A parents guide to Apple’s affordable new iPhone SE 2022: Why it could be perfect for kids

by Liz Gumbinner | Tips and Tricks, Gear + Hardware, Internet Safety, Kids

We’ve officially hit the point of full Apple product saturation in our household — and as so many parents in our Out Tech Your Kids community tell us, they have too. So what do you do when you’re all basically on Apple devices, your kid needs a new...

How to make strong passwords and protect them: A simple guide

by Liz Gumbinner | Tips and Tricks, Internet Safety

With the new year here, it’s a good time for a refresher on how to make strong passwords and help keep them safe. With phishing still on the rise, ever-present social media hacks, and general security breaches and unsavory shenanigans, it’s just a good...

How can I prevent a Facebook hack? Reader Q&A

by Liz Gumbinner | Tips and Tricks, Best Apps, Internet Safety

This week in our Out Tech Your Kids Facebook group, we were asked how to prevent a Facebook hack, and specifically, if were any security measures to take that might help.  And yes, yes there are! Here, a few really simple tips to help prevent a Facebook hack. They can...

How to report spam texts and phishing. Because sorry, Amazon is not giving you $130 in “freebies” out of blue.

by Liz Gumbinner | Tips and Tricks, Internet Safety

Have you noticed lately there’s been a huge uptick in text spam? So of course, I want to report it to…someone. Anyone! Turns out it’s so much easier than I had expected. Now when I say text spam, I don’t mean political candidates you’ve...

5 important digital parenting questions parents should ask themselves (and know the answers to)

by Cool Mom Team | Tips and Tricks

We’ve always said that raising digital natives, especially since we’re not digital natives ourselves, means understanding the role of technology in our family. But when it comes to knowing what questions to ask (and answer), well, that can be the...

What parents need to know about YouTube’s new parental controls for tweens and teens

by Kate Etue | Tips and Tricks

Parents of tweens and teens, we’ve got good news! YouTube is launching new parental controls specifically for kids in this age group. What a relief to those of us who see the value in letting them watch some of the content on YouTube…but who are exhausted...

A parent’s guide to Among Us: What you need to know before you let your kids play the “it” game of quarantine

by Christina Refford | Games + Gaming

While there has been a lot of gaming going on in our house since the start of the pandemic, no game has quite gripped my family like Among Us. This easy and free-to-download game, which launched in 2018, has became HUGE during this pandemic as more and more people...

5 ways smart kids circumvent parental controls | Out-Tech Your Kids Ep 5

by Cool Mom Team | Out-Tech Your Kids podcast, Tips and Tricks

Kids are pretty darn smart, but we can be smarter, parents! On this week’s Out-Tech Your Kids podcast, we’re talking about the ways kids can circumvent parental controls so you can be prepared, thanks to the members of our Out-Tech Your Kids Facebook group...

5 benefits of kids and social media. Yes, benefits! | Out-Tech Your Kids Ep 4

by Liz Gumbinner | Out-Tech Your Kids podcast, Social Media, Tips and Tricks

We’ve always said that all screen time is not created equal! And on this week’s Out-Tech Your Kids podcast, we’re talking about the benefits of social media for kids. Social media tends to get a bad rap — let alone specific channels like TikTok...

Zoom alternatives for schools: 7 video conferencing options until Zoom fixes…some stuff

by Liz Gumbinner | Internet Safety, Best Apps, Kids

With the news last week that Zoom had some big security concerns to patch up, educators of all kinds started seeking out Zoom alternatives for schools and other kinds of remote learning. Especially after the NYC DOE took the big step of forbidding NYC public schools...