Issue link: https://fredparent.uberflip.com/i/881345
8 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • October 2017 letter to the readers PUBLISHER Leigh Anne Van Doren Tabitha & Jamie Nelle's mom EDITOR Chris Jones Quincy, Hayden & Olive's dad BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING Heidi DiEugenio, President, HD Solutions Duke & Dane's mom MEDIA & ADVERTISING DIRECTORS Julie Brosnan, twins Chris & Finn's mom Megan Walsh, Mia, Noelle, and Adelaide's mom DESIGN & PRODUCTION Cheryl Carter, President, Carter Creations Alex, Kate & Jackie's mom WEBMASTER Karen Charney Joshua & Spencer's mom SOCIAL MEDIA Brenda Sapanghila Archer, Maddox & Oliver's mom CALENDAR & COOL THINGS TO DO ELETTER Leigha Pecher Jake and Luke's mom EDUCATION ELETTER & EVENTS Debra Caffrey Aidan's mom INTERN Haley J Harkin parent fredericksburg & family Entrepreneur of the Year PROUD FOUNDING MEMBER ADVERTISING PHONE 540-429-3572 EMAIL leighanne@fredericksburgparent.net CALENDAR & SOCIAL MEDIA E-MAIL webmaster@fredericksburgparent.net EDITORIAL PHONE 540-429-3572 E-MAIL fredparenteditor@gmail.com SNAIL MAIL P.O. Box 7884, Fred'bg, VA 22404 www.fredericksburgparent.net The publishers reserve the right to reject any advertisement, editorial or listing that does not meet the publication's standards. No part of this magazine may be reproduced with out permission. Listing and advertising rates are available upon request. Every effort has been made to assure the accuracy of the information con- tained herein, however, the publisher cannot guarantee such accuracy. Listings and advertisements are sub- ject to typographical errors, ommissions and/or change without notice. For terms and conditions please visit our website at www.fredericksburgparent.net © Copyright 2017 Nurture, Inc. All rights reserved. WRITTEN BY BRENDA SAPANGHILA LIKE facebook.com/ FredericksburgParent SIGN UP www.FredParent.net TWEET facebook.com/ FredericksburgParent PIN www.pinterest.com/ fredparent FOLLOW @fredparentmagazine Remember Tamagotchi pets? Those little virtual animal keychains that you had to spend all day caring for? When I was a kid, those were at the height of digital awesomeness. The world has changed a bit since dial-up internet and virtual puppies. Heck, my 18-month-old can unlock my iPhone and take a selfi e. My fi rst-grader uses an iPad every day in class. Many parents view technology as a threat to childhood and simplicity. It doesn't have to be! There are ways to embrace new tech and not loose the sacredness of child- hood. You can set time limits on most devices so that they shutdown automatically. If you own an Amazon Fire tablet, you can download FreeTime for a small monthly fee. This app streams only child-friendly games and shows, appropriate for ages 7 and under. Tech is great for busy parents, too! There are apps for breastfeeding, sleep schedules, calendars, math, reading, recipes, and there are even apps for organizing your photos. Let's talk social media. As with every aspect of parenting, communication is huge. Set clear boundaries and make sure you know what social media platforms your child uses and has interest in. Research them. Get your own account and test it out (I'm a fan of Snapchat fi lters!) I'd also like to point out that there is no reason for a social media account to be public. Make sure all your children's profi les and your profi les are set to private. Talk to your kids about not accepting friend requests from people they don't know. New tech and social media platforms pop up seemingly every day. Embrace it! Have fun with it. The key is to remain knowledgeable and fi nd the balance that works for you and your family. Parenting & Technology