Cell Phone Criteria

By Sharon Cindrich

My daughter had a cell phone when she was 10 – mostly because I was researching a book on technology and was interested in getting some first-hand family view on the pros and cons of kids and cells. Did a young kid really need a cell phone? I was apprehensive.

I soon found the benefits of kids learning to use a cell phone were much more numerous than expected – not just for communication, but for learning responsibility, etiquette and demonstrating maturity.

U.S. Air

 

 U.S. Airways. Okay, I am stooping to name calling: U. Suck Airlines. UselesS Airlines. All of the above.

Baby Einstein’s Ten Years of Discovery

Last week, I counted myself among the lucky invitees to the Baby Einstein 10th Anniversary party in L.A. Hosted by Julie Clark, the incredible founder of the company, and Jennifer Garner, perhaps the most down-to-earth celebrity to ever grace the red carpet, the event was nothing short of remarkable. From the interactive discovery zones for babies and the live puppet show featuring an incredibly talented little singer to the interview and photo ops with Jennifer Garner and the arrival of two children whose backstage access came courtesy of the Make-A-Wish foundation, each moment left me in awe.

Baby Einstein Event, Products, and Giveaway

As Moms we know the joy that comes from watching our babies explore their environment, from reaching for their first toy and rolling over to responding to music and taking their first step. Baby Einstein accompanies our children as they reach these important milestones and encourages families to connect during these precious moments. With their line of interactive DVDs, CDs, and toys, we guide our babies through their first years, helping them learn, develop, and grow.

Plugged In Parent

By Sharon Cindrich

We have a giant play structure in our back yard. We have loads of sports equipment. We have board games and Legos and more action figures than I can count. But, when my son has friends over for a play date, all they want to do is play video games. Sound familiar?

Video games are a huge part of our children’s social culture - 83% of kids have a video game console at home and boys ages 8-10 are the biggest players of all.

Two Hands, Ten Conversations

By Sharon Cindrich

While I was working today, I had almost a dozen conversations going at once. I was negotiating a writing job with an editor in North Carolina, brainstorming with a writer colleague here in town and advising a good friend of mine who just landed a copy editing gig with a big magazine. And along the way, I was chatting with my sister on the phone. Too much? It sure feels like that some days. But not today.

Plugged In Dentist

By Sharon Cindrich

I never remember my dentist appointments. Which is why I always appreciate the reminder calls when my six month cleaning comes around. But this month, as my bi-annual check up approached, I didn’t get a courtesy call from my dentist. I got something better...a text message.

Face-to-Face with Facebook

By Sharon Cindrich

A while back I had the opportunitie to present a workshop on Internet safety to a small town in Vermont whose parents were concerned, like many, about allowing their children to participate in social networking sites, like MySpace and Facebook. So, instead of just talking about these sites, the nuances and pitfalls and safety features, we learned about social networking in the best possible way. We created our own.

Summer Night Plugged In

By Sharon Cindrich

So there we were, on a summer evening, my daughter and I sitting in the backyard by our trickling pond, watching fireflies. A clear sky, some popcorn and, well, the family laptop. I had picked up a few magazines as we headed to the patio for a little relaxing evening time. My daughter picked up her book of choice...the MacBook. ; )

Ode to Joy-Stick

By Sharon Cindrich

I’m often asked to speak on the topic of how parents can manage kids and video games. If I’m appearing on TV, I have less than five minutes to offer parents tips and ideas on how to limit, choose and manage the video game obsession that so many kids today seem to have. Five minutes? How fast can I talk...

As I go over and over the interview in my head, I’m always struck by the realization that five minutes is not nearly long enough time to cover a topic that drives a 10 billion dollar industry.