Posted 2 weeks ago
Responding to my recent columns on video games and smart phones, a reader asks what the problem is, thus proving that these devices can and do cause serious harm to one’s cognitive hardware. He,...
Read MorePosted on 8/9/2017
When I was a child, a popular comic strip was "There Oughta Be a Law." It ran in the paper that came to our doorstep every morning and was one of the first things I went to when it was my turn to...
Read MorePosted on 7/26/2017
Have you ever heard of an addict who was cured of his or her addiction because someone limited, but did not eliminate, their access to the substance or behavior in question? No, you have not. Is...
Read MorePosted on 2/7/2017
As regular readers of this column already know, I am completely, one hundred percent opposed to children, including teenagers still living at home, being in possession of smart phones. No parent...
Read MorePosted on 6/21/2016
Q: Our 12-year-old has a smart phone. I know you don’t approve, but all—and I do mean all—of his friends have them and texting is how they communicate. I don’t think, under the circumstances, that...
Read MorePosted on 2/10/2016
A 4-year-old boy informed his preschool teacher—a friend of mine—that he’d broken his iPad. “Oh!” my friend said. “What a shame. Did you drop it?” “No,” the boy said,...
Read MorePosted on 2/2/2016
Q: We would like to limit our 16-year-old son’s video game and cell phone time. We think homework should come first and then free time. He wants to relax with his video game and phone after...
Read MorePosted on 4/22/2014
The Wall Street Journal says there’s no difference between a child whose primary interest is reading and a child who uses social media obsessively. In WSJ’s March 22-23 “Mind and Matter” column,...
Read MorePosted on 4/8/2014
Q: Our 14-year-old son seems depressed-to us, at least. His principal sees no sign of depression but thinks he's socially anxious. The subjects of counseling and medication have come up. We have...
Read MorePosted on 1/28/2014
Q: Our 13-year-old son has had an iPod for the last 3 years. We've always made use of the parental restrictions to make sure that he could only access "clean" music, movies, and websites. When I...
Read MorePosted 2 weeks ago
Hello and Thank You for your help and guidance. We last asked a question in April. Here we are in September, back again and most appreciative. Our 7 year old was exposed to pornographic video on...
Read MorePosted 2 weeks ago
I have a soon to be 13 year old grandson I have been raising since he was an infant. He was diagnosed ADD in first grade but delayed medication until 4th grade. The medication has really helped....
Read MorePosted on 8/6/2017
I wrote a few months ago about my daughter who I caught drinking. It turns out that it wasn't a blip on the radar with her. Given her behavior of late (defensive, sneaky), I tracked her location...
Read MorePosted on 6/27/2017
I have a 19.5 year-old daughter in college and living at home. She is responsible about everything except her computer and cell phone use. She uses social media and texting more than is good for...
Read MorePosted on 6/22/2017
I have a 14 month old who loves to listen to music. During the day, he will use sign language to tell me he wants to listen to music and I will turn Pandora on the TV. There is no music video but...
Read MorePosted on 6/13/2017
With the deluge of technology in children's lives today, once the children reach their teens, including late teens, what would you consider to be fair usage rules in the home for both computers...
Read MorePosted on 5/17/2017
Hello! Our son is obsessed! Obsessed with one thing at a time to the point of not completing school work to do it. Right now it's Pokemon. He has a screen time limit - one 30 min show after...
Read MorePosted on 5/10/2017
Please help me navigate the internet access issue for highschoolers. You say for them to do their homework in their own rooms (so they know they are responsible) but don't have TVs and internet...
Read MorePosted on 4/13/2017
My youngest son is 9 years old. He has an older brother who is 11 years old. My 9 year has always had a temper/anger problem when things don't go his way. He reacts by having a tantrum. He has...
Read MorePosted on 3/31/2017
Our fairly happy 6 year (almost) 7 year old has said a few disturbing things recently. About a week ago out of the blue he told me that he has thoughts of hurting/killing someone with a knife. ...
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