Where do we begin with horror movies? Sometimes staying away completely from the horror genre is best for our families and kids. Yet, with an appropriate and healthy perspective, there can be valuable lessons within some of the darkest places.
Technology & Entertainment Q&A
“I’ve seen lots of news stories linking adolescent social media use to bad mental health outcomes. What’s the connection between these things?”
Should I be concerned that my young son has been spending a lot of time watching violent cartoons and playing with the “spin-off” action figures marketed by the shows’ producers? How do you think these programs and products affect the attitudes and behavior of children?
How can our family establish some workable media standards? I understand the need for thoughtful discernment in this area as opposed to mindless rules, but sometimes I feel the need for more solid guidelines in order to gauge the merits of movies and music and to weigh specific decisions about appropriate family entertainment. Can you …
As a parent of a teenager, is “sexting” something that I need to be concerned about? I’ve heard a few stories about this on the news, but I’ve never felt that my daughter would be susceptible to temptations of this kind. We haven’t talked about it because I’m really not up to speed on the …
As parents of a 2- to 3-year-old, how do we begin placing healthy limits on our child’s exposure to television, video games, and the Internet? We’ve heard a lot about the negative impact of electronic media on adolescents and pre-teens, and we want to start encouraging good habits in this area as early as we …
How can we steer our adolescent son away from media that portray gruesome violence and help him make better entertainment choices? He’s fascinated with horror stories – both books and films. We’re concerned that he’s filling his mind with disturbing ideas and images, but he says it’s all just harmless fun. What do you think?
Am I right to be concerned about my 16-year-old daughter’s obsession with texting? In the past two weeks she has sent or received over 3,000 text messages. So far it hasn’t affected her school grades, but I worry that this much texting is excessive and unhealthy. What should we do?
How can I know for sure whether my child has become a target of intimidating text messages or cruel rumors on social media? Are there any tell-tale signs? If it turns out my child is being cyber-bullied, what can I do to help?
