Nurture Your Teens’ Digital Wellbeing on TikTok This School Year
Nurturing Your Teens' Digital Wellbeing on TikTok This School Year: Tips and Tricks from an Expert by Tracy Elizabeth As a former educator, a mother and TikTok's Head of Family Safety & Developmental Health, I know firsthand what it’s like to face the evolving challenges of raising children in today's media-saturated world. As a parent, I find real comfort in and take pride in being part of TikTok's infallible commitment to fostering a safer and more positive online environment for all families. At TikTok, my team and I are constantly working to implement evidence-based policies that prioritize the safety and positive development of the teens who use our platform. In our collaborations with trusted partners, such as the Digital Wellness Lab, the Technology Coalition and Thorn, we continually ask ourselves important questions: How can we protect teens while allowing their creativity to flourish unchecked? What tools can we provide to parents and caregivers to empower them in guiding their teens' digital experiences? How can we share our knowledge with parents and caregivers of teens to ensure they, too, feel confident about our platform? To that end, here are five things parents and caregivers can do to nurture their teen’s well-being on TikTok. Know the rules, use the tools Teens will be teens, and today’s teens tend to use social media. If you don’t already have a TikTok account, set one up and learn how to use it together. Our digital Guardian Guide gives parents and caregivers an overview of TikTok and the many tools and controls we’ve built into it to keep our community safe. Put the ‘talk’ in TikTok Adolescence is a time for exploration, and teens are naturally curious about different communities and connecting with a variety of topics. Rather than having them go it alone, be part of that exploration! Try hosting candid family conversations about the ways in which your teen engages online, including and beyond TikTok. This will help bolster their sense of digital citizenship and empower them to be mindful of their own safety on the internet. Pair up! Family Safety Mode links a parent's TikTok account to their teen's and makes it possible to guide their digital well-being. With Screen Time Management, parents and caregivers can limit how much time their teen can spend on the app each day. It also lets parents and caregivers limit who can send messages to their teen, turn direct messaging off altogether, and restrict the appearance of
Empower Yourself with AI Skills: A Quick Guide for Parents
Empower Yourself with AI Skills: A Quick Guide for Parents As we gear up for the back-to-school season, parents are often knee-deep in managing their teens' schedules and shopping for school supplies. But there's a whole new world of possibilities opening up, driven by technology like Generative AI, that many adults are eager to explore this fall. Studies also tell us that this learning can be incredibly rewarding, especially in Canada, where there's a growing AI skills gap, potentially leading to over $100,000 more per year. So how can adults build AI skills without spending years in college or university? The good news is that there are numerous quick, fun, and free courses available for people of all ages to acquire the most in-demand tech skills today. Leading tech companies like Amazon Web Services (AWS) are offering programs both directly to individuals and through colleges and employers. From composing music on a keyboard to programming tiny race cars using AI and Machine Learning skills—today’s tech is a lot easier to learn than you think! Here are some exciting examples and handy tips for parents looking to embark on this AI learning journey: Check out free programs that let you have fun while learning: AWS DeepComposer This program lets you create your own music while learning generative AI techniques. Whether you have a physical keyboard or prefer a virtual one, you can input melodies and harmonies and experiment with various musical styles like rock, pop, jazz, or classical. AWS DeepRacer This one is perfect for both beginners and experts. You get to program and race tiny autonomous vehicles, gaining valuable experience in advanced Machine Learning techniques. Plus, there are AWS DeepRacer leagues where you can compete for some exciting prizes and scholarships. AWS DeepLens Dive into the basics of machine learning using a wireless video camera. Using a technique called computer vision, you can build real-world projects that allow the camera to analyze and act on what it sees. All these programs offer a free trial or free tier, so you can easily kickstart your AI journey. Look for ‘micro credentials’ at your local college or online: These short courses are designed to quickly teach new skills or enhance existing ones and have become incredibly popular. Micro-credentials provide industry-recognized certifications, and a whopping 64% of employers value them as a clear indication of a job seeker's dedication to learning. AWS Skill Builder This platform offers quick and convenient access to over 600 free, on-demand digital
3 reasons why your teen should spend less time on social media
3 reasons why your teen should spend less time on social media by Isabel Tennant Social media seems to be an unstoppable force these days. Children and teenagers of all ages often have access to a wide range of online content. While there are many good aspects to this relatively new phenomenon, it's important for a parent or caregiver to be aware of the potential risks. Children’s brains undergo critical changes during their adolescent years, and their experiences during this time play a major role in shaping them as they become adults. With the impacts of social media just beginning to be understood, here are three reasons why you shouldn’t feel bad about limiting your teenager’s social media usage. Self-esteem It's tough to find an unfiltered and genuine image online. Photos posted on social media are often edited to enhance beauty, presenting a distorted reality to teenagers. For them, this presents a challenging juxtaposition between how they truly look and how they think they should look. Obsessing over perceived flaws and seeking validation through likes and followers can negatively impact their self-esteem. This often leads to mental health issues such as anxiety, body dysmorphia, and eating disorders in teenagers. Research suggests that teens don’t have to cut out social media use entirely to start feeling more positive about themselves. In fact, one study found that reducing consumption by just 50% brought about major improvements in the teenage participants’ self-esteem. Other healthy ways to boost your teen’s self-esteem include encouraging them to spend time working on their hobbies and meeting up with their friends away from screens. It’s a good idea to give your teenager plenty of positive reminders about their personal achievements and attributes to help them focus on what makes them special as a person. Access to age-inappropriate content Online content is difficult to monitor, and teenagers can easily stumble upon inappropriate videos and websites. Content creators have even been known to hide explicit and disturbing content amidst seemingly innocent videos. Because of this, it's important for parents to know how to keep their children safe online. One way to limit the risks of your child seeing things that may distress or confuse them is to set parental controls. Yes, your teenager wants the freedom to use social media as their friends are doing, but balancing their desire for freedom with a safe online environment is crucial. It’s important to keep communication with your teenager open and ensure they feel
5 Products to Help You Beat the Winter Blues
5 Products to Help You Beat the Winter Blues By Rachel Naud This time of year can give you a serious case of the blahs. The fun holidays are over and the warm days of spring are still a ways away. But don’t worry, there are plenty of things you can do to beat those winter blues! Stay Fresh and Odour-Free For starters, why not switch up your personal care routine this winter and check out these natural deodorants from Hello? They smell amazing, coming in scents like Sparkling Peach and Lavender + Vanilla, but more importantly, they offer 24-hour odour protection without using aluminum, baking soda or parabens. You can easily pick them up at Shoppers Drug Mart, Rexall, or Amazon. Start Your Day Right And if you're trying to reduce your sugar intake and want to shake up your breakfast routine, you should definitely check out the Darbo brand of fruit spreads. They've just launched a spread with 80% fruit, which is one of the highest fruit contents you’ll find in the supermarket, meaning up to 50% less sugar than other jams. You can really taste the fruit, and it’s a great way to beat the winter blues because fruits are synonymous with sunshine and summer. You can easily pick it up at most independent grocers. Get Your Game On For families beating the winter blues by going away this March Break, the Nintendo Switch OLED Model is the perfect game system to take on the go. It has a 7-inch screen and is designed to go wherever you do, transforming from home console to portable system in a snap. Once you arrive at your destination, you can easily connect your Nintendo Switch to a TV and enjoy a wide variety of amazing games to play together with family and friends. And with March 10th known as “MAR10 Day,” a whole day dedicated to celebrating everyone’s favourite mustachioed hero, Mario, Nintendo is offering some great promotions starting this week, including a Nintendo Switch bundle that includes a system and your choice of a free Mario game download for $399 (a $79 saving!) and so many more great promotions on select games featuring Mario! You can learn more about all the promotions on Nintendo.ca. Relax and Recharge Of course, there’s nothing better than a little self-care to beat those winter blues. For all things pampering, you can always trust Dr. Teals. Their Lavender Epsom Salt and Foaming Bath set
5 Tips for Guiding Your Child’s Social Media Use
The Social Media Battle: Examining Its Impact and Helping Our Youth Use Responsibly By Brandy Browne There is no denying that online platforms have boomed in recent years. In fact, The Mayo Clinic (2022) reports that an estimated 45 per cent of teens ages 13-17 are online “almost constantly”, with social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and/or Snapchat being the most popular. Social media play a huge role in influencing our youth — both positively as well as negatively, regardless of whether we use it extensively or not. For example, social media platforms are places where teens can connect with others, and in many cases, find valuable support systems that might be harder to find in person. Teens with chronic illnesses might find online support groups with other teens fighting the same battle. It is also home to a plethora of opportunities to connect with others with similar interests in hobbies, music, television, sports, etc. On the flip side, it can be damaging at times. Teens often report that social media use is the reason for losing sleep at night and getting distracted from class, homework, or chores. The Mayo Clinic also reports that teens who spend more than three hours per day on social media may have a heightened risk of developing mental health problems. The issue for teens (and let’s face it, adults as well) is that social media portrays a highlight reel for so many. It’s so easy to look at another person’s Facebook story and think they have it all together, but the reality is that we’re much more comfortable posting our joys for others to share than our sorrows. 5 Tips for Guiding Your Child’s Social Media Use We want to ensure our youth use social media responsibly, as well as make sure it improves their lives, not makes them worse. Here are some tips to help you get started. Start a conversation Social media is a powerful tool, so you should make sure your teen knows how to use it responsibly. Set the expectation that it should not interfere with school or responsibilities. It’s also a good idea to set limits on social media use at night (i.e. no electronics after a certain time of the evening) in order to maintain good sleeping habits. Monitor your teen’s social media accounts This one is controversial. I want to give my eleven-year-old child some privacy, but as her parent, I have a responsibility to keep her safe. Keeping
19 Gifts for Every Family Member: The Ultimate Gift Guide
19 Gifts for Every Family Member: The Ultimate Gift Guide By Arianne Granada Are you having trouble finding gifts for the whole family? We don't blame you. There are a lot of people in your life that deserve to get a gift this holiday season. While we're sure they'd all love an extra pair of socks or another shirt, it's also important to give them something they'll remember and enjoy for years to come. Here are some great choices: Tissot Bellissima Small Lady Whether your mom is an artist or a businesswoman, a classic watch will always be in style — and this one from Tissot is no exception. The Bellissima Small Lady features an elegant design with a timeless rose gold finish and a custom case back engraving for an extra personal touch. She’ll love its jewelry-like feel and versatility to wear with almost any outfit. Everlast Yoga Essential Kit Have a sister that's new to yoga and wants to get fit? Maybe she's looking for a way to get in shape that's not expensive and time-consuming but offers benefits such as pain relief, reduced depression levels, and increased muscle mass? This Everlast Yoga Essential Kit might just be the perfect gift. The kit comes with three great tools: a cotton yoga strap; lightweight EVA foam bricks; and a non-slip mat with printed poses on it. The perfect gift for beginning yogis who want to build confidence in their practice as well as more advanced students who want something they can carry while travelling. Tissot Gentleman Powermatic Open Heart Have you ever wanted to pamper your Dad with a luxury gift? Well, we’ve got the perfect classic and timeless (pun intended!) gift for him. Featuring a contemporary open-heart design, the Tissot Gentleman Powermatic Open Heart is an elegant watch. Its strong curved horns create a harmonious continuation of the watch, ensuring pleasant wear around the wrist. It is a stunning piece that dad will treasure for years to come. Jack Black Refresh & Restore Set If you have an athletic brother who's always on the go and needs to start taking care of their skin, give them the Jack Black Refresh & Restore set. With a body & hair cleanser, body lotion, and face cleanser, this set meets all his daily care needs. These best-selling formulas provide him with everything he needs to look good, smell good, and feel good all day long. Eilish Eau de Parfum 2-Piece Holiday Gift Set If you have
10 Ways to Have a Very Techy Christmas
10 Ways to Have a Very Techy Christmas by Arianne Granada Know that feeling when you receive a shiny new gadget for Christmas, and you can't wait to play around with it? Yeah, that's what we'll be like on the 25th. So, whether it’s your teen who loves gaming, a friend who can never live without music, or even a grandparent that just wants to keep up with the trends—we got you covered! Acer 317 Chromebook A Chromebook is a great laptop for families who want a simple, yet powerful laptop to use at home or on the go. An intuitive interface is designed to work well for both children and adults. Acer 317 Chromebook is definitely designed for multiple users. Despite being lightweight, this device still packs enough processing power to stream music and shop online without any issues when you're out and about. Using it is as easy as it gets. With built-in Google apps like Gmail, YouTube, and Maps, you don't need to install anything else. Apple Watch SE If you're looking for the perfect gift for your fitness-crazy teen, it can be tricky. With so many options, it can be easy to become overwhelmed. Thankfully, there's one perfect gift: an Apple watch! The new generation of Apple Watch SE continues to deliver the core Apple Watch experience, all at a more affordable price. It includes health and safety features like Activity tracking, high and low heart rate notifications, Emergency SOS and all-new Crash Detection. Powered by watchOS 9, Apple Watch SE delivers more than ever before. Available in midnight, starlight or silver—or even pink!—this is sure to be their favourite Christmas present this year! Lenovo Duet 5 Now, this little gem is a great option for anyone who wants to share their favourite tablet games with their grandkids. Its touchscreen makes it a great way to play mobile games on a large screen. The effortless navigation also makes it easy to use. This ultra-thin model—with its 13.3’ lightweight display—also makes it easy to carry this laptop anywhere! Whether your grandparent wants to receive and view photos of their grandchildren or watch the news, this Lenovo laptop ensures a bright and clear image wherever they may be. iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Plus Christmas is the perfect time to reward your hardworking teen. And we have the perfect gift idea: iPhone 14 Plus! Any teenager will be impressed with the features of this phone because it is the latest and greatest from
4 Fun Winter Advent Calendar Ideas for the Family
4 Fun Winter Advent Calendar Ideas for the Family by Rachel Naud The cold, dreary days of winter may be coming soon, but that doesn’t mean the fun has to stop! Here are some ideas for your family's winter advent calendar that will keep you and yours entertained! Guides for Managing Finances With the holidays coming up—and the cost of everything going up—now is a good time to have a talk with your teen about finances. Have a teen that is at that age where they don’t have a job but seems to have expensive taste? Teach them about financial literacy and how to manage their money! The SideKick Mastercard from Hero Financials is a reliable tool that helps tweens and teens understand and manage money efficiently and effectively. No need to set your kids up with a new bank account, you just sign up at herofinancials.com and you can load money on it and use the budgeting tool to divide the money between pre-created categories: general, living expenses, eating out, travel, shopping, and fun which will help your kids budget for what is most important to them. There’s actually a cash-back promotion on the site right now (sign up for Hero's annual plan and get $50 cash back plus a free upgrade after your first load!), which is super cool and the card can be used anywhere a prepaid Mastercard is accepted–in-store or online. Hot Meals for Cozy Nights Is there anything better than cooking a delicious, hot meal on a cold, snowy night? Here’s an idea: get your teen involved and celebrate Pizza Fridays! It's so easy to make, and when you use good-quality ingredients, it makes for a great pizza! To make the sauce, use Mutti tomatoes—it’s fresh just like a summer tomato, even though outside the snow may be flying! Made with 100% Italian tomatoes, this sauce makes for a simple, yet absolutely delicious meal. Fun fact! Some tomatoes are better for certain recipes and to pick the best one for your recipe, Mutti has come up with a handy guide to bring your recipe to the next level—check it out on muttipolpa.ca. Games for Game Nights When the weather turns cold, don’t you just like to heat up the competition with a family game night? Your family will absolutely love the Nintendo Switch OLED Model because it has a 7-inch screen and the colours and graphics are even more vibrant. With the Mario Kart 8
Back to School Tips: Internet Safety for Kids
Back to School Tips: Internet Safety for Kids by Myla Pilao Now that the fall has sprung, children of all ages have returned to school for the new year. The use of digital technology and the Internet is a normal part of life for children now, at home — but increasingly in school as well. And while long-term trends had already formed, the COVID-19 pandemic saw such changes go into overdrive, with children across Canada spending an average of six hours a day of screen time every day, and some children even spending up to 13 hours per day on screens. Life in front of a screen According to a recent survey, two-thirds of parents allow their children to use the Internet independently, and over 70 percent have admitted to their children engaging in risky online behaviour. With the increasing daily use of digital technology, it's critical for parents to integrate digital literacy and cyber hygiene into their child’s learning process. The Internet is a powerful tool offering a multitude of positive benefits, but it also has its risks. It is up to individuals to practice safe browsing habits that protect them and their families from malicious actors. This will enable them to enjoy all the positive opportunities that the Internet has to offer. To help improve kids’ safety and awareness online, Trend Micro, a global cybersecurity solutions company, launched the Cyber Academy, which offers 7–10-year-olds a series of video-based lessons and learning materials designed to upgrade children’s digital literacy skills in a way that’s meaningful and engaging. The Cyber Academy consists of Internet safety lessons that focus on passwords, two-factor authentication, security and privacy among others. These free 10-15 minute lessons can be delivered on-demand and are available to teachers in the classroom or a guardian at home. This tool is also available in eleven different languages including Czech, Deutsch, Spanish, French, Italian, Polish, Chinese and Arabic. Trend Micro’s Myla Pilao, Director of Technology Marketing and an avid advocate for the safety of children online, has shared a few tips for parents to keep in mind: Have conversations about online safety in today’s digital world Encourage your kids to ask questions. Make them feel safe to share if someone or something online makes them feel uncomfortable Practice Digital Empathy teaching kids to be kind to others online and offline is essential. Respecting others’ boundaries and privacy will make them recognize when someone is trespassing on theirs. Teach children about privacy and password
Back-to-School Survival Kit
Back-to-School Survival Kit by Rachel Naud It's back-to-school time! Teens everywhere may be dreading the start of another year, but we've got some good news: it's easier than ever to make your teen's back-to-school experience enjoyable! Check out our list of essential items that will help make the transition into the new school year easier for both you and them. For Taking Notes Remember during university days and not wanting to write or jot notes in your textbooks so you could keep them pristine and sell them afterwards? Post-it® Notes are perfect for this job! They are handy for making study notes as well as jotting down quick ideas and tasks to help keep you organized. These Post-it® Super Sticky Notes have two times the sticking power compared to the original Post-it® Notes. They’ll not only stick to most flat surfaces but also come off easily and cleanly! And, of course, who doesn’t love the fun new colours they’ve launched this year? For Scratch-Free Dorm Rooms If you have a university student moving into a dorm, they’ll want to keep Scotch® Wall-Safe Tape on hand. In most dorms, you're not allowed to nail anything to the walls. This tape is ideal for displaying posters, photos, and more. As an added bonus, Scotch® Magic™ Tape is invisible, which makes it perfect for school projects, crafts, or simply mending torn pages! For Managing Finances Does your teen have expensive taste and you want to teach them how to effectively manage their money? Get them started with Hero Financials and teach them financial literacy. It’s a reliable tool that helps tweens and teens understand and manage money efficiently and effectively. Your kids don't need a new bank account! Just sign up at herofinancials.com, and you can load money on it and use a variety of features, including a budgeting tool, recurring allowances, and block lists, to help them budget for what matters most to them. It comes with a physical SideKick Mastercard, which can be used anywhere a prepaid Mastercard is accepted in-store or online. Hero has some incentives going on at the moment for new signups, so make sure to visit Hero Financials to check it out. For Easy Organization Want to teach your teen the art of time management? The Echo Show 15 has widgets that are Alexa-powered to help keep your teen on track with shared calendars, personal sticky notes, to-do lists, shopping lists, and assigned reminders. Not only that, but they