In the never-ending and possibly futile race to keep up with our children’s technology, I am always looking for an advantage. Sometimes it is simply learning how to upload photos in new software, other times it is making sure my children understand their online responsibility and safety.  In this case, one tool that can help is an educational app designed to simulate a social network, while teaching correct behavior and how to deal with online pitfalls.

‘BeSeen’ is a single-player game that simulates a social networking site where players create a profile and travel through a condensed school-year, with each game day equaling a fraction of a minute in real life. To earn awards, the player must make positive choices when presented with challenging social situations and solve puzzles along the way. The game is designed to help kids understand responsible online behavior such as securing their personal information, protecting their privacy and defending their peers against cyber bullying.

Best of all it is free in the Android market.   ‘BeSeen’ was developed for Web Wise Kids in collaboration with The Wireless Foundation and Trend Micro Internet Safety for Kids and Family , with additional funding from The Verizon Foundation.

“Here at Web Wise Kids, we are thrilled by the opportunity to introduce our app ‘BeSeen’ to the Android Market,” says Judi Westburg Warren, president of Web Wise Kids. “Entering this exciting marketplace allows us to reach thousands of kids on the topic of online safety and digital citizenship.”

The free mobile app, ‘BeSeen ’ is now available for download in the Android Market here: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.cylab.BeSeen

It is also available for download in the iTunes App Store.

“Some of the best feedback we are hearing from parents is that they enjoy how ‘BeSeen’ is a way for their kids to take a ‘test run’ on a social network before going so far as to register on an existing website,” continues Judi Westburg Warren. “We are excited that this app allows us to prepare youths for the digital world in a responsible and fun manner.”

Check it out and let us know what you think.

Ah, the first day back to school. The clothes to wear, the new lunchbox, the friends and rivals gone missing for three months. New classroom, new teacher, new school. These are just some of the things students stress over from kindergarten through the rest of their academic career. A child’s anxiety over these first-day details inevitably leads to stress for us as well.  So what is the best way to deal with the nerves on both sides? Here are some of my favorite tips to make the transition run smoothly.

Many schools have open house days before the school year begins. Take take advantage of these and take a tour with your children. Knowing where to go the first day is

Continue Reading Dealing with Back to School Nerves

Jennifer L. Jacobsen, director of PR and Social Media for the electronics review blog, Retrevo.com,  has compiled some interesting statistics regarding how us parents use social media in our daily lives. The respondents in the study consisted of over 1,000  online individuals in June of 2011, compiled by an independent panel.

The study found:

18% of parents say they feel like they couldn’t stop using Facebook/Twitter even if they wanted to.
47% of parents of kids under 19 say they’ve used Facebook to learn more about their kid’s friends.
iPhone owning parents (iParents) are twice as likely (28%)  to get anxious when they don’t check Facebook/Twitter as most parents (14%).
Dads are more likely (13%) to

Continue Reading Move Over Helicopter Parents: “IParents” Are Here

Children the world over share some common loves. Chicken nuggets and french fries. Bipedal talking livestock. And let’s add one more–Butts. The first time I used the word “butt” with one of my sons, he giggled uncontrollably repeating the word to himself for the rest of the day. It was as if it were hardwired in his brain, somewhere between “Mama” and “More“.  Of course it is not the most productive concept to be able to identify the derrière of every living and inanimate object on the planet. Many parents understandably choose to shoosh the behavior altogether. Now there is a place to channel all that untamed observational skill. Children’s author Artie Bennett has captured all-things-butt in his charming children’s book, The Butt Book.

As a

Continue Reading Daddy Says Review: The Butt Book