Keeping the Kids in Tiptop Shape
Our advanced technological age, with its plethora of online platforms to connect people all over the world, is riddled with obvious benefits as well as unfortunate side effects. Nearly 60% of children ages 8–12 have a smartphone, so cyberbullies and online predators pose a legitimate threat. Parents now wonder what they can do to preserve their child’s safety without completely invading their privacy, and many have turned to Bark for help. According to Bark’s website, the app was created in collaboration with child psychologists, youth advisors, digital media experts, and law enforcement professionals to deliver a research-backed way of safeguarding families using technology. Once purchased, the app connects to 24 platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, etc.) to monitor text messages, emails, and social activity for signs of harmful content and interactions. When Bark’s algorithms detect potential risks, it alerts parents via email and text and sends them snippets of flagged content paired with recommendations from child psychologists on how to talk to their kids about it. Since its launch in 2016, Bark has scanned more than a billion messages from 2 million children and claims to have helped prevent dozens of potential suicides, school shootings, and bomb threats through its detection of problematic language. While the app’s claims are certainly advantageous, many parents wonder if they are infringing on their child’s privacy. According to Jasmina Byrne, a child protection specialist at UNICEF, the privacy concerns get exponentially worse if parents don’t inform their kids about the app. Other experts claim parents should let their child know they are using the tracking app, but, as a result, the children might feel forced to express themselves differently, which poses a threat to their online freedom. While there has yet to be 100% consensus among child psychology experts regarding parental smartphone-monitoring software, all seem to agree that if a parent deploys these types of apps, the experience can lead to better family communication if they let their kids know about it, and Bark might be the safest and least invasive option on the market thus far. Bark Lets Parents See Potential Online Threats to Their Kids How Does the App Work? What Do the Experts Say About It?
For National School Backpack Awareness Day
September is the first full month of the new school year for most students, and they’re likely to be armed with all the school supplies they could ever need! With everything required of them, kids need a way to carry their supplies to and from school. The most common means of transporting supplies is a backpack, and knowing how to manage a heavy backpack full of school supplies is vital. Sept. 18 is National School Backpack Awareness Day, and it’s the perfect time to take a look at how backpacks can affect a child’s physical health. Far Too Heavy Students have a lot to carry around, and it’s essential to distribute that weight evenly and not overpack. Heavier items, such as textbooks or binders, should be centered and placed in the bigger back pockets and lighter items stored in the front pockets. According to the Ameritech College of Healthcare, the total weight of the backpack should not be more than 10% of a person’s weight. The One-Arm Sling Many students like to wear their packs with only one strap over a shoulder if they’re in a rush. However, this can cause poor posture, pain, or injury, especially if the backpack is too heavy. Using both shoulder straps on the pack helps distribute weight evenly across the back, minimizing potential health problems. Using Shoulder Straps Correctly A backpack that sits too low on a person’s back can imbalance someone, forcing them to lean forward or backward to adjust, and cause back pain. Adjust the straps of the pack so it sits at least 2 inches above the hips and just below the shoulders, centered on a person’s back. Using a chest and waist strap will also help keep the pack close and secure to your body. These measures don’t only apply to students returning to school. Whether your family is planning a camping trip, hike, or a bike ride, knowing the proper way to wear a backpack will help your family avoid back pain or even injury!
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