Growing In Tech

We made up a word for this episode. Kelsey and I spent hours diving into some of the apps available for young kids that are focused on being entertaining and scholarly...sholartainment? Well that's just ridiculous, how about FUNUCATIONAL!!! Parents should be aware of the content their kids are absorbing and we make it a little bit easier for you by reviewing a handful of apps and telling you which ones we enjoy (blog post to follow for those who prefer words that are typed). We also tell you to be wary of YouTube Kids...some really messed up videos on that app. Hope you enjoy!

Just Nick this week. The flu crept in to the Banks' home and Kelsey is fighting off that no-good illness. I, however, have an amazing immune system due to years of eating Taco Bell and drinking craft beer. I'll be your solo host for this episode, like it or not. I answer a few questions from one of our loyal listeners and dive into a rant about Twitch.tv. Just make sure you know that there are no parental controls for those accounts and many of the gamers that broadcast their gameplay are highly obnoxious and toxic.

In this episode we focus on a few things in the news over the past week or so. Intel has a lot to answer for due to a vulnerability that impacts all CPU architectures. We talk about what it means to us and how users can protect themselves...even though there's really no clean fix for it. Kelsey and I also really love the fact that Apple and Facebook are stepping up the responsibility game and addressing some concerns that have been brought up over the years. Here's hoping for some change. This week's STEM project is a "sweet" one. Hope you enjoy!

This week we take a look at the concept of digital fasting and how we are going to implement it in our upcoming weeks. We challenge our listeners to unplug and experience the benefits of being able to disconnect for a period of time. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2276752/Mobile-users-leave-phone-minutes-check-150-times-day.html https://www.becomingminimalist.com/unplug-please/  

We recently underwent some changes in the way we are going to deliver content to y'all. First thing to change was the title...it didn't really convey the meaning behind our podcast and it had to change. So, here we are, starting fresh as "Growing in Tech". Our topics are still going to focus on tech use in the family...but with a lot more preparation of episodes prior to recording. This episode addresses some of the changes for 2018 as well as a list of our "tech resolutions" for the year. We hope you enjoy!   Intro music was made by Scott Holmes: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes/Music_for_TV__Film/Scott_Holmes_-_03_-_Inspiring_Corporate

Merry Christmas everyone! We apologize for the delay in getting this episode to you. December has been a crazy month for us and we had quite a bit going on. We are going to hop back on the weekly cycle for 2018 with a rebranded look and feel to the podcast and website. Kelsey has a couple new STEAM activities to share with us in a new segment that we will be doing each month. She talks about a fun activity to do with left-over candy canes and also a great sensory activity for younger kiddos that brings the winter indoors...without the 20 degree weather. Nick skims the surface of the recent repeal to net neutrality and what it could mean for consumers and content providers. He also has a few not so nice things to say about some of the large corporate entities that continuously make blunders at the cost of consumer privacy and product quality. We wrap things up by giving tips on how to repurpose older tech by installing cool apps to turn your old smart phones into trackpads and even breathing new life into agin

Episode 11 Show Notes Thanks listeners for the past two episodes rating pretty high in comparison to our first episodes. Our Week In A Nutshell Sister came home from Arizona for the weekend! New car fun   Avoid these Gift Blunders Avoid budget tech Chargers with low amperage Slow novelty flash drives Dirt cheap tablets/laptops Cheap drones (destined to crash/break/cause kids to cry) Not all geeks are the same We don't all love Doctor Who Star Wars vs Star Trek (there is a difference)   Fun Gifts for the Family Amazon Fire 7/8 Kids Edition Tablet Parent dashboard for additional controls Discussion card to spark conversation on the content their kids are viewing. Amazon (Helping out our corporate overlords) Low resolution screen (but good enough for the kiddos) Escape Room Tickets Puzzles and critical thinking Teamwork Difficult for younger kids NES Classic/SNES Classic Preloaded with dozens of games Multiple controllers Hard to find I prefer an emulator Sous Vide and Instant

Episode 10 Show Notes We hit a couple of our first milestones with this episode. Not only is it our tenth episode published, it is also our first episode with guest speakers. Circling back to the topic of STEAM that we focused on last month, we wanted to have a discussion with those in the field. Our guests were Amy Stermer, Michael Tanoff, and Mark Cardwell and we talk about some concepts of getting youth interested in the STEAM fields. We also discuss art's place in the movement. We discuss the differences between a "normal" public school offering to the curricula designed with a project based STE(A)M focus. The guests discuss that art/design has always been there, but calling it out can prevent self-exclusion by kids who label themselves as not a science kid. We hope to have recurring discussions on these topics and even get more granular with some projects that the instructors are incorporating into their classrooms. ***Note***  There was a moment where we lost about 4-5 seconds of Mark Cardwell's vo

Last episode we talked about age limits and what our thoughts of appropriate social media account creation. We want to talk a bit more of the ramifications of preadolescence and teen use of Facebook and other social media sites. Not everything is scary though, with proper knowledge and emotional maturity, social media can be a great tool in your child's arsenal. From last episode:Yik-Yak taken off the store, but still functions if installed on devices Dangers of Facebook Use for Preteens and Teens   Cyberbullying and online harassment   What is it? Can be simply writing and sending hurtful things to another Intentionally trying to embarrass another kid in video/photos Threatening/intimidating others online Creating fake accounts to try to embarrass others Trolling people you don't know to make them feel bad Trying to control someone else Differences between the two (not much of a difference) Impact of cyberbullying/harassment on a teen Isolation Depression Anxiety Rare, tragic occasions of

Newer parents have a decision to make that no other generation has really ever had to consider. What age is appropriate to introduce your child to their own social media accounts? How do you know they are ready and what should you do to prepare them for it? We talk a bit about our thoughts on kids on social media and try to help parents navigate those waters. We believe in leading by example and offer some tips to families to incorporate social media accounts in a healthy way. We also give a shout out to John Wilkerson at The Wired Homeschool. His podcast (iTunes / Google Play) has a ton of tips for families that is very much relevant even outside of a home school setting. Here is a nice document provided by the American Psychiatric Association that shows a lot of info-graphics on the trends of social media/digital dependence in different demographics.

Episode in a Nutshell We discuss Nick's disdain for antivirus software and why the default tool in Windows is good enough. There are some helpful browsing tips and reassurances to people using up-to-date operating systems and browsers. We also discuss some viral infections in the news with C-Cleaner and Equifax. Nick is also enjoying the Stranger Things mobile game...check it out, it's free and brings back memories of the SNES. Reference Links Equifax Serving Spyware Why not hit them while they are down. Equifax's customer information portal was telling users to update their flash player which instead would download a nasty piece of adware. Avast CCleaner - Now With Malware Last month CCleaner was bundled with malware. Over 2 million downloads impacted. Crapware like this should be avoided at all costs.

Episode 6 - Show Notes We wanted to do a quick follow up episode on implementing project based learning activities for your little ones to enjoy. The activities don't break the bank and can offer hours (or minutes, depending on attention levels) of fun. Resources/Project Links DIY Smart Phone Projector DIY Virtual Reality Gear Lava Lamp Project Next Time We are hoping to solidify a date to get the STEAM panel on the line for episode 7. We can't wait to hear their opinions and insights on what is going on in the world of STEAM.  

This week we discuss a bit about the STEM movement and the push to add arts and design to STEM programs. We discuss our visit to the STEAM Village exhibit at Grand Rapids Art Prize.

In this episode, we discuss the importance of backing up your data. Nick talks about the built in tools on each primary operating system, there are plenty more out there. We also talk about this awesome app called Hoopla that your library is most likely already partnered with.

Part 2 of our Gaming in the Family topic. We talk about the effects and signs of gaming addiction and our thoughts on the topic. We also discuss some rules we plan on implementing to ensure that gaming is a healthy hobby in our family.

Kelsey and I discuss our experiences with gaming addiction and our past interactions with video games. We explain our reasoning on why we sold our gaming PCs and quit gaming for a season. We hope you enjoy!

In this episode we discuss a few of the changes that we've noticed from the early years of the digital revolution to now. We touch on the topic of net neutrality and also our thoughts on Amazon Fresh. Intro/outro music by Scott Holmes

In this first episode we give an introduction to ourselves and the podcast. We share a bit about our family and what makes us tick. We hope you enjoy Episode 0 of the Handy Dandy Duo podcast. Intro Music Clipped from "Sandbox Jingle" by Scott Holmes. http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Holmes/Music_for_TV__Film/Scott_Holmes_-_07_-_Sandbox_Jingle_No_Vocals