Category Archives: Screens

YouTube, Misogyny, & Racism



.redcircle-link:link { color: #ea404d; text-decoration: none; } .redcircle-link:hover { color: #ea404d; } .redcircle-link:active { color: #ea404d; } .redcircle-link:visited { color: #ea404d; } Powered by RedCircle YouTube isn’t all entertainment and education. Misogyny, racism, and porn lurk there too. It can be really difficult to keep up with what our boys are watching online, though. Creators … Continue reading YouTube, Misogyny, & Racism


Devorah Heitner on Growing Up in Public



.redcircle-link:link { color: #ea404d; text-decoration: none; } .redcircle-link:hover { color: #ea404d; } .redcircle-link:active { color: #ea404d; } .redcircle-link:visited { color: #ea404d; } Powered by RedCircle Our boys are growing up in public. Between social media, online monitoring, and geo-tracking, our kids’ lives are public in a way ours never were when we were young. Helping … Continue reading Devorah Heitner on Growing Up in Public


Why Are Video Games So Important to Boys?



Why are video games so important to boys? That’s the question a listener sent in response to our recent call for questions. The listener who asked that question just happens to be Jen’s brother — and another one of their brothers happens to be a video game designer, so we got them all together to … Continue reading Why Are Video Games So Important to Boys?


ON BOYS Most Popular Episode of 2021



ON BOYS listeners really want to know how to keep boys safe online. Which makes sense, given that the internet is a portal to all kinds of free and easily accessible porn — as well as conspiracy theories, disinformation, and peer pressure. In January 2021, we asked our friend Amy Lang to help us address … Continue reading ON BOYS Most Popular Episode of 2021


Social Media Safety



Social media has been a lifeline during the pandemic. It can also destroy lives. In 2016, Ed Peisner’s then-16-year-old son was viciously attacked in a social-media motivated assault — which was filmed and uploaded to social media before his father even arrived on the scene. “It was just a typical Friday,” Peisner says. “He was walking … Continue reading Social Media Safety


Managing Screen Time During the Pandemic



How are you managing screen time during the pandemic?  According to at least one survey, kids’ time online has more than doubled since the pandemic began, and many kids now spend more than 6 hours per day online, in front of screens. And no wonder — screens are now our portal to school, work, socialization … Continue reading Managing Screen Time During the Pandemic


Which Apps are APPropriate? (w Jo Langford)



How much do you know about the apps KIK, WeChat and My LOL? If you’re like most parents, the answer is “not much” (if anything!). You know that cell phones and social media are an important part of tween and teen culture — in fact, digital communication is the primary source of social connection for … Continue reading Which Apps are APPropriate? (w Jo Langford)


Raising Kids to Thrive in a Connected World with Jordan Shapiro



Janet & Jen had very different reactions to The New Childhood: Raising Children to Thrive in a Connected World, by author and educator Jordan Shapiro. Jen loved it. Janet has some, uh, questions. And concerns. So, we decided to talk to the author. Jordan was happy to talk with us. He’s an assistant professor at … Continue reading Raising Kids to Thrive in a Connected World with Jordan Shapiro


137: iGen



  Baby Boomers. Gen X. Millennials. And now, iGen. According to psychology professor Jean Twenge, the members of iGen include the children and young adults born between 1995 and 2012. And what sets these kids apart from previous generations, she says, is their near-constant connection to the Internet. Theirs is a generation shaped by the … Continue reading 137: iGen


108: Video games and Boys (with special guest Greg Wondra)



Why do boys spend so many hours playing videogames?  And how worried should we be about the hours they spend gaming? To get some answers, we turned to a true expert: Greg Wondra, a former boy & current parent who also happens to be video game designer who worked on the MLB 2K series, Wizard 101, Lost … Continue reading 108: Video games and Boys (with special guest Greg Wondra)