Tag Archives: technology

Study: Negative Mental Health Not Linked to Teen Tech Use

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A study was published in the journal Clinical Psychological Science on May 3, 2021. The study was titled: “There Is No Digital Evidence That Associations Between Adolescent’s Digital Technology Engagement and Mental Health Problems Have Increased”. The results of the study may bring peace of mind to parents who worry about the amount of time their teenagers spend online. The Abstract of the study explains: Digital technology is ubiquitous in modern adolescence, and researchers are concerned that it has negative impacts on mental health that, furthermore, increase over time. To investigate whether technology is becoming more harmful, we examined changes … Continue reading →

When Technology Becomes Unhealthy

Living in this world of technology, one thing I have noticed is a change in relationships.  Face-to-face interactions happen less often.  It’s easier to shoot out an email or text.  It may feel safer to have a discussion through instant messaging. Instead of talking about our feelings, we are voicing them on Facebook or Twitter.  And rather than enjoying quality time together with our friends, we sit a few feet from each other, tapping away on our devices. This can be not only unhealthy but dangerous.  I’ve seen one of my daughter’s friends fall for a guy she met online.  … Continue reading →

Protecting Your Children from Online Scammers

We live in an age driven by technology. Children are more technologically advanced than ever before. My four year old is no exception. He can work an Ipad much better than I can. He knows how to get into all his favorite games, how to get to the Dinsey Channel, and just about anything else he sets his mind to. I think kids these days are just born that way. While technology can be an amazing educational tool for our children, it can also be a very dangerous place, as we all know. More and more predators are out there … Continue reading →

Bedtime for Devices

I was always one of those parents who had a bag full of “nevers.”  You know what I mean.  “I will never allow my child to…”  Fill in the blank. It’s so easy before you have children to say what you will never do.  And it’s just as easy when they are young to say what you will never do when they get older. Sure, some of my “nevers” I have stuck to.  But there have been a few I tossed to the side.  And in all honesty, at times it was a matter of not wanting to battle. One … Continue reading →

MyMagic+ to Record Disney Guest Experience

Disney’s always looking for a way to get ahead in its parks, including providing the best customer service around. Its constant raising of prices might seem counter intuitive to that, but at least it keeps upgrading its services.  The New York Times has a fascinating new report on the Disney Parks’ latest effort: MyMagic+. MyMagic+ takes the physical form of a wristband park guests wear in place of tickets.  Guests won’t have to trade in paper tickets anymore, instead waving their bands in front of the new FastPass monitors (even if they didn’t purchase a FastPass, those Mickey monitors are used).  MyMagic+ … Continue reading →

Cell Phones and Single Parents

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How did single parents survive before cell phones? My mother was a single parent for several years when I was a teenager, she had four kids at the time and we were always going in different directions. How did she maintain her sanity? Within two years of getting divorced I got my daughter a cell phone. I saw it as a way to prevent arguments and keep my heart from exploding. The first summer that she was home alone just about did me in. My child is impulsive, a friend comes to the door, they play at our house for … Continue reading →

Digital Photo Danger

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Luckily this post isn’t a sob story about losing all of the photos of my child because they were on my computer which got stolen, stopped working, exploded, deleted them, etc. I’m fairly tech-minded but I’ve got to tell you that it took me a while to really think the issue of digital photos through enough for me to come to my senses. When I look back at photos our wedding and our honeymoon I instantly realize how important these images are. They take us back to a time when things were different. Probably not better but certainly worth remembering … Continue reading →

Technology at Church

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I have a love-hate relationship with technology at church. There are some amazing things out there, but they can be abused quite easily. Perhaps this love-hate relationship stems from the fact that I work with the youth and I see how often they turn to technology for myriad purposes—both the good and the not-so-reverent. But the youth definitely aren’t the only ones using technology in church. Have you ever looked down the pew and seen an adult playing a game on their phone? What about texting during church. I’ve seen that one a lot too. I have to admit it … Continue reading →

Technology: If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Join ‘Em

When it comes to technology and teenagers I have decided that if you can’t beat ‘em, then join ‘em. I know that some parents feel very strongly about the advances in technology and that they are messing some kids up. Not only are there the bigger issues with the dangers that can be found in technology (pedophiles accessing our children, sexting, and so on) but there are other smaller concerns that are just as important. Some critics of technology feel that our children are lacking in social skills because there is less face-to-face interacting and more technological interacting. Some teachers … Continue reading →

The Trials of Switching

Did you ever have a really honest teacher? Someone who didn’t try to hide the chinks in their armor? Someone who pointed out more than the glossy surface but also the underlying cogs, axles, and inevitable grease that made the whole thing run? In short: Did you ever have a teacher who taught you about teaching? At first this may seem weird but I realize that I’ve had many teachers like this. My fifth grade teacher who would open class with a magic trick, close it with cheesy jokes, and teach us amazing (and amazingly related) things in between; my … Continue reading →