Blog

Navigating Back to School Tech: Advice from a Family Therapist

The lazy days of summer seem to be fading into a distant memory, but what remains is the constant use of cell phones by our kids. Summer is a time of freedom and a time to decompress from the rigor of the school year. Many parents relax their boundaries around device use over the summer, but this may come back to bite you in the butt when summer ends and it's time to buckle back up and hit the books. Those feel-good chemicals that kids get from devices and social media use are flowing freely and now they are expected to do without. This is the perfect recipe for disaster.

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Shot On Pinwheel Summer Photo Contest

This summer, Pinwheel invited families to capture and celebrate the vibrant moments that define the season through our 2024 Summer 'Shot-On-Pinwheel' Photo Contest. The response was nothing short of incredible, with submissions pouring in from across the globe, each showcasing the unique perspectives and creativity of our young photographers.

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The Dangers of AI for Children

Artificial intelligence used to be something dreamed up in movies like SmartHouse or HER. But this technology is here and  will continually evolve exponentially. AI’s integration into the lives of children is  parents, guardians, and teachers to monitor and evaluate the use of the AI by children, while learning about it themselves.

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Big tech CEOs at the Senate Judiciary Hearing on Child online safety

Social Media CEO's Congressional Hearing

You may have heard that recently (Jan 31, 2024) the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing caught the nation's attention, CEOs from leading social media giants including Meta, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter) were called to testify on one of the biggest topics that we face as parents, children’s online safety. This pivotal moment moves the needle forward for awareness and action among parents striving to navigate the digital landscape with their children.

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Woman with a disposable camera taking a picture

The disposable camera era is back!

In this crazy world of digital innovation, parents everywhere have the challenge of raising tech-savvy kids while instilling healthy habits. We find ourselves in the middle of a digital revolution, shaping a generation that has grown up surrounded by screens and instant digital experiences. However, a timeless lesson from the past holds significant value in this digital era—a lesson that can guide our children toward balanced technology usage.

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Pinwheel Announces Phone Upcycling to Prevent Adult Phones from Going to Kids or into the Landfill

Austin, Texas (October 26, 2023) – Pinwheel, maker of the best-selling Pinwheel smartphone for kids, announced today the launch of its Hand It In Phone Upcycling Program, which allows parents to send in their old phone and get a kid-specific phone at a discounted price for their children.

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The Smartphone Epidemic: Alarming Statistics on Teen Phone Usage

Phones serve many purposes, like creating connections with family and friends, providing entertainment and, unfortunately, often serving as a permanent prop in our children's stories.

Kids and smartphones seem inseparable, and a new report from Common Sense Media validates that feeling. The research aimed to understand the roles and impacts of media and technology in kids' lives---hearing directly from the kids themselves. This new report bridges an important gap in understanding how teenagers use their smartphones.

 "Teens told us that the draw of their smartphone is both complicated and powerful," Common Sense Media states in their press release. "They're managing a barrage of notifications from the apps on their phones—buzzing almost constantly." 

Working with kids aged 11 to 17, the study unveils the digital phenomenon that's become deeply ingrained in our society.

Phone Use During School Hours: A Shocking 97%

School policies differ widely across the nation, and while it would be great if 97% of kids are picking up their phones to check their grades or use the calculator function, the details share a different story. Most of the apps used were social media, video games, and YouTube. 

For my school, we do have a phone policy and we're not technically allowed to have it out during class, but a lot of people do in spite of that. And definitely, I think if you track kids at my school, their phone usage, you would definitely see them checking their phones, and then checking Snapchat during class.

—10th grader

 

Late-Night Phone Obsession: 60% Awake During Bedtime Hours

The study found that 60% of kids aged 11 to 17 were wide awake and glued to their screens during the witching hours, specifically between midnight and 5 a.m. Research on the negative effects that sleep deprivation has on overall well-being and academic performance is clearly documented. 

I might say that for certain apps, like TikTok, it's really hard to fall asleep once you use it close to when you're gonna go to sleep. I can't use it within an hour, or else I'd struggle … and then I'll just get back on the app 'cause I'm not sleeping anyway.

—10th grader

 

Notification Overload: 237 Pings a Day

Imagine your phone buzzing, pinging, and chiming relentlessly throughout the day. For more than 50% of kids in this study, that's their reality, receiving almost 10 notifications per hour each day. Some teens reported receiving 4,500 notifications per day.

Snapchat and Discord have mastered the art of keeping teens tethered to their screens with an incessant stream of alerts and updates, showcasing the competitive nature of the tech industry, where user engagement is key to success.

Yeah, for me, I have notifications on for the apps that are messaging apps, but then for the other ones, I don't have notifications on for YouTube or Instagram … For me, I don't like the notifications that just tell you to go back on the app or just something random like that, like an update or something. I don't really care about those ones. But the ones I do like getting are the ones that are from the messaging apps, like if someone sends me a text, I wanna know what it says.

—10th grader

 

The TikTok Phenomenon: Why Teens Just Can't Resist

One platform has managed to capture the hearts and minds of teenagers by offering bite-sized pleasure and effortless interaction, all seamlessly tailored to the user's interests and mood. 50% of participants had TikTok installed on their phones, and they weren't just casual users. On average, these teens spent a median of one hour and 52 minutes per day on the platform while some clocked in upwards of seven hours daily.

The app's algorithm quickly adapts to the individual's preferences, serving up content that aligns with their interests or current mood, all while catering to the modern attention span with short, snappy videos.

 

Unveiling the Dark Side of Young Kids on Smartphones

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Three Ways to Create a Village for Your Teens on Social Media

In the era of technology, social media has woven into the lives of teens and sometimes even younger children. While engaging online can have a positive influence on teens' growth through learning and connections, parents need to address the hazards and big picture in order to raise healthy, happy teens. 

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