Hot Topics     Home and Family     Healthy Kids     Teen Health     K-12    

Making friends with technology (sort of)



Google puts more power in the hands of parents

Google puts more power in the hands of parents


Like most parents over the age of thirty – myself included – Adrian and his wife did not spend a childhood in a social media-dominated universe. If you’d said “screen time” to me anytime before the mid ‘aughts, I would have thought you were talking about changing out storm windows for screens in the spring. But, as he writes in Dad or Alive, rather than throw their hands up in defeat, Adrian and his wife took on screen time, app time, chat windows, with determination. They set reasonable, and follow-able, ground rules for tech use. They’ve also found user-friendly settings on Google, and on various apps, that help them enforce these rules.

It’s not just a need to control. Adrian sees his responsibility as twofold: he wants to make his kids’ online experiences safer, while at the same time encouraging them to have a healthy relationship with technology.

READ MORE: 5 negative impacts of social media and how to avoid them

Three out of Adrian’s four kids have become skilled and frequent tablet users. His ten-year-old daughter avidly watches videos on Tik Tok, and he’s made use of the “change settings” option to scale the app to creators her own age. In case you don’t know, much of the Tik Tok universe, to put it mildly, is wildly inappropriate for a ‘tween.

Adrian’s main tool is the ingenious Google Family Link. With it, he can control which apps his kids use, and with what frequency. He can set an internet shutdown time, so he knows the children aren’t using their devices past a certain hour. It helps him too, showing him exactly how much time he’s using email, YouTube, messages, and other apps.

Other tips he offers on helping your child enjoy a healthy relationship with technology include making them “earn the privilege” of using their tablets. And unless they’re reading a book, they can’t use them before bed. If a child has a friend over, they must interact and play, not just zone out on tablets. In restaurants, tablets allowed until food comes. And absolutely no chat function allowed on any app.

Tech isn’t going anywhere, of course. Luckily, developers are finally taking beleaguered parents into consideration, helping keep dependence under control.



Other articles by HVP News Reporters


  • Choose to move

    5 ways to help manage osteoarthritis

    Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and affects over 32.5 million U.S. adults. OA is a degenerative joint disease that causes pain and stiffness and can lead to limited function. read more »
  • Make these 10 doctor-recommended health resolutions in the new year

    Tips to help you get started

    The New Year is the perfect time to hit the reset button on your health and wellness. Not sure where to start? Doctors say you can make the biggest impact with small, incremental tweaks to your routine. read more »
  • The Bear Mountain Ice Rink is opening for the season

    Join them on November 4th for the first skate

    The Palisades Interstate Park Commission is pleased to announce the opening of the Bear Mountain Ice Rink for the 2023/24 season. Join us on November 4th for the first skate at the rink that was voted Best of the Hudson Valley three years running! read more »
  • Kingston Eats Veggies Campaign builds interest in local produce

    Kingston’s Creating Healthy Schools and Communities (CHSC) is piloting “Kingston Eats Veggies,” a vegetable of the month campaign. read more »
  • ASHA announces new developmental milestones for children ages birth to 5

    Checklists will help parents track their child's development

    The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) announces today the free, online availability of new checklists that detail communication (speech, language, and hearing) milestones for children ages birth to 5 years as well as feeding and swallowing milestones for children ages birth to 3 years. These milestones provide parents and caregivers with a roadmap of what to expect during their child's early years of life—and can alert them to the early signs of a potential developmental delay or disorder. read more »
  • How to make higher-quality choices at the grocery store

    Arm yourself with a plan and info

    Grocery shopping can be stressful when there are so many options, especially if you’re making a conscious effort to make high-quality food choices while you shop. Arming yourself with a plan and plenty of information can help you make smarter choices and feel good about the meals you prepare for your family. read more »
  • Self-care for sick days

    Navigate cough, cold and flu season like a pro

    Cooler weather inevitably means cough, cold and flu season isn’t far behind. Now is the time to take precautions and set yourself up with healthy habits. read more »
  • Simplify holiday hosting from start to finish

    It's all in the planning

    Hosting a major holiday event is no small effort. It requires close attention to detail from planning, cooking and cleaning to entertaining guests on the big day. Fortunately, just like any good recipe, approaching your hosting duties one step at a time can allow you to create a magnificent final product. read more »
  • Elevate your tailgate with easy-to-make recipes

    Concoct a winning game plan

    Concoct a winning game plan, gather the parking lot games and call the biggest fans you know – it’s tailgating season. This year, before you root on your favorite team, make sure your pregame party matches the intensity of the fourth quarter with recipes that really fire up the crowd. read more »
  • Holiday gift ideas to promote healthy, happy feet

    Give them some love this season

    Want to show your loved ones you truly care? Treat their feet this holiday season. read more »