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...

If your kids are gamers, here are 8 tips for raising kids to have good gaming etiquette

by Kate Etue | Games + Gaming, Tips and Tricks

My teenage son and his friends are avid online gamers, so I recently broached the topic of good gaming etiquette for kids and teens with them. “What?” they asked, “You mean like when people tell you to go kill yourself when you mess up?” Ouch. I knew this kind of...

Alexa, surround me in the glory of Billie Eilish

by Liz Gumbinner | Holiday Tech Gifts, Entertainment, Life and Home

If you’ve ever said, “Alexa, play When the Party’s Over” then you’ll be thrilled that Amazon has just announced the launch of the Billie Eilish special edition Amazon Echo Studio and it’s pretty darn cool if you’re a...

There’s an official Among Us costume out for Halloween. Sus! Sus!

by Liz Gumbinner | Games + Gaming, Kids, Tech Toys

When your teen takes the time to text you the news about InnerSloth’s official Among Us costume for Halloween this year, you know that the party game that got millions of kids through the worst of the pandemic last year is only growing in power. Kind of like a...

What my teen daughter had to say about THAT article about Instagram and body image

by Liz Gumbinner | Social Media, Internet Safety, Kids

We’re all talking about “that” Wall Street Journal article about Instagram: Facebook Knows It’s Toxic for Teen Girls. You’re probably talking about it. Or your kids are. I know it’s all we’ve been seeing in our social feeds...

These smart tips and apps can help minimize distracted teen driving

by Kate Etue | Best Apps

We recently got a question in our Out Tech Your Kids group asking about apps that read texts out loud while you drive, which got me started thinking about some tips and apps to help minimize distracted driving for teens. As parents, we need to think bigger than just...

One brilliant tech tip for teens, before they start their college search.

by Liz Gumbinner | Kids, Tips and Tricks

This past week, we had a fantastic chat with college coach and essay consultant Betsy Cadel on the Spawned Parenting Podcast. She offered so many incredible tips on making the college search and application process easier and less stressful, but one tech tip really...

Reader Q and A: What is the best stylus for kids who are budding artists?

by Kate Etue | Tech Toys

In our Out Tech Your Kids Facebook group, a parent asked for recommendations on the best stylus for kids who are getting into digital art, and the recommendations from our readers were so helpful that we wanted to share them here. From the top-of-the-line tools to 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...

6 smart ways to use tech to help your teen get better sleep at night. They need it!

by Kate Etue | Fitness + Health

Has anyone else’s teens struggled with interrupted sleep since the pandemic? My kids’ slower social lives and reduction in extracurricular activities certainly plays a part, but turning to tech to connect with friends is making an impact too. The American...