Category: Small Humans

Family And Parenting Kids Podcasts Small Humans Tech

10 podcasts for budding audiophiles and their parents

sudshr47 October 26, 2018

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Welcome to Small Humans, an ongoing series at Mashable that looks at how to take care of – and deal with – the kids in your life. Because Dr. Spock is nice and all, but it’s 2018 and we have the entire internet to contend with.

Podcasts have been ascendant lately, but you may not want to stream Serial or Dear John during family dinner prep. For Friends of the Pod who are also parents, we’ve got some good news: Your kids haven’t been left out.

Whether you’re looking to reduce the insatiable desire for screen time, get a quiet car on long journeys, or simply want to introduce a different kind of media, podcasts are a great tool to have in your parenting bag of tricks.  Read more…

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Activism Diversity And Inclusion Parenting Family Small Humans Tech

Why you should give kids toys that look like them

sudshr47 October 20, 2018

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Welcome to Small Humans, an ongoing series at Mashable that looks at how to take care of – and deal with – the kids in your life. Because Dr. Spock is nice and all, but it’s 2018 and we have the entire internet to contend with.

Now more than ever, it’s particularly evident that children need to be exposed to diversity as young as possible. It’s a topic that can inspire hesitation among a lot of parents, but setting the foundation for inclusivity isn’t as hard as you might think. Interactive play with diverse toys can be a great method to accomplish this. 

Diversity – which is often used in tandem with inclusion – in this context refers to having access to toys that represent individuals of a range of races/ethnicities, ability statuses, and genders. There are other aspects of diversity that are more challenging to represent without backstories. For those, books are a wonderful way to introduce aspects of diversity like sexual orientation, financial class, language, neurodiversity, and mental health.  Read more…

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Kids Parenting Family Small Humans Tech

Wild parenting advice from the first man to win a paternity leave suit

sudshr47 October 18, 2018

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Welcome to Small Humans, an ongoing series at Mashable that looks at how to take care of – and deal with – the kids in your life. Because Dr. Spock is nice and all, but it’s 2018 and we have the entire internet to contend with.

If the problems of parenting have got you down, you might seek comfort in knowing the animal kingdom has very similar problems, and you are in good company in the most expansive sense. 

As the first father in this country to receive paternity leave more than 45 years ago, my book, The Fun Book of Fatherhood, is a call-to-action to establish gender equality in the workplace and the home, encourage a national discussion on the subject of the family, pass national paid family leave legislation, and be ever mindful of what I call “fast family forward.” But it’s also a fun primer on parenting, using the animal kingdom as a learning tool. Let’s be honest, there are worse places to turn to for advice.   Read more…

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Amazon Prime Video Hulu Netflix parental controls Small Humans

How to set up parental controls on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu

sudshr47 October 16, 2018

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Welcome to Small Humans, an ongoing series at Mashable that looks at how to take care of – and deal with – the kids in your life. Because Dr. Spock is nice and all, but it’s 2018 and we have the entire internet to contend with.

Today’s video streaming services are absolutely amazing for children’s content, both educational and entertaining, but the savvy little monsters soon learn their way around an interface. 

Before you know it, you’ll think you left your innocent toddler watching Wishenpoof and come back to find her staring wide-eyed at a fight scene in Ronja. 

It’s important to understand how to set up your systems so that your precious poppets don’t see something they aren’t yet old enough to process.  Read more…

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Online Gaming Online Identities Small Humans Tech

Real life vs. online life: For kids, is there a difference?

sudshr47 October 13, 2018

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Welcome to Small Humans, an ongoing series at Mashable that looks at how to take care of – and deal with – the kids in your life. Because Dr. Spock is nice and all, but it’s 2018 and we have the entire internet to contend with.

When Amber Petersen noticed her seven-year-old daughter was spending progressively more time playing games online, she reached back into the 1800s for a little instruction.

On a summer day this year, as Brooklyn explored a virtual playground on Roblox, the popular gaming platform designed for young kids, Petersen read out loud from Meet Kirsten, a kids’ chapter book based in the 1850s that’s part of doll-maker American Girl’s historical fiction series.  Read more…

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Lulla Doll Parenting Family Sleep Products Small Humans Tech

11 baby sleep gadgets to try if you’re feeling really tired and desperate

sudshr47 October 12, 2018

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Welcome to Small Humans, an ongoing series at Mashable that looks at how to take care of – and deal with – the kids in your life. Because Dr. Spock is nice and all, but it’s 2018 and we have the entire internet to contend with.

We’re not going to tell you that you can actually buy your way to better sleep with a newborn. If that was true, parents everywhere would have far less disposable income, but find it a lot easier to get out of bed in the morning and function like normal human beings. But sometimes the deep desire to try something, anything wins out and you fire up Amazon looking for a solution.  Read more…

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Parenting Family Small Humans Tech

First comes the baby, then comes the startup

sudshr47 October 10, 2018

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Welcome to Small Humans, an ongoing series at Mashable that looks at how to take care of – and deal with – the kids in your life. Because Dr. Spock is nice and all, but it’s 2018 and we have the entire internet to contend with.

One pair of e-commerce veterans wondered why it was so difficult to find quality kids clothes in vibrant colors without logos or designs. A technology professional wanted to figure out a simpler way to help busy parents find a trusted babysitter, even at the last minute. 

They channeled those frustrations in the manner they knew best – by launching a startup.

“Over and over again, I’d hear parents tell me they couldn’t find good childcare,” said Lynn Perkins, founder of UrbanSitter, an online childcare booking service. “The technology and innovation were in just the right spot at that time to solve two challenges related to parenting – helping families find quality childcare they could trust and doing it efficiently.” Read more…

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Coding Toys Gift Ideas screen time Small Humans Stem Toys

4 toys to give kids a head start in STEM without screen time

sudshr47 October 6, 2018

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Welcome to Small Humans, an ongoing series at Mashable that looks at how to take care of – and deal with – the kids in your life. Because Dr. Spock is nice and all, but it’s 2018 and we have the entire internet to contend with.

Buzzwords like “STEM” and “STEAM” are everywhere these days. When it comes to educating young minds, learning these skills — science, technology, engineering, art, and math — can help prepare budding minds for the future workforce. More specifically, coding is an increasingly popular skill needed in today’s society. 

“Often children don’t know any scientists or engineers personally, depending on the family,” says Roger Malina, professor of arts and technology at the University of Texas at Dallas. “The earlier they can get hands-on experience, the better. This helps to demystify careers they don’t have family models for.” Read more…

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Health Mental Health Mindfulness Small Humans Tech

10 apps to help kids control their emotions

sudshr47 October 1, 2018

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Welcome to Small Humans, an ongoing series at Mashable that looks at how to take care of – and deal with – the kids in your life. Because Dr. Spock is nice and all, but it’s 2018 and we have the entire internet to contend with. 

Millions of people around the world can attest to the positive effects of mindfulness on their mental health and well-being. Take reduced stress levels, improved concentration and organization, and a greater ability to control emotions and experience compassion and empathy, just for starters.  

These are all things we want for our kids, right? And it’s easier than ever, thanks to the range of digital tools right at our fingertips. One of these apps could be the perfect way to introduce your child to a world of calm, mindfulness and emotional maturity.   Read more…

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fortnite battle royale Kids National School Walkout Small Humans Tech

Shh…my son doesn’t play ‘Fortnite’

sudshr47 October 1, 2018

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Welcome to Small Humans, an ongoing series at Mashable that looks at how to take care of – and deal with – the kids in your life. Because Dr. Spock is nice and all, but it’s 2018 and we have the entire internet to contend with.

This July, as the orthodontist wheeled over to my son to tighten his braces, he tried to make conversation.

“How’s the summer. How’s Fortnite?” he asked. 

“Oh. Sorry, I don’t play,” my son shrugged.

“You don’t play?” He stopped cold. “I…I don’t know what to talk about.” 

“Yeah, I get that a lot,” my son said. 

There are no clear reports on the number of middle school boys playing Fortnite, but as the parent of a 13-year-old who doesn’t, my guess is nearly all of them. According to the Teens, Social Media and Tech 2018 survey by Pew Research Center, 97% of boys play video games “in some form or fashion” and Fortnite has dominated the gaming space since its release in July 2017. With over 125 million downloads and 80 million active players in August alone, in-game revenue is projected at $2 billion this year.  Read more…

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Artificial Intelligence Parenting Family Robots Small Humans Tech

Why I’m in no hurry to have Rosie from ‘The Jetsons’

sudshr47 October 1, 2018

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Welcome to Small Humans, an ongoing series at Mashable that looks at how to take care of – and deal with – the kids in your life. Because Dr. Spock is nice and all, but it’s 2018 and we have the entire internet to contend with.

During my first pregnancy, I craved a mamaRoo rocker, believing it would alleviate by stress as a new mom. Unfortunately, a gadget with that kind of price tag just wasn’t in our budget. Instead, I did things the old-fashioned way, rocking my baby in my arms and using baby wraps for multitasking. 

Nearly three years later, I’m thinking about it  again as we wait on our second child. I knew that the mamaRoo – and my finances – had improved. The latest model has multiple motions, varying sounds, and mp3/Bluetooth compatibility. It’s pretty deluxe. As a work-from-home mom, it sounded perfect. But for some reason, its “moves like you do” description triggered me and planted a seed of doubt about my purpose as a mother. If it moves like I do, what does that mean for me? Read more…

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