Posts by Ryan
Too Much Too Young
You may have seen a recent story posted on the Medium website titled, “I’m a 37-Year-Old Mom & I Spent Seven Days Online as an 11-Year-Old Girl. Here’s What I Learned.” This story was sent to me by numerous folks who support the mission of Shape The Sky. I have to admit, it’s a catchy headline, and I’m sure many people wanted to know what the 37-year-old mom learned.
Read More1st Graders with Smartphones
With the recent Christmas holiday, many students have been talking to me about the electronic devices they received as gifts. One of my recent conversations was with a first grader who got a phone but told me that he “can’t call on, but can do everything else.” He then pointed out that he was unable to text because he wasn’t good at spelling yet.
Read MoreRandom Chat Apps
I’ve been talking about random “chat roulette” type of apps since I started my trainings in 2012. These types of apps have changed and morphed over the years, but the function is basically the same: you are randomly connected with a “stranger” also using the app anywhere in the world. What has changed is the age of the kids using these apps.
Read MoreDressember: Fighting Modern Slavery
Today I am taking a moment to shape your sky about a topic that is dear to my heart. Slavery exists in every city around the world. It haunts massage parlors and truck stops.
Read MoreHealthy (Digital) Relationships
Our kids learn from our example. We must teach them about healthy relationships in-person by showing them what a healthy relationship looks like. The linked article is an inspirational read about teaching your daughter what healthy love looks like through role-modeling.
Read MoreIllegal Image Trading on Popular Apps
I’ve been talking about encrypted messaging apps at my trainings for years. There is competition in this market and there are many apps that offer end-to-end encryption, meaning that only the person sending and the recipient can see the message.
Read MorePredator Uses Bible App to Target Teen Girls
Anywhere kids will be online, predators will try to connect with them. We must be proactive in knowing what apps we permit our children to use, understand how these apps work and understand that predators can use apps hidden in plain sight.
Read MoreApp review: “Lure”
A parent emailed me asking if I thought the Lure app was appropriate for his 12 year old child. I did my research. Lure is a “Chat Fiction” app that allows the reader to follow a story told as if you were watching someone’s text message log.
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