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www.FredericksburgParent.NET 31 ages & stages Should I be concerned about Twitch? Twitch is live, so it can be hard to censor. Gamers can and do curse, even if by accident. There is also exposure to advertising on Twitch, including on-screen ads and spon- sorships of gamers who guzzle certain energy drinks or wear branded clothing. Twitch does have community policies to crack down on hate speech, harassment and sexual content in chat streams, but parents should be aware that anyone can chat. Additionally, in the past year, the service has devel- oped more into a social network. Twitch users can follow and DM (direct message) each other. Each stream also has its own unique chatroom where users can connect, and the popular Pulse feature essentially functions as a Facebook timeline that allows for everyo ne on the net- work to post their status updates as well as like, share and comment on what others have written. And did I mention it was live? "I like that I can watch my favorite streamers and relax," commented my son. So far, the chat stream has not tempted him to buy Bits or participate because "popular gamers just get their streams flooded." Yet I will have regu- lar conversations with him about what he is watching and doing in Twitch's digital world, especially as it looks like Twitch is here to stay. Should I Be Concerned About Twitch? And Did I Mention It Was Live? techy Kids ages & stages Get curious. Check out a list of sites for kids featuring links to art, science, music, games, sports and more at www.KidSites.com. As always, ensure that your kids are taking appropriate personal safety precau ons to protect their iden ty and loca on while online. Unsure about an app or online pla orm? Check out CommonSenseMedia.org. con nued from pg 29 Kids love to play with video. Show them applica ons like iMovie (Mac), which gives them an opportunity to choose templates, edit, add audio and share their short fi lms. Slo-mo and Timelapse are also fun video features on many smartphones. On Timelapse, my kids like to record themselves cleaning up their room. They get a kick out of going back and watching the process in fast-forward. (That's a win for parents too!) Interview a grandpar- ent, parent, sibling or another rela- ve using the audio record func on on your phone, computer or iPad. Not sure what to ask? Check out StoryCorps.org, which of- fers an app with suggested interview ques ons. On your next family fi eld trip or vaca on, provide your child with an inexpen- sive digital camera if they don't have access to smart- phone. A erward they can upload their photos to your computer and create a digi- tal slideshow with music, transi ons and crea ve fonts. Check out smilebox. com, iPhoto, or Movavi. Help your budding ar st, writer or photographer start a private blog where they can share their work with family and friends. If your child likes to cook, suggest she take photos during each step of the cooking process and post her recipes onto the blog. For a group of friends who love to read, watch mov- ies or play video games, suggest se ng up a group blog they can use to take turns pos ng book, movie or video game reviews. Using apps like "Photo 365" or "Everyday app," have your child take a photo a day through- out the winter. Choose a specifi c subject like a tree, their puppy or ki en, a sibling or take daily selfi es. At the end of the winter, watch the subject in a quick me lapse. How does the subject ma er change over the course of the season? Direct a Movie Record an Interview Create a Digital Slide Show Start a Blog Snap a Photo a Day