Parenting Bytes

We have an amazing guest this week on the Parenting Bytes podcast who tells us how to stop bullying. Seriously. And it's the opposite of every anti-bullying campaign out there. Links and Transcript You can go to the Parenting Bytes website for all of the links we talk about, plus an interactive transcript of the entire episode. Subscribe! Have you subscribed to Parenting Bytes in iTunes? Never miss an episode! Are you following us on Facebook? It's a great way to see what we're reading (including articles that might show up in future episodes), ask us questions, and give us feedback. Find us on Twitter for all the latest family tech news!

Welcome to an encore episode of Parenting Bytes! We couldn't get our schedules together to record this week, so we reached deep into the archives (I mean, this was all the way back when Amy Ever After was Selfish Mom!). This episode first aired four years ago, and I can't believe how current it seems (well, except for the very end--are you still as enthusiastic about a Biden presidential run, Rebecca?). One link, an article I wrote for the now-defunct Lifetime Moms website, no longer exists. And one has been updated: lunch is now free for all NYC public school kids, not just middle schoolers as we discussed in the segment about school lunch debt! Everything else in the school shaming segment is still, sadly, relevant. Schools are still finding ways to embarrass kids for being poor, and it's disgusting. What is lunch shaming? School lunch shaming is when a school punishes students because their parents are behind in their school lunch payments. Sometimes the school will deny the student the normal hot lunch th

We’re so fortunate to have author Darcy Lockman on the show this week to talk about her new book, All The Rage: Mothers, Fathers, and the Myth of Equal Partnership. In her book Darcy talks about gender equality and why we just don’t have it. Women’s work is valued less, and even when women make more money, men still aren’t doing their share of housework and childcare. In addition to being an author, Darcy is a clinical psychologist who works with couples and individuals in New York City. This Week's Links If you click on the links in this post and buy something, we may earn a small commission. Intro (00:00:11) Rebecca Levey, KidzVuz Amy Oztan, Amy Ever After Andrea Smith, technology guru extraordinaire All The Rage: Mothers, Fathers, and the Myth of Equal Partnership, by Darcy Lockman Interview with Darcy Lockman (00:01:09) What Good Dads Get Away With, by Darcy Lockman – NY Times All The Rage audiobook Bytes of the Week (00:32:34) Teen decorates grad cap with QR code that honors those killed in school shooti

So you want to get a pet, but are wondering how to integrate kids and pets. Or, you’re not sure what kind of pet to get, where to get one, or what it will cost. We’re tackling those questions and so many more with the help of two pet experts: Dr. Katy Nelson of The Pet Show, and Dana Humphrey, The Pet Lady!Kids and petsWhether you’re looking to add a pet to kids you already have or a kid to pets you already have, there are a lot of factors to consider. The benefits of having a dog for kids can be huge, but so is the responsibility, time, and financial commitment! We invited a couple of pet experts on our podcast to help us sort out what to do and how to do it.Dr. Katy NelsonWe started with Dr. Katy Nelson, who is a veterinarian and also the host of The Pet Show. She tackled some great pet questions, likeShould you get a rescue dog?How much does a dog cost over it’s entire life?Should you get pet health insurance?How much of a commitment are smaller pets, like rabbits or birds?Do you need to pet-proof your hou

We're rerunning this episode in case you need some help talking to your kids about tragedy. After the most recent school shootings, parents have had to have some very tough conversations with their kids. We hope this helps in some small way.

Looking for Mother's Day gifts that aren't the same old same old? We've got fresh, innovative ideas for all the moms!

We're on vacation this break, but with so many new fans, we're guessing that most of you haven't heard this early episode. It's amazing how current this episode still sounds--we're still dealing with the same problems!

Uber safety tips for teens and adults

Episode 182: Julie Lythcott-Haims tells us how to raise an adult We're so excited to have best-selling author Julie Lythcott-Haims on the podcast this week! We've talked about her before, both about her book How to Raise an Adult and her excellent Slate podcast, Getting In. But now we get to talk to her, about preparing our children for college and life beyond. [If you click on the links in this post and buy something, we may earn a small commission.] This Week's Links Intro (0:00:11) Rebecca Levey, KidzVuz Amy Oztan, Amy Ever After Andrea Smith, technology guru extraordinaire Julie Lythcott-Haims How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success, by Julie Lythcott-Haims Real American: A Memoir, by Julie Lythcott-Haims Interview with Julie Lythcott Haims (00:02:08) Bytes of the Week (00:23:33) Chasten Buttigieg’s Relentlessly Cheery Twitter Is the Best Thing to Come Out of the 2020 Election, by R. Eric Thomas Ain’t Too Proud — The Life and Times of The Temptations Ai

Episode 181: SPIKE Prime – A fun new way for schools to teach STEAM, with LEGO! The three Parenting Bytes hosts took a field trip this week to the unveiling of a new STEAM project-based learning tool from LEGO Education, called SPIKE Prime. LEGO Education recognizes that STEAM activities for middle schoolers are fraught with issues, such as most robotics clubs being opt-in type activities that happen after school, and not enough teacher training available to make classroom STEAM lessons with robotics viable in many schools. To help combat these issues, SPIKE Prime was designed from the ground up to work within classrooms, giving teachers everything they need to lead a comprehensive lesson that be taught within a 45-minute period. After the launch announcement, we had a great discussion with Marianne Bach, who was one of the key people on this product’s development and spoke to us passionately about the importance of the “A” in STEAM (art), how SPIKE Prime was designed specifically for the classroom, and how y

Episode 180: The Scholarship System – college scholarship advice from an expert! No matter how old your child is, there's something that you (or they) could be doing right now to get college scholarships. This week's guest, Jocelyn Pearson, figured out how to get six figures in scholarships and get out of college with no debt! Her website, The Scholarship System, tells you step-by-step how you can do the same, and she's on our show today giving us her secrets. [If you click on the links in this post and buy something, we may earn a small commission.] This Week's Links Intro (00:00:11) Rebecca Levey, KidzVuz Amy Oztan, Amy Ever After Andrea Smith, technology guru extraordinaire Interview with Jocelyn Pearson (00:01:03) The Scholarship System The Scholarship System's Free Webinar The Scholarship System on Facebook Get $50 off of any bundle from our sponsor, Aftershokz! Bytes of the Week (00:30:03) "Sesame Street" Asked People Which Muppet They'd Take On A Deserted Island And The Debate Got Heated, by

Thanks so much to our sponsor, Aftershokz! Are you looking for the best podcasts for your kids, or for yourself? Or maybe something that you can listen to together? We've gathered together a great selection of podcasts for all ages, including lots of podcasts for kids that you just might get hooked on yourself! Plus, we've been trying out some innovative headphones from Aftershokz that use bone conduction technology, which allows you to hear your music or podcast without plugging up your ears! You can immerse yourself in sound while still being aware of your environment, whether walking, jogging, biking, or just hanging out in your house. And we've got a special discount just for our listeners: Use code PB50 to get $50 off of a Trekz Bundle! [If you click on the links in this post and buy something, we may earn a small commission.] This Week's Links Intro (00:00:11) Rebecca Levey, KidzVuz Amy Oztan, Amy Ever After Andrea Smith, technology guru extraordinaire Aftershokz Aftershokz Bone Conduction Headphones (0

In light of the recent college admissions scandal, we're re-running this episode about getting into your dream school.

If you have a child, chances are you’ve heard about the Momo Challenge. A creepy image has been flying around the internet accompanying stories of videos that have been hacked by “Momo” with instructions on how kids should kill themselves in order to keep Momo from killing their entire family. Lovely. So let’s get something out of the way right now: it’s a hoax. The image, which is creepy, is actually from a Japanese sculpture, and had nothing at all to do with the internet, kids, or suicide. But the image became part of an urban legend and spread like wildfire. And along with the Momo Challenge legend came stories of hacked YouTube videos and links to actual suicides. The problem for parents seemed to be a mix of confusion about what was real and a lack of knowledge about how YouTube works, what its relationship is to YouTube Kids (which had its own suicide video scandal), and what parents can do to keep their kids safe while watching videos online. Fake stories were shared tens of thousands of times in Face

When it’s time to consider summer day camp or sleepaway camp for your child, where do you start? We had a great conversation with camp expert Risa Goldberg, whose job is finding summer camps! And the best part? Parents don’t pay for her services. She gets to know the families she works with, asks them lots of questions about their kids’ likes and habits, and gives her recommendations. She spends her summers traveling to summer camps to see first hand what the camps are like, and gets feedback from families at the end of the summer. She does the legwork, and shares what she knows with other camp experts. Listen to the episode to find out more about finding the right summer camp, plus our Bytes of the Week! [If you click on the links in this post and buy something, we may earn a small commission.] This Week's Links Intro (00:00:11) Rebecca Levey, KidzVuz Amy Oztan, Amy Ever After Andrea Smith, technology guru extraordinaire Risa Goldberg of Camp Experts Interview with Risa Goldberg (00:01:05) The Camp Experts &

Clinical psychologist Dr. Jerry Bubrick talks about a new social media documentary, the “Like” movie, and how we can help our kids deal with phone anxiety. Teens today are basically guinea pigs when it comes to the effects of social media. They're the first generation to grow up with the almost constant presence of cell phones. And while it's still too early to really know how this is affecting their developing brains, studies are already showing links between heavy social media use and things like anxiety, depression, and body image issues. A new social media documentary, called "Like," explores the impact that social media and cell phone use are having, and the filmmakers want to inspire us to better regulate our social media and phone use.  Take a look at the trailer for the "Like" movie. This week we’re interviewing someone who was featured in the “Like” movie, Dr. Jerry Bubrick. In addition to having teen daughters, Dr. Bubrick is a clinical psychologist who deals with anxiety disorde

Susan Pazera is a travel blogger with a large family who knows how to get good deals for interesting places, and we've picked her brain for great last-minute spring break ideas! Whether you want to stay local and explore an American city you've never been to, go someplace warm, or hop across the pond and enjoy some of Europe's less-crowded destinations, Susan is letting us in on all of the great websites she uses and how she figures out where to stay! [If you click on the links in this post and buy something, we may earn a small commission.] This Week's Links Intro (00:00:11) Interview with Susan Pazera (00:01:10) Co-founder of She's on the Go Founder of Moments on the Map Parenting Bytes Episode 162: Getting There Is Half The Fun – How To Plan A Great Road Trip! skyscanner hopper Google Flights Home Away VRBO Viator Windsor Suites Philadelphia The Mutter Museum Redding Terminal Market Trip Advisor Google adds reviews to Maps, putting pressure on restaurants, by Alicia Kelso – Restaurant Dive Yelp I Made My S

Born Just Right co-founder Jen Lee Reeves joins the podcast this week to talk about her daughter Jordan Reeves’ involvement in the new Microsoft Super Bowl commercial for their adaptive Xbox controller.  Jordan’s missing limb at birth led to the Born Just Right blog, which led to a non-profit, which led to a movement to empower kids in the disabled community to actively advocate for better design and inclusion. Listen in as we talk about how Jordan Reeves is inspiring other kids, as well as adults, to creatively approach design and our surroundings to produce a world where everyone can achieve their goals without unnecessary obstacles. Plus, we have our Bytes of the Week! [If you click on the links in this post and buy something, we may earn a small commission.] This Week's Links Intro (00:00:11) TiVo GameSkip Microsoft Super Bowl Commercial 2019: We All Win (Extended Version) — Jordan and Jen's biggest part starts at 44 seconds! Interview with Jen Lee Reeves of Born Just Right (00:02:25) Jen Lee Reeves Born

[If you click on the links in this post and buy something, we may earn a small commission.] Need new winter-related ideas for what to do on a snowy day inside with your kids? How about outdoor snow activities that involve science? The Polar Vortex is back, but we’ve got you covered with the best indoor and outdoor snow day activities! For outside, we’ve got activities that you get to eat (whoo-hoo!) and science experiments that also look pretty. When there’s no fun snow to play in (or it’s just too cold to go outside!) we have great ideas on what do when you’re stuck inside all day with the kids, aside from all-day screen time. (By the way, we’re not judging: go ahead and let the kids have that epic Fortnite marathon—use these ideas when they need a break!) We’ll help you fill those snow days and keep everyone from losing their minds with cabin fever. Plus, our Bytes of the Week! This Week’s Links Intro (00:00:11) Outdoor Snow Activities (00:02:59) Vanilla, Chocolate, or Berry Snow Cream! – One Hungry Mama Ho

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES), kicks off every January in Las Vegas. While at first, it may seem like CES would have pretty much nothing to do with parenting, the show is actually full of smart home, connected home, health and beauty tech, and gadgets that can make life easier for parents every day. Amy and Andrea covered CES this year and discovered some of the best connected and smart home devices, from robot vacuums that really work, to mattresses that use technology to give you a personalized great night’s sleep. What parent couldn’t use that? Plus, the low down on the weird, the wired, and the just plain fabulous (we’re looking at you Coway BidetMega!) from CES 2019! Are you following us on Facebook? It's a great way to see what we're reading (including articles that might show up in future episodes), ask us questions, and give us feedback.