Parenting Bytes

Sharing photos on social media without permission? You’d probably never do that when it comes to posting pictures of a friend, but every day parents share pictures and videos of their kids on social media. Instagram and Facebook have become our de facto online family albums.  Many mom (and dad) bloggers have built brands and businesses around the (mostly) honest and authentic stories involving raising their kids. But what happens when these kids become tweens and teens? How can we teach our children not to share revealing photos or overshare when some parents have been sharing photos since their babies were still in the womb? This week on the Parenting Bytes Podcast we tackle the issue of sharing (and oversharing) photos and stories of our children without their permission. Michelle Ruiz of Vogue.com joins us to talk about her article, “The One Question Parents Should Ask Themselves Before Posting Their Kids on Social Media.” Join us as we talk about our own uncomfortable experiences with our kids reading and

The Consumer Electronics Show is a giant, crazy, exhausting tech show in Las Vegas where for four days (six if you count the media events), buyers, exhibitors, and media all converge on Las Vegas (180,000 people in total!) to see the latest in tech. Andrea and Amy hit the show floor Tuesday and Wednesday and went to some CES-adjacent shows in the evenings, and then sat down in the Blue Mic recording suite at the Treasure Island hotel to record this episode—thanks Blue Mic! [If you click on the links in this post and buy something, we may earn a small commission.] This Week's Links: CES Fromaggio Thermomix Food Tech Live Edible Selfie Joule sous vide sauces Withings BPM Core Withings EKG Watch Dr. Scholl's Custom 3D Inserts Use code SOLEMATE20 to get $20 off of your custom 3D inserts (expires 3/31/2019) Get the perfect bra fit at home, for free! by Amy Oztan - Amy Ever After Neutrogena 3D Printed Face Mask P&G Opté BlueSmart mia 2 monitor CES 2019: Owlet debuts award-winning pregnancy monitor band for expe

Do you need to get your life together? What if you could plan out and organize your entire year in six hours? Blogger Amiyrah Martin of Four Hats & Frugal does this at the beginning of every year (twice, actually: once for her business, and once for her home and family life), and she's telling 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: Trello Amiyrah Martin, founder and creator of the blog Four Hats & Frugal Amiyrah's Facebook post about planning a year in six hours How To Plan Your Year In A Day How To Organize Your Week With One List Plated Blue Apron HelloFresh Ask Doctor G Today Parent video about suicide Today Parent video about consent Today Parent video about drinking Bowflex Max Trainer Thanks for listening! Please let us know if you have any questions or topics that you'd like us to tackle. And we would appreciate a great rating and review on iTunes!!

We get it, it's a few days before Christmas and you still have gifts to buy. But thanks to monthly subscriptions, eGift Cards, super-fast shipping, and a little creativity, you still have options! We've gathered some of the best last-minute gifts we could find. No matter how long you wait, there's something on this list that will arrive in time. [If you click on the links in this post and buy something, we may earn a small commission.] This Week's Links: Last Minute Gifts Uber Gift Cards and Email Cards on Amazon Uber Gift Cards on Uber Lyft Groupon E-gift cards LastPass Premium Membership Blue Apron Plated Giftly Gift Card Scam: Crooks Can Drain the Money Off Your Cards, by Jeff Blyskal - Consumer Reports Are E-Gift Cards Secure? - Consumer Reports Target Last-Minute Christmas Shipping Christmas 2018 Shipping Deadlines for Online Shopping Jeni's Ice Cream Zabar's Harry & David Monthly Fruit Clubs Bokksu House Plant Box Club Play by Sephora ClassPass ClassPass Live One-Year Subscription and Starter Kit Sp

This week we had a fun conversation with Eleni’s Cookies founder Eleni Gianopolus, all about baking with kids, starting a business while starting a family, and so much more! Episode Links: Eleni’s Cookies Color Me! Cookies and edible markers America’s Test Kitchen Kids Edible Gold Leaf Edible Silver Leaf Edible Gold Paint Edible Glitter New York Cake Dorie’s Cookies, by Dorie Greenspan Let’s start easy: Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, by Amy Oztan – Amy Ever After Vivo Smart 4 with Body Battery Deliver smiles this holiday with Alexa How to donate to Toys for Tots with Alexa, by Amy Oztan – Amy Ever After Bonus article: Meet the Cookiers, Home Bakers With a Bond Stronger Than Royal Icing, by Kim Severson, NY Times 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.

When Samantha Murphy Kelly realized that "Alexa" was one of the first few words her toddler recognized, she wanted to know more about how this new technology in her home was affecting her child. Her curiosity resulted in a fascinating article for CNN, and we talk to Kelly about what she found.

This week we're talking about Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping! How do you get the best deals? What apps and websites can help? How can you make the most of the sales without spending all day on your computer? We're here to help, with tips, tricks, and links!

Andrea sat down with Tricia Morrow from Chevrolet (literally--they did the interview in a car!) to talk about a bunch of awesome safety features, both for teen drivers and the whole family.

This week we're replaying one of our favorite epsiodes, because it's time once again to Bake It Happen for breast cancer research!

This week we’re talking with Lisa Heffernan, co-founder of the website Grown & Flown, all about not only choosing a college (what to ask on tours!!), but how to help your child once they’re actually at college. She also tells us what question her website gets the most about kids and college! And of course, our Bytes of the Week, including some amazing new help for filling out the FAFSA application for college financial aid. This Week's Links: Lisa Heffernan http://bit.ly/2QYofOK Grown & Flown http://bit.ly/2R3LpTN Common Data Set http://bit.ly/2R47KRt The Bowery Boys Podcast http://bit.ly/2R6jtiv Bowery Boys Movie Club http://bit.ly/2R1ZEZk Lenovo Smart Display https://go.magik.ly/ml/fuza/ JBL LinkView https://go.magik.ly/ml/fuz8/ FAFSA app http://bit.ly/2OTHibG Frank app http://bit.ly/2R0zs1k Thanks for listening! Please let us know if you have any questions or topics that you'd like us to tackle. And we would appreciate a great rating and review on iTunes!! http://bit.ly/14K7YED

Road-tripping with your family this summer? We've got tips! It's summer, which for many families means road trips! Whether you're going one town over to visit grandma, or heading across the country, our fantastic guest Susan Pazera--travel writer and mom of four--gives us her tips on how to not only survive but enjoy long car trips with your family! Plus our Bytes of the Week.

In this episode from our first season we talk with Babette Roberts from Camp Mom, who gives up all of her secrets for having a fun summer with your kids. If your kids aren't going to camp, you might need some ideas about what the heck to do with them all day. Babette has some innovative ideas for keeping them busy while also having fun together!

Do you pay any attention to those age ratings on video game boxes? Co-host Amy Oztan wrote an in-depth article for Tom's Hardware about the ESRB, which rates video games. Should you pay attention to those ratings? Do they have any resemblance to reality? Listen in and find out!

We're chatting with Christy Matte about her Tom's Hardware article on when kids should be doing what with computers. Whether you have a toddler or a teenager, Christy's guide has you covered! Are you wondering how young is too young to sit at a computer? Christy Matte has written a guide for Tom's Hardware titled "What's the Right Age to Introduce Your Kid to Computers?" and she covers it all! What are the benefits? What are the drawbacks? What should you be teaching at each stage, and what should you be looking out for?

Looking for great books for your teens and tweens this summer? We've got 'em! We're talking with YA expert Sandie Chen about what your kids will love reading this summer. She brought us adventure, fantasy, romance, and even a zombie-filled rendition of the Civil War! Get ready, because your summer book shopping starts here.

We're talking with special guest Kim Moldofsky about how to pay for college - without going broke! If you have kids, college costs will probably be looming at some point. But how do you pay for it without going broke? We’re talking with special guest Kim Moldofsky about different ways to pay for college, and other options that can help ease the financial pain.

We've got what you need to know about the game every kid seems to be playing right now, Fortnite! Fortnite has taken over gaming in a way we haven’t seen since Minecraft or PokemonGo. Some parents even claim that their kids are addicted, and that the game is costing them a fortune! So what is Fortnite, and should your child be playing it? We brought in Chris Morris from Fortune Magazine to give us the lowdown on this addictive game.

From trusted channels on YouTube, to a kids' Kindle that adults can use too, to a special kid version of the Amazon Echo Dot, there are lots of options with Parental Controls for parents who want them. (But do parents want them?)

This week we’re reposting one of our favorite episodes, about Alexa and kids. Amazon announced their new Echo Dot Kids Edition yesterday, so while we check that out, here's how we feel about kids and Alexa in general! With so many Echo devices in homes, do we need to set up rules about how long kids can play with Alexa? How much is too much? And if you do let your child talk to Alexa, which Alexa skills are best for kids? We’ve got some advice and recommendations!

Everyone likes to talk about the dangers of social media, but is it all bad?