3 tech alternatives to the lost-and-found

Yesterday Little Sweetie returned home without her retainer. This is the moment we have been dreading for the four months since she got it. While interrogating her about possible locations for said orthodontic appliance, I couldn’t help digressing into a...

Facebooking the kids: 12 Dos & Don’ts

This entry is part 4 of 4 in the series Facebooking the kids

Facebook can be a great way to share your family news with a small circle of friends — if you’re smart about using privacy settings. This post rounds up the recommendations from my series on Facebooking the kids.

What’s really hurting your relationships?

Today’s paper has an article about how hard it is to preserve tight family relationships in a world where we have so many other relationships. It offered 10 signs your friendships might be hurting your family relationships: You can’t get through a meal...

Star Trek for kids

Many parents focus on preparing their children for a digital future by working on their basic math skills, helping them use a computer, or even teaching them the basics of programming. These parents are fools! If there is one thing I have learned from working with...

Tweeting the daily life of our future-ancient world

Bill Caraher’s post on Historical Figures in Social Media drew my attention to a bevvy of ancient worlders now tweeting away: iTweetus (a Roman soldier), iHerodotus (Greek historian), and Plutarch (ditto). I love the mashup of old-nerd-meets-new-nerd, which...

Introducing App Girl

This is a cautionary tale about the dangers of introducing children to technology. Four weeks ago, it was time for the annual ritual of Hallowe’en costume selection. Most years, I have the energy to make one costume, which means that one kid get storebought and...