Remember AOL Instant Messenger? ICQ? Friendster? Do you recall the excitement and curiosity of exploring these platforms and connecting with new people? The internet was new, and our parents were either learning it alongside us... or maybe not interested in it at all. Either way, for many of us, our parents were not closely monitoring our exploration of the internet, or even aware of the inherent risks. Our kids are growing up in a very (very) different world, and as parents, it's our job to ensure they develop a healthy and safe relationship with the technology which will only become a more prominent fixture in their lives as they grow. Father of three, Tom Adjemian, joins the conversation to discuss how his family is navigating this complicated journey. Don't skip out before our dad Confessions!

Episode 82 of Modern Dadhood opens with the guys chatting about Marc's twin boys' birthday party which had been rescheduled due to a last minute illness. Marc shares some of the nice, funny, and sometimes downright eerie handwritten birthday cards his boys received.

The guys introduce guest Tom Adjemian into the chat. Tom's three kids range from ages 4 to 13, and from very little exposure to technology, to a lot of exposure. Tom shares how he and his wife are traversing things like screen time, internet safety, privacy, boundaries, and more, with their 13 year old. Spoiler alert: They're figuring it out as they go. Conversation topics include:

•  When (and why) Tom and his wife got their eldest daughter her first smartphone
•  The conversations they've had as a couple and with their kids about technology use
•  How to not scare your kids away from the internet
•  How to not entice your kids to hide their internet usage from you
•  Tools for limiting and monitoring internet/app usage
•  The ethics of monitoring your kid's internet usage
•  The importance  of open communication
•  When your kid betrays your trust
•  And more

The guys invite Tom to stick around and participate in a gut-busting round of Confessions before closing out the 'sode.

Links:
ConnectSafely
Bark app
How and When to Limit Kids' Tech Use (NY Times)
Red Vault Audio
Caspar Babypants
Spencer Albee
Stuffed Animal

#moderndadhood #fatherhood #parenthood #parenting #parentingpodcast #dadding #dadpodcast