Teen Thrive Earth Fest, Social Media & Green Teens

Youth media springs into action in this season of growth and green! Earth Day Network has teamed with popular virtual world Habbo, to create project Green Teen, complete with "Green Furni" to decorate teens' online virtual living rooms and encourage eco-awareness within their online community. In the real world, new online teen community TeenThrive hosts a jam-packed … [Read more...]

Girls as Boy Toys Takes A Toxic Turn: Body Image Shaping Youth

Shaping Youth wrote about the provocative viral promo targeting teen gamers to ‘place the tattoo anywhere on the woman's body’...We hit the op-ed pages when a teen radio station turned ‘hot 99.5’ into a plastic surgery pitch for breast implants. (you can imagine what they did with the numbers for the 'breast year ever' promo, as this teen journalist shares its demeaning … [Read more...]

Generation Digital: An MIT Review & Six Degrees of Susan Linn

Not to sound like a groupie, but this small world, six degrees of separation stuff is beginning to astound me. Swap CCFC’s Dr. Susan Linn for Kevin Bacon, and we’re there. Generation Digital was written by American University scholar and media expert Dr. Kathryn C. Montgomery who also directs the AU project Youth as E-Citizens. I initially heard of Dr. … [Read more...]

My Reward Board: Virtual Chore Chart Boosts Kids’ Financial Savvy

Nag. Nag. Nag. Whether you’re dishing it out or on the receiving end, it can feel like you're stuck in a repetitive cycle like Bill Murray in the film, “Groundhog Day.” “How many times have I asked you to pick up those clothes?” When "in a sec" turns into three days later, there’s bound to be a power struggle and some privileges headed out … [Read more...]

Despite Heavy Product Placement, This Momzy Liked Mimzy

Mimzy–the rabbit from outer space that warbles unintelligible planetary profoundity, will no doubt be merchandised into oblivion. Even my 11-year old made a wry commercial slam, “I wonder how long ‘til Mimzy is in Build-A-Bear with a customized sound chip?” Wow. This kid’s been hanging out with me way too much lately. She’s right … [Read more...]