Tag Archives: Social network

Baby Boomers and Technology Evolving

Baby Boomers and Technology Evolving

As a representative of the baby boomer generation, I am lucky to have seen and experienced the evolution of technology over the years. Technology’s ongoing advancements make almost everything more convenient these days. I’m still in awe at how the internet has changed the world in numerous ways – how it lets us connect with distant people, how we can explore and find new things we never knew existed until we see it on Google, how fast things spread and so much more!

Plus, I couldn’t imagine that life would be so much easier with the help of the cool gadgets available today. You can simply download a game, different apps ranging from social, photo to video sharing instantly and most of them are free of charge!  These gadgets are generally referred to as apps and are great on your mobile devices.  On the computer the different browser refer to them as extensions.

Instagram's Hyperlapse App

A new app that’s starting to create a buzz in the social community is Instagram’s Hyperlapse. I’ve seen a few awesome videos and read a lot of good reviews about it.

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Grandchildren Want Digital Connections

Grandchildren Want Digital Connections

Connecting with Grandchildren via Digital

Grandchildren want digital connections with their grandparents.  Are you staying current enough to be there – where ever that is – when they ask for it?  It used to be my space, then facebook, text, twitter, instagram and so on.  By the time we master it seems they have found something new.  So I am now finding something that allows me to connect with them and they know I am there for them.

I have hang outs with my 3 year old granddaughter so we can read a book together.  We also skype and facetime.  My eight year old granddaughter loves to do facetime and practice her charms.  My 13 year old grandson posts things to instagram and sometimes I see it.  My 11 year old grandson love food so he checks out my recipes and asks for special meals when he visits.  The 15 year old keeps me on my toes and teaches me what I need to know.

How about you?

Games for the 50+, Grandparents & Grandchildren Friendly Video 

blog.aarp.org4/24/13

The right game environment offers both the connections around activity and adventure but also helps to bridge the digital differences between generations. Next time, we’ll talk about some surprising connections between 

 

Grandchildren Want More Digital Family Connections

11/4/12

A survey of almost a thousand UK youngsters reveals that they are fine with their parents and grandparents being on Facebook; in fact, they want more family connectedness on social networks. Here are more highlights from 

http://www.retirementhomes.com/library/5-digital-ways-to-connect-grandparents-with-grandchildren/“>5 Digital Ways To Connect Grandparents With Grandchildren

10/30/12

Every person starts off with four grandparents. Even so, it’s common that some or all grandparents may live many hours away. Precious time between these generations is sweet but often too short. But now technology provides Read the rest of this entry

SquareHub Family Network

SquareHub Family Network

A Private Family Network – SquareHub

Do you need a private way to communicate with EVERYONE in your Family – and no one else. There’s an App for that – SquareHub Family Network.   As a grandmother, I am in awe of the amount of coordination required to manage today’s busy family.  I am often asked to help in the pick ups or transfers or game day events.  When live gets complicated, clear communication is difficult and that is BEFORE you add in the element of teenage communication skills – with their grandparent, no less.

This nifty new app might  be just the thing to communicate with everyone we need to and not those we don’t.   SquareHub, a free iOS mobile app for sending private messages and photos, coordinating activities, and sharing those spontaneous moments of joy with just the family.

5-19-2013 1-08-25 PM

 

SquareHub addresses the need to coordinate multiple activities each day while keeping personal information private. With SquareHub, every family member on the network can send instant private messages and photos. Parents can coordinate activities and kids can request a pickup or tell parents privately when they will be home. SquareHub replaces the inconvenience of multiple communication avenues—texting, phone calls and email—with the ease of a single app that all members can use.

Families with active teenagers, professional parents, divorced parents, and military families will love the privacy protection, efficiency, and virtual presence SquareHub brings to their daily communication. With SquareHub, families no longer have to think twice about sharing personal details like where everybody is, what everyone is doing and those goofy, memorable moments they want to share with each other.

 

Plus it appears to be a great planning tool for my brothers and I as we are coordinating help for our parents.  Add an element of fun and you have what appears to be a very useful tool.

5-19-2013 1-07-22 PM

Did I mention it is FREE and PRIVATE?  I love that!

 

 

Keeping Kids safe of Social Sites

Keeping Kids safe of Social Sites

Safety online  is so important and something that grandparents are concerned about.  There are so very many phisihng scams, bullys, identity thiefs etc that it is hard to know what is legitimate and what is not and how much freedom should our kids have online.

Some of  the worst experiences on social sites arise when kids are being mean to each other, posting unwanted photos, and/or revealing secrets about others. Let’s face it, children don’t understand the consequences of “innocent” actions they may take.  This is a good post by my friend Laura Rubenstein who shares some  steps to take to keep your kids safe.  http://www.socialbuzzclub.com/451/kids-safe-on-facebook

Another good article to research is found here:

How To Keep Your Kids Safe On Facebook – AllFacebook

In the age of social networks, it becomes more and more common for parents to monitor their children’s social network profile — in the future, it’ll be part of their parental duty of supervi …

Finally, this is a great video about some of the ‘kid friendly’ social sites that your kids or grandkids may be visiting.


Digital Sage for Grandparents

 

Does Your Facebook Profile Embarrass your Grandchild?

Does Your Facebook Profile Embarrass your Grandchild?

Do you have a Facebook page?  Well, of course you do!  Does your grandchild?  Are you allowed to be friends with them?  First they have to be over 13 to have an account on Facebook officially, then it would be nice if your grandchild wants to be friends but if not, don’t push it – remember, in their eyes we are still more like parents and Facebook is for friends.

But if you do have a grandchild that you are friends with, or to make sure that when you ask they are willing to accept your request, you should do these things:

1)  Make sure your profile is up to date with a good timeline cover and profile picture

2)  Make sure you are not posting embarrassing pictures of yourself or your grandchildren

3)  Make sure your comments and posts are something you would not mind your grandchild seeing – this is a turn about on the old make sure your
Embarrassed Teen
post would make your mother proud

4)  Make sure you are not too mushy – remember, their friends can see this and anything you say can be held against them – or restrict your posts to certain privacy settings

5)  Do share inspirational or instructional posts

6)  Do like or share current events that may be of interest to your grandchild

7)  Do find humor and joy in every day and share it!

Embrace new technology. Instead of seeing new gadgets and technologies as a burden refusing to learn how to send a text message, or post on facebook, or twitter, run toward it and learn more about why people love it. Take a class at the local Apple store or ask your grandchildren to teach you about how to maximize your smartphone usage.