Currently Browsing: Kristi Bush 14 articles
Is Your Child Talking to a Stranger Online (Part One)
We all remember when our parents warned us “not to talk to strangers.” For those of us north of 35, that mostly meant we were not to talk to someone in person we did not know. Or do not talk to someone who approaches you that your parents do not know. Today this takes on […]
How the Social Media “Popularity Contest” Affects Our Kids
I don’t know about you, but middle school was hard. I’m talking “you couldn’t pay me enough money to do it again” hard. These are the years when young people start to really find their group. They begin to discover where they fit in if you will. And in my day (old person story here), […]
Words Matter… Even Online!
Words matter. They are the cornerstone of our everyday lives. What we say and how we say it has so much impact on our lives and the lives of others. Words are an inexhaustible resource. They have started and stopped wars. They influence how we think and what we believe. No matter the language, words […]
The Mental Health Consequences of Device Removal
We talk about the mental health concerns of too much device use quite often, as so much research has been done in this area. A quick Google search can lead you down a rabbit hole of overwhelming information that points to the dangers of too much device time. However, I want to take a look […]
School Shootings and Our Children
How to Help Them Recognize the Online Signs
My job each month is to bring you, the parent, information that will better protect your children in the online space. These conversations are not always easy to have, but in order to keep our kids safe, we must have them. Today’s conversation is one of the hardest; it is about school shootings. I have […]
Tweens, Teens and Screens:
Their “Online” Life IS Their “Offline” Life
Summer is here! This means long, hot days spent hanging with family and friends, vacations with loved ones, and for many who are getting ready to go off to college or graduate next year…it means a summer full of making ALL the memories! Often times this means your teens are documenting everything they are doing. […]
Tweens, Teens and Screens:
The Hidden Dangers of the “Perfect Picture”
We have all done it… used the latest filters to “perfect” or fix our photos. It seems innocent enough. A quick swipe and our faces are flawlessly “fixed”, and for many of us, the filters also remove a few years in the process. The reality is that our young children, and teens, are watching. Additionally, […]
Tweens, Teens and Screens:
The Internet is Not All Bad
Wait for it… The internet is not all bad. Yes, even for your teens. I know you are thinking, wait a minute, you have told us ALL of the bad things. All of the disturbing things our kids have access to. How it can effect the rest of their lives. How it can shift their […]
Tweens, Teens and Screens:
What Your Kids Are Missing If They Don’t Have Social Media
“Will my kids miss out if I do not give them social media?” I get this question at almost every one of my conferences. As parents, it is heartbreaking to think of our children being left behind. The struggle of fitting in seems to start earlier and earlier. By the end of elementary school groups […]
Tweens, Teens and Screens:
What’s Your Favorite Memory?
We all have them! Favorite memories. Certain times in our lives that bring us joy when we remember. Moments that live rent free in our heads. They can lift us up when we are feeling down, or make good days even better. It is hard for me to pick one favorite memory. Mine are a […]