]

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Filed Under: Communicating and Connecting, Modern Parenting, Technology and Parenting Tagged With: , , , , ,

Risk Taking Behaviour: from the Toddler to the Teenager

May 15, 2012 By 8 Comments

At just 8 months of age my youngest boy has a few bruises and bumps to show for his dare devil antics as he tries with superhero like determination to climb, crawl over things, under things, run, jump and fly. Well not quite, but I think he would if he could.

The body of a wee tot is not up to speed with all that his fast developing brain is trying to conquer, and nor is he ready to impart reason and consequence into the equation.

Throughout early childhood his body will start to catch up. He will be able to run and jump and climb trees with his brothers, relatively safe in the knowledge of what he is and is not capable of undertaking.

But then will come puberty and hormones and a teenage brain.

Once again this developing brain will want to take on the world.

Enter teenage risk-taking, no consequences, worry about it later behavior. And add to that the extra dose of testosterone as a bonus of his gender.

I have spoken before about the part of the brain that is responsible for reason and compromise and consequence and how for some reason this important development comes a little later on in life. Despite the many miracles that is the human body…this one could have done will a little more forethought! [Read more...]

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Filed Under: Modern Parenting, Teenagers Tagged With: , , , ,

The Modern Parent: now personally helping families in the modern world

May 8, 2012 By 9 Comments

Welcome to the new look Modern Parent! I hope you like my fresh new design that incorporates my desire to continue to help guide families through the challenges of raising a family in the modern world.

To coincide with my new design is the launch of my Family, Youth and Parent Counselling practise which I am thrilled to say is now open for business.

To find out more about The Modern Parent counselling then please have a look at my Private Counselling page.

The other aspect I am excited about focuses on the challenges of parenting in a technological world and I am looking to do presentations and speaking appointments focusing on what parents need to know and do when it comes to children and the online world.I have come to see from both a personal and a professional perspective, the consequences of this new world on both youth and on parents and families themselves. As a result of my work and research, I believe that it is never too early or too late to seek out this knowledge.  It is an ever-changing world, and one that will not be slowing down anytime soon. It is for these reasons that I believe we owe it to our families to keep up.

To read more about The Modern Parent availability for speaking presentations or workshops please see my Speaking on Parenting and Technology page.

Thanks for your continued support, for reading and commenting and ensuring that we all get a little more clarity, perspective, joy and understanding when it comes to raising families today and in the future.

 

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Filed Under: Modern Parenting Tagged With: , ,

Happy Days in May: a sentence a day in the month of May

May 1, 2012 By 14 Comments

Last year I took up the challenge from Naomi from Seven Cherubs to write a sentence a day that records something that makes you happy and grateful for all you have. This year Naomi is putting out the challenge again and has called it Happy Days in May.

There are days when we don’t have to look far for a happy moment or find something that made us laugh or smile. The sun was shining, the kids didn’t fight, you partied with friends or  your team won the game. But other days the moments are a little less obvious. It is these days that make this challenge so rewarding. It forces us to look a little harder for the moments that we need to be grateful for. It may be a coffee you drank before it got cold, an arrival in the post that wasn’t a bill, or it may simply be that you didn’t burn the dinner .  No matter how big or seemingly small, we need to recognise all the moments that go into our lives to bring us joy.

This year I am again putting my kids to the challenge as well. I am going to ask them to give me a sentence each night of something that happened to them during the day that made them smile, laugh, feel good about themselves or someone else. Or maybe they could just recall something that they are grateful for or an item they are happy to own.  I may ask for a little more creativity from the boys this year,  as whilst I understand that playing footy and riding on their scooters are great fun activities, we may need to stretch their imaginations just a little. It is a great way for kids, and ourselves to go to bed with positive thoughts, a silver lining or a glimmer of hope. Rather than trying to keep a journal or diary which I have never been able to succeed at for any extended period, I have also found that this is a great way to record lifes little moments whilst taking only a minute or two each night.

I would love for others to have a go and try it with your kids as well. For an example of last years challenge you can check out my Happiness Project from 2011.

Remember , its just one sentence, every night.

So best wishes to all for many Happy Days in May.

 

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Filed Under: More Joy Less Stress Tagged With: , ,