9 selfies per week

Posted on: 09/29/15 5:45 AM | by Jonathan McKee

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teenagers-selfieShe holds her phone up at a high angle and strikes a sexy pose.

“Click.”

She inspects the picture. “Nope. Too much arm fat.” She tries again.

After four or five tries she captures the image she wants. Now to apply filters…

Funny… five years ago no one even knew what a selfie was. Now, Millennials average 9 selfies per week, spending an average of seven minutes perfecting each one before posting. That’s adds up to about Continue reading “9 selfies per week”

Posted in Parenting, Self Image, Smartphones/Cell Phones, Social Media, Youth Culture |  | Leave A Comment

Book Cover Winners

Posted on: 09/23/15 5:45 AM | by Jonathan McKee

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52-Ways-to-Connect-MCKEEThanks to so many of you last week who gave me feedback on my blog about my new book cover. I, and my publisher, both really appreciate it! It was great to hear what you all thought.

I turned it into a little contest, prompting you that I’d pick five names out of a hat and give them a free copy of the book once it’s on the shelves in the spring. We picked– and here’s the five names Continue reading “Book Cover Winners”

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Which book cover do you like?

Posted on: 09/17/15 5:45 AM | by Jonathan McKee

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My publisher just sent me two sample covers for the new book I’m writing to parents about connecting with their “Smartphone obsessed” kids.

Which cover do you like better? Use the comment feature below… in fact… anyone who includes their name and city in their comment, I’ll drop your name in a hat to win a free copy of the book when it hits the shelves. I’ll draw 5 names and give away 5 of them!

52-Ways-to-Connect-MCKEE

Or take a peek HERE at the other books I’ve written
(or my Amazon author page HERE).

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Top 10 Things I Learned After 1 Week in an RV

Posted on: 09/15/15 5:45 AM | by Jonathan McKee

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RV-trip-funnyJust got back on a really fun trip, just me, Lori and my parents for one week in an RV, traveling 1,000 miles across four states, from Boise, through the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone.

We all had a great time. Here’s what I learned:

  1. Farts are twice as loud in an RV.
  2. Each stop at the gas station required a month’s salary! (Yes, this baby drank like a camel at the pumps!)
  3. Always check the connection on your sewer hose before pulling the “black waste” valve. (Can you say fountain o’ feces?) Continue reading “Top 10 Things I Learned After 1 Week in an RV”

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3 Tips to Keeping Connected with Your Kids… without Becoming That Creepy Parent

Posted on: 09/8/15 10:51 AM | by Jonathan McKee

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smartphoneA brand new study asking U.S. teens and their parents about their social media and mobile app use revealed some intriguing insights, not only about teen’s attitudes about tech, but about how connected… er… disconnected parents really are from their kids tech communication. The study discovered:

  • 79 percent of teens indicate they rarely say things online they regret (which one media outlet interpreted as them “not thinking before they post’).
  • 52 percent of parents say their biggest concern is how much time their teen spends on social media.
  • 43 percent of parents admitted they do not monitor their teen’s digital activity.

Interestingly enough, 88% of parents say they are aware of all or most of the social networks or apps their teens engage with, but yet Continue reading “3 Tips to Keeping Connected with Your Kids… without Becoming That Creepy Parent”

Posted in Entertainment Media, Internet, Parenting, Smartphones/Cell Phones, Social Media |  | Leave A Comment

MTV Helps Kids Make Sense of the World?

Posted on: 09/1/15 5:45 AM | by Jonathan McKee

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dancing dirty“No art form in the world captures moments like this more powerfully than music. Music helps us make sense of the world. A song can elevate a movement.”
–Jussie Smollett of Fox’s Empire, in his speech at the MTV VMA’s, 8/30/2015

Jussie is right. It was probably one of the few noteworthy statements from Sunday night’s MTV Video Music Awards (The VMAs).

Music is powerful. It always has been. In the Old Testament we even read about David soothing King Saul with his music. Perhaps today David would send Saul his newest Spotify playlist (at a safe distance from any spears being hurled his way).

MTV is happy to talk about music’s influence… for good. How come we never see them owning up to the contrary?

After observing the effects of music on young people for two decades, I’ve noticed two observations Continue reading “MTV Helps Kids Make Sense of the World?”

Posted in Entertainment Media, Jonathan's Rant, Music, Parenting, Youth Culture |  | Leave A Comment