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Common Sense Media

Preschoolers Can Learn Great Things From TV

Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE, FAAP | Posted 04.20.2013 | Parents
Wendy Sue Swanson, MD, MBE, FAAP

When my first son was born six years ago, we had one television and one computer. Today, we have a smartphone, an iPad, a computer and a television. The screen choices continue to grow, and some of the stuff out there designed to delight our children is awesome. But not all of it.

Safer Internet Day 2013 -- It's Not Espionage to Know How Your Children Are Accessing the Internet

Christopher Burgess | Posted 04.08.2013 | Parents
Christopher Burgess

Yesterday was Safer Internet Day 2013, and I find myself asking folks again and again, "Do you know how your children are accessing the Internet?"

Maine's Decade-Old School Laptop Program Wins Qualified Praise

| Ricki Morell | Posted 11.02.2012 | Home

This piece comes to us courtesy of The Hechinger Report and the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting. FREEPORT, Maine — At Freeport Middle ...

Lifetime Network's Trick or Treat: Abby Lee Miller's Dance Teacher Disguise

Risa Gary Kaplowitz | Posted 12.26.2012 | TV
Risa Gary Kaplowitz

I can only hope that Abby Lee Miller's oft said phrase, "Everyone's replaceable," applies quickly to her. Viewers have been tricked for too long into believing that watching kids getting eaten alive is a treat.

PHOTOS: Pau Gasol Taps Into His Inner Child

The Huffington Post | Anna Almendrala | Posted 10.02.2012 | Los Angeles

Lakers star Pau Gasol tapped into his inner child at Common Sense Media's GameOn! "fun(d)raiser" Sunday afternoon. The seven-foot tall power forw...

6 Steps To Stress-Free Playdates

Common Sense Media | Posted 09.17.2012 | Parents
Common Sense Media

I don't have a problem with a movie or video game here and there, but I've found that too much of either makes my kids a little nutty. And some of the movies they'd watched at my friend's house made me feel uncomfortable, too.

Best Sleepover Movies for Kids of All Ages

Common Sense Media | Posted 09.12.2012 | Parents
Common Sense Media

Whether you have tweens who are new to the sleepover scene or veteran teen overnighters, this list of 15 great sleepover movie picks is sure to get the night off to a great start.

How Teens View Their Digital Lives

Jim Steyer | Posted 11.16.2012 | Parents
Jim Steyer

When I think about the fact that today's teens are the first generation to go through their entire lives with social networking sites at their fingertips, I can't help but question the impact of it all.

Even Digital Natives Want A Break From The Web

The Huffington Post | Britney Fitzgerald | Posted 06.28.2012 | Technology

More than 90 percent of teenagers have used a form of social media, and yet even this tech-savvy generation feels the need to disconnect at times. ...

Common Sense Media Report Shines Positive Light on Kids and Social Media

Larry Magid | Posted 08.26.2012 | Technology
Larry Magid

The report stands in sharp contrast to some naysayers who worry that Facebook might cause social and emotional distress, depression or social isolation.

The Calm Parent's Guide To Gift-Giving

Common Sense Media | Posted 08.26.2012 | Parents
Common Sense Media

If you have strong feelings about what is and isn't appropriate, there are polite and reasonable ways of getting your wishes across.

Facebook's Moment to Lead

Jim Steyer | Posted 07.25.2012 | Parents
Jim Steyer

By the time my daughter is 18 she will have sent more than half a million texts. As a parent and a digital immigrant, I find this technology use daunting. Parents, we are conducting an experiment on our own kids in real time -- and we still have no idea what the effect will be.

Should YA Books Be Given Movie-Style Ratings?

Andrew Losowsky | Posted 07.22.2012 | Books
Andrew Losowsky

Should Young Adult books be given movie-style ratings? Yes, according to an academic study. The history of ratings in other media suggests otherwise

Is Your Ex Letting The Kids Watch Too Much TV? How To Deal

Common Sense Media | Posted 07.21.2012 | Divorce
Common Sense Media

"Is it that bad to let your kids watch Aliens?" My ex-husband posed this question to me -- and he was dead serious. Did I mention that our kids are 6 and 8?

Parents, Don't Let the MPAA 'Bully' You

Jim Steyer | Posted 05.30.2012 | Entertainment
Jim Steyer

There is no question that Bully is a difficult film to watch. The rub is that the MPAA's R-rating can act like a scarlet letter, basically preventing most parents from even considering this movie -- or any movie -- for younger teens.

10 Kid Movie Ratings The MPAA Got Wrong

| Posted 03.16.2012 | Parents

An R rating for the powerful new documentary "Bully" means that fewer teens will be able to see it. After watching the film, Common Sense Media (a non...

Closing the App Gap

Lesli Rotenberg | Posted 05.15.2012 | Parents
Lesli Rotenberg

Some will continue to debate whether apps are appropriate for kids at all -- regardless of income. But we've found that not only are touch screen apps intuitive and age-appropriate for young children, they also have powerful learning potential.

What Parents Need To Know About This Year's Oscar-Nominated Films

| Posted 02.22.2012 | Parents

The 2012 Oscar nominations are chock-full of family-friendly films. From the magic of Martin Scorsese's Hugo to the swashbuckling adventure of Puss in...

Do The Latest Holidays Films Misrepresent Women?

Soraya Chemaly | Posted 01.28.2012 | Women
Soraya Chemaly

Think about how many movies you see where the woman, beautiful and sexy, is the source of the leading man's vulnerability and then, ultimately, his reward.

Kik Me Baby One More Time

Jane Buckingham | Posted 01.17.2012 | Los Angeles
Jane Buckingham

I am a fan of technology for my children, and I love their iTouches and that they can FaceTime with grandparents in England, discover new music, do educational games, and yes, even entertain themselves sometimes. But KIKing. Kiking is killing me.

Kids Spend More TIme With Screens Than Books

Lisa Belkin | Posted 01.31.2012 | Parents
Lisa Belkin

Even infants spend twice as much time watching screens as they do being read to. What is your child's media diet? What are your worries?

Parents and Media Ratings: Context Isn't a New Concept

David Kleeman | Posted 08.21.2011 | Media
David Kleeman

In the July issue of "Pediatrics," a research team headed by Iowa State's Douglas Gentile found that parents are not satisfied with age-based rating s...

Making Digital Citizenship a Reality in Los Angeles

Jim Steyer | Posted 07.30.2011 | Los Angeles
Jim Steyer

In a world where our kids now create as much media as they consume, it's essential that parents, educators, and policymakers do everything they can to ensure that our children will be responsible and literate digital citizens.

Survey: Parents Worry About Kids' Online Privacy: But are Worries Based on Facts?

Larry Magid | Posted 05.25.2011 | Technology
Larry Magid

The poll reflects parents' worries, but not necessarily their knowledge about the tools that do exist to protect their children's privacy online. Yes, there should be a national dialog on these issues, but it should be based on facts, not myths or misperceptions.

Trick or Treat or Terrify?

Jamie Lee Curtis | Posted 05.25.2011 | Media
Jamie Lee Curtis

Halloween is a breeding ground for a seemingly unending gruesome gore fest. Being a mother I've had to make the hard choices of what scary images my young children digested.