Spotlight: iParenting

iPad Dad: Roadtrip usage scenario

If only I had this iPad car seat mount from ModulRCase.com! It's summer, therefore it's travel season! Where I'm located (Phoenix), gas is still under $3.00/gallon, so we packed up the car and headed for Los Angeles. Seven hours in the car meant only one thing: entertain the kids. We knew that the portable DVD player was going to be on for a good portion of the trip, but the question was what to do when one child was... Read more »

The iPad Dad: Day in the life of a 2-year-old

The iPad Dad: Day in the life of a 2-year-old We had no idea. Seriously. Three months ago, when we bought our iPad on Day Two of release, we had no idea that what it would become the most-used entertainment and education tool for our 2-year-old son, Dylan. A very precocious little man already, he clamped onto that thing like no other toy or book in his collection, which has led us to a reward system for whenever... Read more »

iParenting: Is sexviding the new tech threat to kids?

iParenting: Is sexviding the new tech threat to kids? In doing research on last week's piece on teens and smartphones, I came across a Yahoo post on "sexviding." Yes, you read that right. It looks as though some folks are already blaming the downfall of civilization as we know it on the iPhone 4. With the preponderance of SMS- and MMS-enabled phones, incidents of "sexting" (or sending racy texts or photos of... Read more »

iParenting: Teens + smartphones = a good idea?

iParenting: Teens + smartphones = a good idea? Last Thursday, a lot of new iPhone 4 users hit the scene. No doubt some of them were young adults, with parents in tow, to get on the iPhone train, refresh an older handset or replace a lost or broken device. But is that really the best thing? There's been a lot of buzz recently over teens and cell phone use spanning everything from morality to safety. Teens... Read more »

iParenting: 11 apps for special-needs kids

iParenting: 11 apps for special-needs kids As every parent (or uncle, cousin, or friend) knows, parenting is a tough and rewarding job. The challenge can be compounded when a child has special needs. Regardless of whether those needs are physical, emotional, developmental, or very often, a combination of any or all of these, they can makes an already tough job seem impossible at times, and the rewards seem... Read more »

iParenting: iPhone 4′s already got a place in my home

I see the similarities... I admit I have Utopian views where technology is concerned. I LOVE the classic Star Trek view of the universe — a place where all are equal and everybody has a replicator. Technology brings the people of its Federation together, unifying and equalizing all members. Likewise in today's real world, it doesn't care about your age, what you look like, or your... Read more »

iParenting with an iPhone 4

iParenting with an iPhone 4 So with Steve Job's WWDC Keynote announcing the iPhone 4, there is much to ponder and to be excited about. As I noodle through some of the iPhone 4 capabilities, I am wondering what that really means for our iParenting community. Let's take a look at some of the features: FaceTime: Nice! iPhone-savvy grandmas everywhere are misty-eyed at the thought of this one,... Read more »

iParenting Poll: Should kids play with iPhones?

iParenting Poll: Should kids play with iPhones? Last week I shared my horror story about my son losing my iPhone in a restaurant. Left on a table in our rush to leave, a few panicky moments ensued, followed by its safe return. Frankly, I am really lucky. Not just because I got my phone back, but also for the fact it doesn't happen more often. Handing iPhones to our kids during dinner out is a fairly standard... Read more »

Life without an iPhone? Too scary to think about…

Life without an iPhone? Too scary to think about… I had my first real iPhone scare a few weeks back. I know I am not the first person this has happened to, but it sure felt awfully lonely when it happened to me, as though I was the only one in the world who had ever misplaced their smartphone. Crazy thoughts ran through my head: How will I schedule all my daughter's Brownie meetings on the fly? How will I check the... Read more »

iParenting: Fly Bernard, Fly! (a good iPhone storybook)

iParenting: Fly Bernard, Fly! (a good iPhone storybook) As any parent knows, a good storybook is worth more than its weight in gold. It always surprises (and delights) the book lover in me that the most rowdy, out-of-control children can be brought together and calmed down when you hold up a book. And it's sweet that the first thing new readers often do is share a book with younger kids who can't yet. They love to share... Read more »