Mobile Device Etiquette For Parents And Kids

“Call me when you arrive so I know you arrived safely,” my concerned parents used to ask when I was a kid. That phrase presumed that the check-in would occur from a destination landline. Today, for a growing number of kids, a check-in might occur via a text message, an email, Twitter, Facebook or Foursquare — undoubtedly via a mobile device. Parent and child check-ins can be active, passive, public or private. For better or worse, the ubiquity of mobile technology is introducing new conveniences, expectations, responsibilities and challenges for parents and kids. To bring clarity to these unchartered waters, we dedicated the latest Cast of Dads podcast to sharing views, strategies, practices and fears. My toddlers don’t have mobile devices yet, but I know that day is not far off.

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Episode 13: Tracking, Texting & Texas

Topics discussed on this episode:

• South By Southwest
• Location awareness and why apps like FourSquare & Gowalla can be great for parents
• Active vs. Passive tracking of our children
• Sass’ use of Foursquare with his kids
• My Mom’s on Facebook
• Kids use of Twitter
• textPlus+ group SMS ability
• The high price of texting plans
• C.C. test drives a Chevy Volt
• Being aware of the world around you (SC Man hit by plane at the beach)
• Texting while driving
• Mobile carrier family mapping options.
• Voice only capabilities of Ford Sync
• Is voice only enough or is it a question of attention?
• iType2Go
• Someone needs to develop a Southern voice recognition for Brad

Cast of Dads is a group of podcasting and blogging dads who gather to gab about fatherhood.  The cast of dads includes C.C. Chapman, Jeffrey Sass, Max Kalehoff, Michael Sheehan, and Brad Powell, who collectively represent 13 kids from the youngest of babies to full grown adults. Each of them brings a unique perspective to being a father.