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Advice for Parents

Advocacy

Childhood Development

Data Privacy

EdTech

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Top Posts

Ok, You Got Your Kid a Smartphone or iPad...

EdTech is a Problem. Parents Can Say No.

5 Reasons Parental Controls Will Fail You

What Does it Mean to Be Tech-Intentional™?

Jan 15, 2025

Hint: Tech-Intentionality is Not Anti-Tech

A girl giving a thumbs up in front of a school bus

Why We Should Let the Kids Drive the School Bus [SATIRE]

Jan 9, 2025

New Program Alert: “Keys for Kids”

Ok, You Got Your Kid a Smartphone or iPad...

Dec 12, 2024

Now What?

Children on a playground use their iPads rather than play together

iPads Don’t Belong in School

Dec 5, 2024

6 Fallacies About EdTech and 6 Suggestions for a Tech-Intentional School Framework

Please Stop Saying Screens Help Children Regulate. They Do Not.

Nov 26, 2024

We Are Causing More Harm by Saying They Do

EdTech is Not Tech Ed

Nov 21, 2024

What So Many Get So Wrong About Technology in School and the 3 Questions We Should Be Asking

Why Opting Out of EdTech Matters Now More Than Ever

Nov 11, 2024

A Fight for Democracy

A child struggles with 3 laptops in school

A.I. in the Classroom

Nov 6, 2024

5 Things To Consider

Should Phones Be Allowed in Schools?

Oct 30, 2024

3 Common Arguments Debunked

A girl shows a boy a photo on her phone during class.

Let’s Talk About Cyberbullying

Oct 25, 2024

What Parents Need to Know, How it’s Different from Bullying, and What We Can Do to Help Our Kids

Emily Cherkin and Julie Liddell smiling for a photograph

Rejecting the New Costs of a Free Education

Oct 17, 2024

Guest Blog Post by Julie Liddell

Emily delivers a tech-intentional presentation, standing in front of a powerpoint presentation.

Becoming a Tech-Intentional Family

Oct 10, 2024

What to Expect from a School Presentation

EdTech is a Problem. Parents Can Say No.

Oct 2, 2024

Tech in School is Out of Sync With Development

4 Questions to Ask Your School About EdTech

Sep 25, 2024

It's Time to Push Back

Why EdTech Surveillance is Bad for Kids

Sep 18, 2024

It's Not Just Screentime that Hurts Kids

bored boy looks at his computer with a blackboard behind him

The Un-Sexy (But Important) Side of Data Privacy

Sep 12, 2024

4 Risks Parents Should Know About EdTech and Your Child’s Data

person pointing to laptop with other watching

Guest Blog: SDKs & Why They Matter

Aug 29, 2024

The Wildcard Contractors in EdTech Construction by Lisa LeVasseur

A mother happily carrying a child on their back.

Guest Blog: Our First Fish Opt Out Digital Journey

Aug 23, 2024

A Short Story by Patti

Sylvie at school opting out of using a school-issued laptop

Being a First Fish: Opting Out of EdTech

Aug 16, 2024

Why It’s Hard and Why I’m Doing it Anyway

A child in a dark room on a laptop preparing for school work

What’s the Problem With EdTech?

Jul 30, 2024

Doesn't it Help?

children interacting with screens and devices instead of socializing

Think Your Child has a Screentime Problem? Start Here

Jul 24, 2024

There's a Reason This is so Hard

A father is playing with his daughter by pushing her around on a scooter

There's No Such Thing As a Safe Smartphone For Kids

Jul 10, 2024

What a “phone-free” childhood should really look like

A school teacher is overwhelmed by having to manage her schoolwork using a device

The Madness of EdTech

Jun 26, 2024

All or Nothing Options

A smart phone with a blanked out screen meant to symbolize how phone poaches are designed to inhibit usage.

How Do We Implement "Phone Away for the Day" Schools?

Jun 19, 2024

If We Don't Trust Teenagers With Phones, Should We Trust Them With Phone Pouches?

A mother and father are lifting their young ones by the hands through the woods on a walk.

You’re Not Alone

Jun 13, 2024

What We're Fighting For

Social Media and the Weaponization of Middle School Drama

Jun 4, 2024

Or, Why it’s One Thing to Say “No” to Social Media Before 16 and an ENTIRELY Different Reality to Enforce It

3 Trends From Parent Surveys About Technology and Parenting

May 24, 2024

You're Not Alone

What’s Getting Lost in the AI Shuffle

May 14, 2024

The Case for Teachers. Real Ones.

It’s Time to Address the Cause, Not the Symptom: School-Issued Devices

May 6, 2024

Parents, Let’s Do This!

Kindergartners playing on ipads at school

Phone-Free Schools Are Half the Solution

Apr 30, 2024

Away for the Day is the Next Right Thing. But It’s Not the Full Solution.

students smiling in hall with no phone policy sign

How an Idaho School District Adopted a Phone-Free Policy

Apr 23, 2024

Creating Phone-Free Schools Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated. But it Needs to Be Done.

How I Became The Screentime Consultant

Apr 17, 2024

The “Aha” Moment in 2014 That Started It All

emily testified before the vermont house about S.289

My Testimony to the Vermont House in Support of S.289

Apr 10, 2024

Advocacy in Action

Birds, Bees & Phones

Apr 3, 2024

Children Will See P*rn

“Child-Friendly” Devices Aren’t Better Than Smartphones

Mar 26, 2024

A Better Question: Why Are We Giving Our Child the Device in the First Place?

Cultivating Resilience

Mar 12, 2024

Why Letting Our Kids Struggle is a Good Thing

girl staring at phone with bunny in background

The Problem With AI in Education Isn’t What You Think

Mar 4, 2024

What's Scary vs What's Dangerous

The Impacts of Screen-Based Technology

Feb 28, 2024

Why I Am Tech-Intentional™ Not Anti-Tech

4 Ways Tech-Based Play Is Different From Traditional Play

Feb 20, 2024

Skills Before Screens

family values overlaid child with screen

How Family Values Relate to Screentime

Feb 14, 2024

& How That Relates to Getting Locked Out of My Google Business Account

Scary Versus Dangerous: Worry About the Right Stuff

Feb 6, 2024

Addressing Parental Anxiety First

The Money is Just Too Good. Even When Kids are Dying

Jan 31, 2024

Big Tech and Congress Must Do More

Which Skills Should We Emphasize for Healthy Development?

Jan 31, 2024

The Three Things We Need to Focus On

The Evolution of Persuasive Design

Jan 23, 2024

Why It Is Hard to Put Down the Screens

Proven Strategies for Navigating Post-Screen Meltdowns

Jan 16, 2024

It's Not a Fair Fight

3 More Habits of the Tech-Intentional™ Family

Jan 1, 2024

One Size Does Not Fit All

3 Habits of the Tech-Intentional™ Family

Dec 25, 2023

Find What Works for Your Family

Living Our Lives Out Loud

Dec 18, 2023

The Single Easiest Parent Strategy

When “I’m Bored” Means “I Want Screentime”

Dec 11, 2023

Reading Between the Phrases

When Fighting Over Foursquare Isn’t a Bad Thing

Dec 5, 2023

Navigating Conflict is Part of Healthy Development

We’ve Got It Backwards. Skills Matter.

Nov 27, 2023

Why Skills Need to Come Before Screens

The Parenting Quadrant

Nov 21, 2023

Why Authoritative Parenting is Tech-Intentional™ Parenting

5 Reasons Parental Controls Will Fail You

Nov 14, 2023

The Most Common Question I Receive is: “What Parental Controls Do You Recommend?”

Tech’s Secret Weapon: Persuasive Design

Nov 7, 2023

It Turns Out That We’re Not Bad Parents.

A Child Who Thinks They Can’t Is Eventually Right

Oct 24, 2023

Would You Let Your 10-year-old Walk Alone to a Friend’s House…Without a Phone?

parents freaking out when kids see something naughty

When The News is Scary and the Images Graphic

Oct 10, 2023

Talking to Our Kids About the Bad Stuff Online

Sylvie riding her bike solo around the neighborhood

Safe? Or Surveilled? Striking the Right Balance as Parents in the Digital Age

Oct 5, 2023

Worrying About the Right Things

girl looking over shoulder into distance

Middle Schoolers Don’t Need Smartphones; They Need a Childhood

Sep 29, 2023

Real Life Experiences Build Resilience

Kids are Using A LOT of Tech at School. Here’s What Parents Need to Know.

Sep 23, 2023

EdTech is Just Big Tech in a Sweater Vest

The Screentime Consultant with Gillian Jarvis

What a Pediatric OT says About Screentime

Sep 15, 2023

Screens Impact Child Development

parent with child on shoulders walking away

An Open Letter to Parents About Parental Controls

Sep 8, 2023

TL;DR They Aren't the Solution

Social Media and Me: If It's Hard for Grown-ups, It's Worse for Kids

Sep 1, 2023

Mostly, I Hate It

“Social Media is Bad for Kids,” According to a Kid

Aug 25, 2023

What My Tween Wrote in Her Essay

Save a Tween, Share a Phone

Aug 18, 2023

An Unusual Parenting Strategy

Holding Tight and Letting Go: Parenting a Teen

Aug 3, 2023

The Bittersweetness of Raising a Child

The Number One Question I Get Asked and How I Respond

Jul 26, 2023

The Question I Get Asked the Most is, “What Parental Controls Do I Need?” To the Surprise of Many Parents, My Short Answer is: None.

My Teen Is In Europe and All I Get are One-Word Texts. Here's Why That's Ok.

Jun 23, 2023

Growing Up and Letting Go

3 Questions to Consider About When to Give Your Kid a Phone

Jun 19, 2023

(Or For Whom the Phone Pulls)

Why I Give My Tween Permission to Be Mad at Me

Jun 9, 2023

Tweens Are Complicated

“My Kid Doesn’t Use Social Media.” Yes, They Do. If Your Kid Uses YouTube or Roblox, They’re Using Social Media.

Jun 5, 2023

We Have to Stop Thinking that Social Media is Just TikTok and Snapchat and Facebook and Instagram

On the Minds of Middle Schoolers

May 19, 2023

It's Not As Simple As We Think

Think Your Kid Won’t Get P*rn in their DMs?

Mar 14, 2023

Think Again. I Got Catfished on Instagram, and I’m a 45-year-old Expert on Screentime

Emily speaking to children who are distracted and inclined to ignore her

Our Kids Are Listening, Even When They Roll Their Eyes

Mar 9, 2023

We Have To Keep Talking

What Parents Need to Know About Screen Use in Schools

Feb 23, 2023

TL;DR: It’s Complicated

5th grade group chat history that Emily Cherkin was privy to

5 Things I Learned From 5 Days in a 5th Grade Group Chat

Feb 8, 2023

And Why I Remain Convinced 11-Year-Olds Should Not Have Smartphones

robot with friendly look on face at laptop

ChatGPT: What's Scary vs Dangerous

Jan 26, 2023

Skills Before Screens

Which Parental Controls Do I Recommend? None.

Nov 2, 2022

Which Parental Controls Do I Recommend? None. Here Are 10 Reasons Why.

Image of little boy through glass car window

A Tech-Intentional Parenting Manifesto

Sep 15, 2022

Why We Do This For Our Children

crashing and breaking wave kicking up foam in the ocean

An Open Letter to Big Tech From an Outraged Parent

Apr 29, 2022

To the Zuckerbergs and Mosseris of the World

I’m 43. I Made A Fake Snapchat Account Pretending To Be 15. Within Seconds, The Algorithm Delivered P*rn

Oct 26, 2021

No Child Should Be Fed The Content I Saw

Orange sunset through a bathroom window, Summer 2021. (Photo by Author)

Smoke and Tears: From 9/11 to Climate Grief

Aug 13, 2021

A Personal Story

person typing on ipad with monitor in background

That Battle You’re Having With Your Kid Over Screens? It’s Not a Fair Fight.

May 14, 2021

Here Are 3 Things Parents Can Do

overwhelmed child is upset. This is not sustainable 2020

This Is Not Sustainable. Parents, It Is Time To Act.

Sep 25, 2020

If Remote Learning is Breaking You, Here Are 8 Things to Do

Smokey Sun, Seattle, Sept. 12, 2020. Noon

We Can Do Hard Things

Sep 15, 2020

(Even When it Feels Like We’re Damned if We Do, and Damned if We Don’t)

Child scrolling on school-issued device Photo by StockSnap — 894430

When Your Kids See P*rn on Their School-Issued Device, Guess Who Is Responsible? Hint: It’s Not the School District.

Sep 1, 2020

Monitor Your Child’s Remote Learning Device for P*rn and Violent Content. Because The School District Won’t.

How to Minimize the Misery

Aug 13, 2020

Five Ways to Help Your Kids Survive Remote Learning

My Son Loves His Math Teacher

Jun 20, 2020

(Or Why Remote Learning Alone Won’t Save Education)

All

About Emily

Advice for Parents

Advocacy

Childhood Development

Data Privacy

EdTech

Personal Devices

Psychology & Tech

Social Media

Top Posts

Ok, You Got Your Kid a Smartphone or iPad...

EdTech is a Problem. Parents Can Say No.

5 Reasons Parental Controls Will Fail You

What Does it Mean to Be Tech-Intentional™?

Jan 15, 2025

Hint: Tech-Intentionality is Not Anti-Tech

Why We Should Let the Kids Drive the School Bus [SATIRE]

Jan 9, 2025

New Program Alert: “Keys for Kids”

Ok, You Got Your Kid a Smartphone or iPad...

Dec 12, 2024

Now What?

iPads Don’t Belong in School

Dec 5, 2024

6 Fallacies About EdTech and 6 Suggestions for a Tech-Intentional School Framework

Please Stop Saying Screens Help Children Regulate. They Do Not.

Nov 26, 2024

We Are Causing More Harm by Saying They Do

EdTech is Not Tech Ed

Nov 21, 2024

What So Many Get So Wrong About Technology in School and the 3 Questions We Should Be Asking

Why Opting Out of EdTech Matters Now More Than Ever

Nov 11, 2024

A Fight for Democracy

A.I. in the Classroom

Nov 6, 2024

5 Things To Consider

Should Phones Be Allowed in Schools?

Oct 30, 2024

3 Common Arguments Debunked

Let’s Talk About Cyberbullying

Oct 25, 2024

What Parents Need to Know, How it’s Different from Bullying, and What We Can Do to Help Our Kids

Rejecting the New Costs of a Free Education

Oct 17, 2024

Guest Blog Post by Julie Liddell

Becoming a Tech-Intentional Family

Oct 10, 2024

What to Expect from a School Presentation

EdTech is a Problem. Parents Can Say No.

Oct 2, 2024

Tech in School is Out of Sync With Development

4 Questions to Ask Your School About EdTech

Sep 25, 2024

It's Time to Push Back

Why EdTech Surveillance is Bad for Kids

Sep 18, 2024

It's Not Just Screentime that Hurts Kids

The Un-Sexy (But Important) Side of Data Privacy

Sep 12, 2024

4 Risks Parents Should Know About EdTech and Your Child’s Data

Guest Blog: SDKs & Why They Matter

Aug 29, 2024

The Wildcard Contractors in EdTech Construction by Lisa LeVasseur

Guest Blog: Our First Fish Opt Out Digital Journey

Aug 23, 2024

A Short Story by Patti

Being a First Fish: Opting Out of EdTech

Aug 16, 2024

Why It’s Hard and Why I’m Doing it Anyway

What’s the Problem With EdTech?

Jul 30, 2024

Doesn't it Help?

Think Your Child has a Screentime Problem? Start Here

Jul 24, 2024

There's a Reason This is so Hard

There's No Such Thing As a Safe Smartphone For Kids

Jul 10, 2024

What a “phone-free” childhood should really look like

The Madness of EdTech

Jun 26, 2024

All or Nothing Options

How Do We Implement "Phone Away for the Day" Schools?

Jun 19, 2024

If We Don't Trust Teenagers With Phones, Should We Trust Them With Phone Pouches?

You’re Not Alone

Jun 13, 2024

What We're Fighting For

Social Media and the Weaponization of Middle School Drama

Jun 4, 2024

Or, Why it’s One Thing to Say “No” to Social Media Before 16 and an ENTIRELY Different Reality to Enforce It

3 Trends From Parent Surveys About Technology and Parenting

May 24, 2024

You're Not Alone

What’s Getting Lost in the AI Shuffle

May 14, 2024

The Case for Teachers. Real Ones.

It’s Time to Address the Cause, Not the Symptom: School-Issued Devices

May 6, 2024

Parents, Let’s Do This!

Phone-Free Schools Are Half the Solution

Apr 30, 2024

Away for the Day is the Next Right Thing. But It’s Not the Full Solution.

How an Idaho School District Adopted a Phone-Free Policy

Apr 23, 2024

Creating Phone-Free Schools Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated. But it Needs to Be Done.

How I Became The Screentime Consultant

Apr 17, 2024

The “Aha” Moment in 2014 That Started It All

My Testimony to the Vermont House in Support of S.289

Apr 10, 2024

Advocacy in Action

Birds, Bees & Phones

Apr 3, 2024

Children Will See P*rn

“Child-Friendly” Devices Aren’t Better Than Smartphones

Mar 26, 2024

A Better Question: Why Are We Giving Our Child the Device in the First Place?

Cultivating Resilience

Mar 12, 2024

Why Letting Our Kids Struggle is a Good Thing

The Problem With AI in Education Isn’t What You Think

Mar 4, 2024

What's Scary vs What's Dangerous

The Impacts of Screen-Based Technology

Feb 28, 2024

Why I Am Tech-Intentional™ Not Anti-Tech

4 Ways Tech-Based Play Is Different From Traditional Play

Feb 20, 2024

Skills Before Screens

How Family Values Relate to Screentime

Feb 14, 2024

& How That Relates to Getting Locked Out of My Google Business Account

Scary Versus Dangerous: Worry About the Right Stuff

Feb 6, 2024

Addressing Parental Anxiety First

The Money is Just Too Good. Even When Kids are Dying

Jan 31, 2024

Big Tech and Congress Must Do More

Which Skills Should We Emphasize for Healthy Development?

Jan 31, 2024

The Three Things We Need to Focus On

The Evolution of Persuasive Design

Jan 23, 2024

Why It Is Hard to Put Down the Screens

Proven Strategies for Navigating Post-Screen Meltdowns

Jan 16, 2024

It's Not a Fair Fight

3 More Habits of the Tech-Intentional™ Family

Jan 1, 2024

One Size Does Not Fit All

3 Habits of the Tech-Intentional™ Family

Dec 25, 2023

Find What Works for Your Family

Living Our Lives Out Loud

Dec 18, 2023

The Single Easiest Parent Strategy

When “I’m Bored” Means “I Want Screentime”

Dec 11, 2023

Reading Between the Phrases

When Fighting Over Foursquare Isn’t a Bad Thing

Dec 5, 2023

Navigating Conflict is Part of Healthy Development

We’ve Got It Backwards. Skills Matter.

Nov 27, 2023

Why Skills Need to Come Before Screens

The Parenting Quadrant

Nov 21, 2023

Why Authoritative Parenting is Tech-Intentional™ Parenting

5 Reasons Parental Controls Will Fail You

Nov 14, 2023

The Most Common Question I Receive is: “What Parental Controls Do You Recommend?”

Tech’s Secret Weapon: Persuasive Design

Nov 7, 2023

It Turns Out That We’re Not Bad Parents.

A Child Who Thinks They Can’t Is Eventually Right

Oct 24, 2023

Would You Let Your 10-year-old Walk Alone to a Friend’s House…Without a Phone?

When The News is Scary and the Images Graphic

Oct 10, 2023

Talking to Our Kids About the Bad Stuff Online

Safe? Or Surveilled? Striking the Right Balance as Parents in the Digital Age

Oct 5, 2023

Worrying About the Right Things

Middle Schoolers Don’t Need Smartphones; They Need a Childhood

Sep 29, 2023

Real Life Experiences Build Resilience

Kids are Using A LOT of Tech at School. Here’s What Parents Need to Know.

Sep 23, 2023

EdTech is Just Big Tech in a Sweater Vest

What a Pediatric OT says About Screentime

Sep 15, 2023

Screens Impact Child Development

An Open Letter to Parents About Parental Controls

Sep 8, 2023

TL;DR They Aren't the Solution

Social Media and Me: If It's Hard for Grown-ups, It's Worse for Kids

Sep 1, 2023

Mostly, I Hate It

“Social Media is Bad for Kids,” According to a Kid

Aug 25, 2023

What My Tween Wrote in Her Essay

Save a Tween, Share a Phone

Aug 18, 2023

An Unusual Parenting Strategy

Holding Tight and Letting Go: Parenting a Teen

Aug 3, 2023

The Bittersweetness of Raising a Child

The Number One Question I Get Asked and How I Respond

Jul 26, 2023

The Question I Get Asked the Most is, “What Parental Controls Do I Need?” To the Surprise of Many Parents, My Short Answer is: None.

My Teen Is In Europe and All I Get are One-Word Texts. Here's Why That's Ok.

Jun 23, 2023

Growing Up and Letting Go

3 Questions to Consider About When to Give Your Kid a Phone

Jun 19, 2023

(Or For Whom the Phone Pulls)

Why I Give My Tween Permission to Be Mad at Me

Jun 9, 2023

Tweens Are Complicated

“My Kid Doesn’t Use Social Media.” Yes, They Do. If Your Kid Uses YouTube or Roblox, They’re Using Social Media.

Jun 5, 2023

We Have to Stop Thinking that Social Media is Just TikTok and Snapchat and Facebook and Instagram

On the Minds of Middle Schoolers

May 19, 2023

It's Not As Simple As We Think

Think Your Kid Won’t Get P*rn in their DMs?

Mar 14, 2023

Think Again. I Got Catfished on Instagram, and I’m a 45-year-old Expert on Screentime

Our Kids Are Listening, Even When They Roll Their Eyes

Mar 9, 2023

We Have To Keep Talking

What Parents Need to Know About Screen Use in Schools

Feb 23, 2023

TL;DR: It’s Complicated

5 Things I Learned From 5 Days in a 5th Grade Group Chat

Feb 8, 2023

And Why I Remain Convinced 11-Year-Olds Should Not Have Smartphones

ChatGPT: What's Scary vs Dangerous

Jan 26, 2023

Skills Before Screens

Which Parental Controls Do I Recommend? None.

Nov 2, 2022

Which Parental Controls Do I Recommend? None. Here Are 10 Reasons Why.

A Tech-Intentional Parenting Manifesto

Sep 15, 2022

Why We Do This For Our Children

An Open Letter to Big Tech From an Outraged Parent

Apr 29, 2022

To the Zuckerbergs and Mosseris of the World

I’m 43. I Made A Fake Snapchat Account Pretending To Be 15. Within Seconds, The Algorithm Delivered P*rn

Oct 26, 2021

No Child Should Be Fed The Content I Saw

Smoke and Tears: From 9/11 to Climate Grief

Aug 13, 2021

A Personal Story

That Battle You’re Having With Your Kid Over Screens? It’s Not a Fair Fight.

May 14, 2021

Here Are 3 Things Parents Can Do

This Is Not Sustainable. Parents, It Is Time To Act.

Sep 25, 2020

If Remote Learning is Breaking You, Here Are 8 Things to Do

We Can Do Hard Things

Sep 15, 2020

(Even When it Feels Like We’re Damned if We Do, and Damned if We Don’t)

When Your Kids See P*rn on Their School-Issued Device, Guess Who Is Responsible? Hint: It’s Not the School District.

Sep 1, 2020

Monitor Your Child’s Remote Learning Device for P*rn and Violent Content. Because The School District Won’t.

How to Minimize the Misery

Aug 13, 2020

Five Ways to Help Your Kids Survive Remote Learning

My Son Loves His Math Teacher

Jun 20, 2020

(Or Why Remote Learning Alone Won’t Save Education)

All

About Emily

Advice for Parents

Advocacy

Childhood Development

Data privacy

EdTech

Personal Devices

Psychology & Tech

Social Media

What Does it Mean to Be Tech-Intentional™?

Jan 15, 2025

Hint: Tech-Intentionality is Not Anti-Tech

Why We Should Let the Kids Drive the School Bus [SATIRE]

Jan 9, 2025

New Program Alert: “Keys for Kids”

Ok, You Got Your Kid a Smartphone or iPad...

Dec 12, 2024

Now What?

iPads Don’t Belong in School

Dec 5, 2024

6 Fallacies About EdTech and 6 Suggestions for a Tech-Intentional School Framework

Please Stop Saying Screens Help Children Regulate. They Do Not.

Nov 26, 2024

We Are Causing More Harm by Saying They Do

EdTech is Not Tech Ed

Nov 21, 2024

What So Many Get So Wrong About Technology in School and the 3 Questions We Should Be Asking

Why Opting Out of EdTech Matters Now More Than Ever

Nov 11, 2024

A Fight for Democracy

A.I. in the Classroom

Nov 6, 2024

5 Things To Consider

Should Phones Be Allowed in Schools?

Oct 30, 2024

3 Common Arguments Debunked

Let’s Talk About Cyberbullying

Oct 25, 2024

What Parents Need to Know, How it’s Different from Bullying, and What We Can Do to Help Our Kids

Rejecting the New Costs of a Free Education

Oct 17, 2024

Guest Blog Post by Julie Liddell

Becoming a Tech-Intentional Family

Oct 10, 2024

What to Expect from a School Presentation

EdTech is a Problem. Parents Can Say No.

Oct 2, 2024

Tech in School is Out of Sync With Development

4 Questions to Ask Your School About EdTech

Sep 25, 2024

It's Time to Push Back

Why EdTech Surveillance is Bad for Kids

Sep 18, 2024

It's Not Just Screentime that Hurts Kids

The Un-Sexy (But Important) Side of Data Privacy

Sep 12, 2024

4 Risks Parents Should Know About EdTech and Your Child’s Data

Guest Blog: SDKs & Why They Matter

Aug 29, 2024

The Wildcard Contractors in EdTech Construction by Lisa LeVasseur

Guest Blog: Our First Fish Opt Out Digital Journey

Aug 23, 2024

A Short Story by Patti

Being a First Fish: Opting Out of EdTech

Aug 16, 2024

Why It’s Hard and Why I’m Doing it Anyway

What’s the Problem With EdTech?

Jul 30, 2024

Doesn't it Help?

Think Your Child has a Screentime Problem? Start Here

Jul 24, 2024

There's a Reason This is so Hard

There's No Such Thing As a Safe Smartphone For Kids

Jul 10, 2024

What a “phone-free” childhood should really look like

The Madness of EdTech

Jun 26, 2024

All or Nothing Options

How Do We Implement "Phone Away for the Day" Schools?

Jun 19, 2024

If We Don't Trust Teenagers With Phones, Should We Trust Them With Phone Pouches?

You’re Not Alone

Jun 13, 2024

What We're Fighting For

Social Media and the Weaponization of Middle School Drama

Jun 4, 2024

Or, Why it’s One Thing to Say “No” to Social Media Before 16 and an ENTIRELY Different Reality to Enforce It

3 Trends From Parent Surveys About Technology and Parenting

May 24, 2024

You're Not Alone

What’s Getting Lost in the AI Shuffle

May 14, 2024

The Case for Teachers. Real Ones.

It’s Time to Address the Cause, Not the Symptom: School-Issued Devices

May 6, 2024

Parents, Let’s Do This!

Phone-Free Schools Are Half the Solution

Apr 30, 2024

Away for the Day is the Next Right Thing. But It’s Not the Full Solution.

How an Idaho School District Adopted a Phone-Free Policy

Apr 23, 2024

Creating Phone-Free Schools Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated. But it Needs to Be Done.

How I Became The Screentime Consultant

Apr 17, 2024

The “Aha” Moment in 2014 That Started It All

My Testimony to the Vermont House in Support of S.289

Apr 10, 2024

Advocacy in Action

Birds, Bees & Phones

Apr 3, 2024

Children Will See P*rn

“Child-Friendly” Devices Aren’t Better Than Smartphones

Mar 26, 2024

A Better Question: Why Are We Giving Our Child the Device in the First Place?

Cultivating Resilience

Mar 12, 2024

Why Letting Our Kids Struggle is a Good Thing

The Problem With AI in Education Isn’t What You Think

Mar 4, 2024

What's Scary vs What's Dangerous

The Impacts of Screen-Based Technology

Feb 28, 2024

Why I Am Tech-Intentional™ Not Anti-Tech

4 Ways Tech-Based Play Is Different From Traditional Play

Feb 20, 2024

Skills Before Screens

How Family Values Relate to Screentime

Feb 14, 2024

& How That Relates to Getting Locked Out of My Google Business Account

Scary Versus Dangerous: Worry About the Right Stuff

Feb 6, 2024

Addressing Parental Anxiety First

The Money is Just Too Good. Even When Kids are Dying

Jan 31, 2024

Big Tech and Congress Must Do More

Which Skills Should We Emphasize for Healthy Development?

Jan 31, 2024

The Three Things We Need to Focus On

The Evolution of Persuasive Design

Jan 23, 2024

Why It Is Hard to Put Down the Screens

Proven Strategies for Navigating Post-Screen Meltdowns

Jan 16, 2024

It's Not a Fair Fight

3 More Habits of the Tech-Intentional™ Family

Jan 1, 2024

One Size Does Not Fit All

3 Habits of the Tech-Intentional™ Family

Dec 25, 2023

Find What Works for Your Family

Living Our Lives Out Loud

Dec 18, 2023

The Single Easiest Parent Strategy

When “I’m Bored” Means “I Want Screentime”

Dec 11, 2023

Reading Between the Phrases

When Fighting Over Foursquare Isn’t a Bad Thing

Dec 5, 2023

Navigating Conflict is Part of Healthy Development

We’ve Got It Backwards. Skills Matter.

Nov 27, 2023

Why Skills Need to Come Before Screens

The Parenting Quadrant

Nov 21, 2023

Why Authoritative Parenting is Tech-Intentional™ Parenting

5 Reasons Parental Controls Will Fail You

Nov 14, 2023

The Most Common Question I Receive is: “What Parental Controls Do You Recommend?”

Tech’s Secret Weapon: Persuasive Design

Nov 7, 2023

It Turns Out That We’re Not Bad Parents.

A Child Who Thinks They Can’t Is Eventually Right

Oct 24, 2023

Would You Let Your 10-year-old Walk Alone to a Friend’s House…Without a Phone?

When The News is Scary and the Images Graphic

Oct 10, 2023

Talking to Our Kids About the Bad Stuff Online

Safe? Or Surveilled? Striking the Right Balance as Parents in the Digital Age

Oct 5, 2023

Worrying About the Right Things

Middle Schoolers Don’t Need Smartphones; They Need a Childhood

Sep 29, 2023

Real Life Experiences Build Resilience

Kids are Using A LOT of Tech at School. Here’s What Parents Need to Know.

Sep 23, 2023

EdTech is Just Big Tech in a Sweater Vest

What a Pediatric OT says About Screentime

Sep 15, 2023

Screens Impact Child Development

An Open Letter to Parents About Parental Controls

Sep 8, 2023

TL;DR They Aren't the Solution

Social Media and Me: If It's Hard for Grown-ups, It's Worse for Kids

Sep 1, 2023

Mostly, I Hate It

“Social Media is Bad for Kids,” According to a Kid

Aug 25, 2023

What My Tween Wrote in Her Essay

Save a Tween, Share a Phone

Aug 18, 2023

An Unusual Parenting Strategy

Holding Tight and Letting Go: Parenting a Teen

Aug 3, 2023

The Bittersweetness of Raising a Child

The Number One Question I Get Asked and How I Respond

Jul 26, 2023

The Question I Get Asked the Most is, “What Parental Controls Do I Need?” To the Surprise of Many Parents, My Short Answer is: None.

My Teen Is In Europe and All I Get are One-Word Texts. Here's Why That's Ok.

Jun 23, 2023

Growing Up and Letting Go

3 Questions to Consider About When to Give Your Kid a Phone

Jun 19, 2023

(Or For Whom the Phone Pulls)

Why I Give My Tween Permission to Be Mad at Me

Jun 9, 2023

Tweens Are Complicated

“My Kid Doesn’t Use Social Media.” Yes, They Do. If Your Kid Uses YouTube or Roblox, They’re Using Social Media.

Jun 5, 2023

We Have to Stop Thinking that Social Media is Just TikTok and Snapchat and Facebook and Instagram

On the Minds of Middle Schoolers

May 19, 2023

It's Not As Simple As We Think

Think Your Kid Won’t Get P*rn in their DMs?

Mar 14, 2023

Think Again. I Got Catfished on Instagram, and I’m a 45-year-old Expert on Screentime

Our Kids Are Listening, Even When They Roll Their Eyes

Mar 9, 2023

We Have To Keep Talking

What Parents Need to Know About Screen Use in Schools

Feb 23, 2023

TL;DR: It’s Complicated

5 Things I Learned From 5 Days in a 5th Grade Group Chat

Feb 8, 2023

And Why I Remain Convinced 11-Year-Olds Should Not Have Smartphones

ChatGPT: What's Scary vs Dangerous

Jan 26, 2023

Skills Before Screens

Which Parental Controls Do I Recommend? None.

Nov 2, 2022

Which Parental Controls Do I Recommend? None. Here Are 10 Reasons Why.

A Tech-Intentional Parenting Manifesto

Sep 15, 2022

Why We Do This For Our Children

An Open Letter to Big Tech From an Outraged Parent

Apr 29, 2022

To the Zuckerbergs and Mosseris of the World

I’m 43. I Made A Fake Snapchat Account Pretending To Be 15. Within Seconds, The Algorithm Delivered P*rn

Oct 26, 2021

No Child Should Be Fed The Content I Saw

Smoke and Tears: From 9/11 to Climate Grief

Aug 13, 2021

A Personal Story

That Battle You’re Having With Your Kid Over Screens? It’s Not a Fair Fight.

May 14, 2021

Here Are 3 Things Parents Can Do

This Is Not Sustainable. Parents, It Is Time To Act.

Sep 25, 2020

If Remote Learning is Breaking You, Here Are 8 Things to Do

We Can Do Hard Things

Sep 15, 2020

(Even When it Feels Like We’re Damned if We Do, and Damned if We Don’t)

When Your Kids See P*rn on Their School-Issued Device, Guess Who Is Responsible? Hint: It’s Not the School District.

Sep 1, 2020

Monitor Your Child’s Remote Learning Device for P*rn and Violent Content. Because The School District Won’t.

How to Minimize the Misery

Aug 13, 2020

Five Ways to Help Your Kids Survive Remote Learning

My Son Loves His Math Teacher

Jun 20, 2020

(Or Why Remote Learning Alone Won’t Save Education)

The Screentime Consultant
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The Screentime Consultant
Newsletter

YES! I would love to receive Emily's weekly Tech-Intentional™ newsletter about parenting in the digital age!

The Screentime Consultant
Newsletter

YES! I would love to receive Emily's weekly Tech-Intentional™ newsletter about parenting in the digital age!