The news a few weeks ago from the Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen about Instagram’s impact on teen girls was, for parents of girls especially, pretty awful. However, this piece in the New York Times asks an important question: “How do we know for sure that social media is worse for teen girls than traditional media was for previous generations?” Because, sadly, feeling self-conscious and critical of one’s own body—and even more severe conditions like eating disorders—are not problems unique to Gen Z. As it turns out, the answer isn’t so clear-cut. Yet, one thing is certain: parents can arm their children with the skills to be savvier, more critical, users of social media and that training should start early.
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The only likely way to have missed the news about the Facebook whistleblower, Frances Haugen, who testified before Congress earlier this week, was if you buried your head under your blankets and pillows for a few days. (And listen, no judgments here…) But her story, and what she has uncovered about Facebook’s nearly unflinching pattern of choosing profits over people (a refrain in all the media coverage) despite the real dangers such choices have created for teenagers, our cohesiveness as a society and our democracy no less, is truly incredible. So, if you missed any of the news, here’s a few items to catch you up. First, Haugen’s full interview with 60 Minutes, when she first revealed her identity, is worth watching. Then you might read up in a Bloomberg Opinion piece why her revelations and her testimony may be so impactful. In short, with the trove of tens of thousands of documents she shared this supremely well-spoken woman, armed with a Harvard MBA and several patents under her name, “revealed what many suspected but couldn’t prove: that Facebook created more lenient secret rules for elite users, that Instagram made body issues worse for one in three teen girls, and that Facebook knowingly amped up outrage on its main site through an algorithm change in 2018, potentially leading to the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol building.” It’s damning, to say the least. But given her clear suggestions for how to handle these problems, she also gives regulators a way better way to respond than they’ve had before. Finally, if you want to read the actual complaints against Facebook that Haugen’s lawyers filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on her behalf, head to CBS News.
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Parental burnout is real. Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, many parents were feeling over-taxed, under-resourced and simply exhausted. Because while parenting is among the most rewarding endeavors anyone can take on, it’s also sometimes really tough. And in this country, especially, child care is expensive and families often have few social supports, making the challenges that much more intense. Parenting through a pandemic has only raised the stakes. So, this week we thought we’d dig in a bit and look at what’s out there on the topic as well as the resources available for parents to manage when they’re feeling particularly overwhelmed.
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Packing school lunches for kids that are enticing, delicious and nutritious can be tricky. Yeah, we get stuck in the PB&J rut, too. But these tips on brain-boosting foods could be the inspiration you need. Walnuts and blueberries? Salmon on sprouted grain bread? Almond butter and berries? Yes please!
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Summer may be winding down, but over here we’re clinging on with white knuckles. Not ready! Not ready! How to cope? By packing in as many last camping trips as we can. For tips on how to make those as fun and memorable as possible, we turned to our friends at Tales of a Mountain Mama and Bring the Kids.
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Next month the 2020 summer Olympics–postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic—will begin in Tokyo. So far, 10 mothers have qualified to represent the United States at the games.
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Looking to up your outdoor baby gear game? Want to buy only what’s necessary and not overdo it, too? This comprehensive, thoughtful, guide from our friends over at Tales of a Mountain Mama will give you all the information you need. From baby carriers perfect for hiking, to sleeping bags, strollers, bouncers, wool layers (duh) and more, they’ve got you (or, well, your little iksplorers, to be precise) well covered
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Today is Endangered Species Day so we thought we’d bring you some reading on the topic:As a place to start, you might be interested in perusing this list of endangered species. And, as you do, you might be surprised to learn which animals are on it. They include several species of orangutan, elephants, dolphins and whales; the black rhino, sea lions, sea turtles, tigers, mountain gorillas and more. It’s not super uplifting to read, we know, but we scoured the Internet and found better news for you, too. So don’t let this deter you. It’s just where we begin. Read on for more.
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In this week’s edition of good environmental news, we bring you stories from Pennsylvania, Virginia and, perhaps most surprisingly, Louisiana. In Pennsylvania, Gov. Tom Wolf recently announced a clean energy initiative that aims to produce almost half of the state government’s electricity from seven new solar energy arrays to be built around the state.
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Happy Mother’s Day, ladies. In honor of the occasion, this week’s Snack Break is all about moms and mothering. There’s obviously infinite material on the topic, so the selections below are just a small, and we hope, interesting sample.
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If you’ve ever tried to explain climate change to your children and felt, um, not quite up to the task, this interactive guide from the New York Times might be the assist you need. Thanks, Times. With a visually appealing design, a nice scroll feature and simple, short bits of text, the piece is a great way to talk about why the climate is warming, how it started, what impacts we’re seeing as a result and what our collective future could look like if we either do nothings or take decisive action now. It’s kid-friendly and adult-level interesting too. Not an easy dunk, but these journos did it.
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Spring is here, the snow is melting, the roads are drying and warmth is creeping into the air. If you’re anything like us, you’re starting to put all your ski and winter gear away for the season and dust off your bike, because, after the streets, the trails will be dry soon enough. But what about your little ones? Do they know how to ride a bike? And, if not, do you want / are you ready to teach them? If you’re feeling anxious about it, don’t. If you follow a couple important rules, your children will be zooming along on their own in no time. This teaching guide from Bicycling should help you avoid some common pitfalls, as will this piece from REI. Key is to start them with a balance bike, not training wheels, not to use a bike that’s too big, not to hold the bike while they learn to pedal and not to push them too much before they’re ready. After that, it should all be cruising fun!
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KG: the most important layer is the first one, the next to skin layer. It’s most important that this layer is breathable, which is why we started this company in the first place, because merino is breathable! That first layer keeps you warmest and driest.Then you want a warmer mid-layer on top and the outer layer last. This last layer is the one that keeps you safe from snow, wind, rain and whatever else is out there.
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Socks. Babies. The two don’t often go that well together – we mean, are there any that actually stay on those tiny toes? Well yes! Glad you asked! We found some! Squid Socks, for ages 0 – 3T, include 100 percent skin safe tested silicone “squiddy dots” inside the cuff that hold socks on -- even as your baby crawls, climbs, wiggles, waddles and more. True story.
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