3 Things You Can Do Today To Be a Better Digital Parent

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That’s just unhealthy. These are the kind of behaviors that not only disrupt circadian rhythms in the short term; they evolve into long term unhealthy habits that can lead to a lifetime of interrupted sleep and poor overall health.

​Stay Involved. Do Your Best to Stay Current: Let me be clear...It is not our job to like what our kids like. It is our job to know what they like. Then and only then can we work to safeguard them from some of the digital pitfalls that exist online. Here are two examples that I think best illustrate why it’s important to stay current:

  • Yik Yak: One of the most concerning social media platforms in existence has already come and gone, and you may not have heard a whisper about it. Yik Yak is a social media platform whose hook was based around users’ complete anonymity. It worked by setting up a 1.5 mile virtual perimeter around the user. Once online, users could communicate to anyone else on the platform in a completely anonymous setting. And while you didn’t have to share your own information, you could certainly speak about others by name. As you can guess, it was a cyber bully’s paradise. At one point, the company had raised nearly $75 million dollars from investors. Only lately did it lay off 60% of its employees. The company might go away, but rest assured the concerning behaviors won’t.

  • Ghost Apps: These are apps whose icons look completely innocuous, while actually hiding a more sinister function. In many cases, kids will download apps that appear to be additional calculators or calendars. But a click and a closer look reveals they are actually hiding an application children probably don’t want Mom or Dad to see. Be on the lookout for duplicate apps. It’s a dead giveaway for ghost apps. 

These tips certainly aren’t the end all be all of successful digital parenting, but they’re a good place to start. Don’t hesitate to reach out to me or someone you trust for guidance through the minefield that is digital parenting. We’re all in this together.

Mindy Houston