Feb. 21, 2014 For the first time ever, Sundance Film Institute added a Sundance Kids division, to introduce and inspire youth with indie films...alas, I couldn’t find anyone who knew about it.It's … [Read more...]
Dot Complicated: Holiday Media Management
November 19, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Nov. 19, 2013 Ditch the tantalizing Instagram food shots and showy status updates. Halt turkey tweeting. Spare the live streaming of the family fest. MAYbe use the Pinterest prep cheat sheets if you … [Read more...]
Gifts of Time, Tech Training for Dad’s Day
June 13, 2013 by 2 Comments
June 13, 2013 Our family just wrapped up an impromptu multi-generational digital debriefing with all ages in town for teen graduation. “Wait, how’d you DO that?” became the common refrain of the day, … [Read more...]
Grad Night, School Policy and Mobile Media Management
June 6, 2013 by 7 Comments
June 6, 2013 “…Any personal items (including car keys, ids, cell phones) will be bagged and labeled with the student’s name. Digital cameras must NOT have transmission capability and will be left at … [Read more...]
Digital Detox, Blog Hiatus, and Fresh New Focus for 2013
January 18, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Jan. 2013-Shaping Youth has taken a first ever, full month long blog hiatus until Feb. 1, 2013. You can follow our posts on Twitter in the interim while we unplug the blog to repower the system … [Read more...]
Toy Joy or Consumption Junction? Critical Thinking for Holiday Fun
November 15, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Dec. 7, 2016 Update Why not turn holiday gifting into a media literacy opportunity? Tomorrow I'll be signing up once again for Samaritan House sorting and stocking for kids less fortunate and I … [Read more...]
Blizzard’s Snow Job: Security About As Tight As Parental Controls
November 14, 2012 by 2 Comments
Nov. 14, 2012 Call it karma, payback, or just ‘got caught,’ the class action lawsuit against Blizzard Entertainment (makers of mega-hits like Diablo, World of Warcraft, Starcraft etc) is really about … [Read more...]
Life 360: Testing Family Safety Apps With Teens (Part 2)
October 21, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Oct 21, 2012 Any parent who has ever ended up in a glorified game of ‘Where’s Waldo’ hunting for their offspring after temporarily ‘sliding off the grid’ with whereabouts unknown (homecoming, prom, … [Read more...]
Unplug: On Summer Hiatus For Digital Detox (Again)
August 17, 2012 by Leave a Comment
August 17, 2012 Long time readers know I'm a huge fan of 'digital detox' to give writing a break, focus fully on family at the end of summer, and regroup for the back to school scene... I've … [Read more...]
Time for a Digital Cleanse! Join Us For Screen Free Week April 30-May 6
April 12, 2012 by 6 Comments
April 12, 2012 Ommm...want to join me in turning off all glowing electronic devices to celebrate CCFC's Screen Free Week of insight April 30-May 6, 2012? It's a great chance to unplug...and … [Read more...]
Best Childrens’ TV You’ve Never Seen: Ameba TV
December 2, 2011 by 6 Comments
Dec. 2, 2011 Heard of Ameba TV yet? For world-weary parents of kids aged 2-12 who'd like to allow media in moderation but are sick of monitoring cruddy channels of influence being served up by … [Read more...]
Lessons From Youth On Screen Free Week: Perception Vs. Reality
April 20, 2011 by 2 Comments
Apr. 20, 2011 Screen Free Week April 18-24 If I’m "Captain of this Ship," then there’s been a mutiny and I’m walking the plank. Some of the youth crew have called me out and dressed me down for what … [Read more...]
Spring Break Sanctuary: Ideas To Celebrate Screen Free Week
March 23, 2011 by 12 Comments
May 6, 2015 This year, "Screen Free Week" has been hardest on me for work related immediacy, as Twitter and 'livestreaming' events have made me feel like Gumby with people pinging and pushing their … [Read more...]
Media Unplugged: Clamping The IV Digital Drip (Pt1)
August 28, 2010 by 15 Comments
Dec. 14, 2015 Update Don't miss this Wall Street Journal article, "Is your Doctor Getting Too Much Screen Time? which is a huge patient/service complaint and a disconnect especially among seniors … [Read more...]
Media Slave? ReShaping Habits For More Summer Fun
July 27, 2010 by 9 Comments
July 27, 2010 “Why aren’t you posting on Shaping Youth every day like you used to, Amy? Are you on summer hiatus like the networks?” Um, I guess that’s what you’d call it. Frankly, it never … [Read more...]
Spring Break Sanctuary: Away From Digital Dramas, Peer Reality Shows
April 13, 2010 by 14 Comments
Mar. 25, 2016 Just back from a 'spring break' social media hiatus reprising our unplugged trip to Catalina Island, albeit only day tripping vs a leisurely week away, as we tried to 'recreate' and … [Read more...]
Addiction Series Part 3: Media, Medicos, & Critical Thinking
January 15, 2010 by 12 Comments
Jan. 15, 2009 Thought I’d wrap up Part Three in this series on digital addiction vs. agency (part one and part two here) with some humorous insights from the medical community that poke fun at some … [Read more...]
Media Addiction vs. Agency: The Context of Control Part Two
January 13, 2010 by 11 Comments
Jan. 13, 2010 My brother AND my mother sent me this little cartoon jab which left me snickering and simultaneously standing up to stretch. As evidenced in part one of addiction vs. agency in media … [Read more...]
Media Management: Addiction vs. Agency Part One
January 11, 2010 by 15 Comments
Jan. 11, 2010 I’m officially back from my one week blog hiatus, victorious in keeping my New Year resolution to ‘unplug’ more, manage my media rather than having it manage me, and slip away sans … [Read more...]
Text Monster: Teen Tips On Digital Dating Obsessions
April 28, 2009 by 14 Comments
April 28, 2009 "Whatcha doin’? Who you with? Text me! Text me back!" When does 'caring' become controlling textual harrassment? What happens when the ‘connectivity’ that takes the form of digital … [Read more...]
