Do Your Children Play on Smartphones in Restaurants?
Late last year, I was sitting in a pizzeria in Balmain having dinner with my then 14-year-old. The restaurant was full with most of the tables taken up with families, not a great surprise on an early Saturday night. However, as I looked around the room, I noticed a pretty astounding thing. Apart from our table, every single child in the restaurant – and I mean every single child – was playing on some smartphone, tablet or games device. And these were children of all ages, from kids in prams and high chairs to older teenagers. Read full article
Is it Okay to Parody Celebrity Kids like Willow Smith?
The media has to be careful when it parodies celebrity children, no question. Like all kids, children in the spotlight are entitled to extra care and concern when it comes to reporting on their activities and even in comedy. Disney show So Random has attracted some criticism for a parody of Willow Smith and her "I Whip My Hair" music video. I took a different view for this one clip. Read full article
Glee Star on Cosmopolitan Cover Shot - Is Parental Guidance Required?
Glee star Lea Michele appears on the cover of the March edition of US Cosmopolitan. The actress is apparently 24 years old but plays the role of a teenager in the internationally popular television series Glee. In the news is the reaction by some Texas newsagents who have removed the magazine from display and others who have said that the cover shot is overtly sexual and inappropriate for a celebrity who plays a teenager. The implication is that Lea Michele is also something of a role model for young women who watch Glee. Read full article
Survival Guide for Parents of Tween Girls
Parenting a Tween feels a bit like you’re running a medieval gauntlet. You know it’s going to be tricky. Some of your friends already have had kids going through the Tween stage, between the ages of nine and 13, and you’ve heard the stories of once happy and empathetic children morphing into self-absorbed, emotional nightmares when they don’t get their way. Read full article
