Fathers Eve -- the annual pre-Father’s Day celebration of the dad life -- will become Virtual Fathers Eve in 2020. The move to an online platform became necessary with the likelihood social distancing measures and limits on large gatherings will still be in place in many states due novel coronavirus concerns. "Even if everyone got the green light and all the governors and whatever opened up every place that could, I don't think people are quite ready to go back to big groups of people in close proximity," Fathers Eve founder and Twin Cities Dads Group co-organizer John Francis recently … [Read more...]
‘Screened Out’ Movie Asks: Can We Regain Control of Our Screen Time
While out walking the dog this morning, I witnessed a near-tragic accident as a biker and a truck almost collided. The truck was, of course, driving too fast and barreling down my street. The biker, a young girl around 13, was merging into the street, also cruising down the road, eager to reach her destination. It was one of those moments where, for some reason, you happen to look up seconds before something bad happens to witness something horrible. I looked up and saw this girl, riding one handed and glancing down at her other hand. In that other hand was her phone. The driver of the … [Read more...]
Location Tracking Your Teenager: Avoid These 4 Mistakes
We live in a world where everyone voluntarily carries a powerful tracking device with us everywhere we go -- a cell phone. Most of us wouldn’t dream of giving it up. We love that “getting lost” has become a thing of the past. We enjoy being able to tag our location in travel photos with a single tap. We’ve gotten used to the luxury of taking an Uber any time of the day or night. There’s no doubt location tracking has incredible benefits. But in the realm of parenting it can also create tension, resentment, depression, and some downright nasty arguments. Teenagers can feel controlled, spied … [Read more...]
Parent-by-Numbers: How to Develop Family Tech-Life Balance
A recent obituary hit me surprisingly hard: “Paint-by-Numbers Maestro Dan Robbins Dies at 93.” The mere mention of the paint-by-numbers inventor transported me back to my childhood dining room table where I would sit for hours engrossed in my latest "masterpiece.” You could say I was addicted to that low-tech pursuit. I thought of that addiction while reading Adam Alter’s recent book, Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked. Thirty years from now, whose obituary might send today’s kids back to a passion or hobby in our current homes? Some kind of … [Read more...]
Virtual School: ‘Almost School’ or Online Lesson for the Future
Based on my parenting experience, I immediately associate the word "virtual" with meaning "almost." That there's been a diminished effort, something watered down or, very simply, done half-assed. And, to date, my inclination to disregard anything my kids say is virtual has been proven right. Virtually every time. Everett, my 5-year-old “picked up virtually all the LEGOs.” Then, after tucking him in, my bare foot steps entirely on one of those little, yellow character heads. Yosef, my oldest, said he “did virtually all of my math.” Never mind his weekly progress reports littered with … [Read more...]
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