While I detangle my own participation in the family vlogging space and its consequences on kids, I find it useful to pull one thread at a time. Continue reading Social Media Laws Around the Globe: China cracks down on Education Influencers
I like to dig into their origin stories. I explore their motivations to continue creating videos and how they treat their communities. Continue reading How I evaluate & review YouTubers for your family
At first, it looked like just another “bad air day,” as I tell my kids. Then my oldest noticed that the air was yellow, and that’s how we clued into our first sandstorm. Continue reading Ever been in a sandstorm? YouTube Science & Climate Channels
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Media Swap presented by and at Audobon Park Church in partnership with Goblin Market and Waste Knot Orlando Continue reading Out Think Media IRL: books and digital safety tips at Orlando’s Media Swap on March 14
Everything I first learned about the reality of modern day Iran, I learned from Persepolis. This memoir brings us through Satrapi’s childhood, and tackles difficult themes. Continue reading What should kids know about Iran?
Vanilbean is creative, self-aware, and shares creative game time with her Mom. She’s always collaborating with other YouTubers or shouting out people with fewer subscribers Continue reading Vanilbean: For a Murder Mystery 2 Champ, She’s Still Sweet
Haminations has extended his massive popularity as a Storytime Animator into a small card game empire. His latest is called Bull Shark. Continue reading Bull Shark! is a new card game by Storytime Animator Bryson (Haminations)
We can thank the Wayan Brothers and an upstart FOX Network (ah, happier memories) for transforming the dull Super Bowl Halftime shows to a pop culture event that often overshadows even its famed commercials. Continue reading Thank the Fly Girls for the Super Bowl Halftime Show – A Media History Treat (2/8/2026)
Think about the notes you passed in school or the DMs you’d get.
Would you want those messages available for strangers to see, for data brokers or law enforcement to use? Continue reading Messenger Kids, Meta, and Moderation
The day after Christmas in 2004, something had happened that these kids couldn’t ignore.
The Boxing Day Tsunami or Asian Tsunami had shown us normal everyday tourists trying out their brand new camera phones, who suddenly became the front lines of citizen journalism during one of the most destructive natural disasters to date. Continue reading How Tsunami footage empowered a generation: 12/26/04 in Media History
I haven’t heard much about Zootopia 2, but I’ll take any chance I can to sing the first one’s praises. Let’s highlight how Judy and Nick are the perfect models against microaggressions. Continue reading [UPDATED] Zootopia: When a rabbit and fox model how to move through our own implicit bias
One of our favorite YouTubers, North of the Border, dedicated his latest modeling project to the Starbucks baristas on strike. Continue reading How YouTubers support Starbucks baristas on strike: North of the Border
When we first moved to Orlando with two friends to our name, I knew that Maker Faire was a place where we could find community. Continue reading Meet YouTube Makers at MakerFaire Orlando 2025 this weekend
Florida released new social studies standards that specifically re-examines Senator McCarthy and emphasized anti-communism messages for grades 9-12. Continue reading Florida’s new Social Studies standards sanitize the McCarthy Hearings
Another round of K Pop Demon Hunters Sing-Along screenings is scheduled for Oct. 30th-Nov 2nd. Rumi, Mira, and Zoe slammed through our entertainment siloes last summer, resonating across gender and age borders faster than most parents could say “Saja Boys.” Continue reading Takedown! KPop Demon Hunters Sing-Along hits movie theaters this Halloween weekend
Roblox Red Flags and Lawsuits💥what happened with Roblox
💥how it affects your family
💥setting up safety perimeters
💥ways to talk to kids about predators
💥clues your child might be at risk of grooming
💥how to approach the topic if you suspect they’re being groomed Continue reading Roblox Red Flags and Lawsuits (Resources Round-up)
Listen to an inspiring talk with Author Kristin Bair on the mental load of motherhood and where menopause sits in This Moment in Media History. Continue reading Menopause & Mental Loads: This moment in Media History w/ Author Kristin Bair
Headline writers had a ball on on Thursday when Pope Leo XIV gave news agencies a pointed master class on morality and clickbait. Continue reading What is Clickbait & Why is the Pope Against it
Every Friday ConnorEatsPants plays #FortniteFriday with a celebrity of some sort, but my alerts rarely ring as loudly as they did today, and with good reason. On Friday, October 3, California Governor Gavin Newsome joins Connor on the Battle Bus. Continue reading Why is Gavin Newsom playing #FortniteFriday with a guy called ConnorEatsPants?
Dr. Jane Goodall passed away while on an advocacy tour, her Institute has confirmed. Her name alone conjures the image of adventure, breaking glass ceilings, and an unparalleled devotion to saving and sustaining the earth. Continue reading Honor Jane Goodall’s life by respecting our earth
Adolescence feels to many parents like a deep dive into the manosphere and online symbology, yet even this phenomenal piece of art could only scratch the surface. So what can we learn from this stunning miniseries? Continue reading How did “Adolescence” grip the Emmys and parents’ psyches?
I focus on sharing historical, cultural, and emotional contexts through commentary and interviews with experts.
With that in mind, here’s recent news in kids media, specifically YouTube and what you might need to know: Continue reading How YouTube affects your daily life: September 2025
As I sat in the movie theater vacillating between laughing and crying for 80 minutes, I realized how important it would be for my boys to watch Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume. The film starring Kathy Bates and Rachel McAdams is obviously a must-see for young girls. Continue reading Periods & Puberty: A Parent’s Cheat Sheet for “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret”
Around 2018, young actress Shiloh Nelson started uploading short sketches with her family to social media, which has now grown into the kind of media company that kids dream about. Shiloh & Bros (including Shiloh, Judah, Elijah, and Micah) produce variations of video games in real life, Continue reading Shiloh & Bros: the Antidote to Obnoxious Gamers
In brighter news, this is a very good app for focus! I often gush about Hank Green’s excellent work on YouTube and beyond. Recently he dropped a secret project: an app called “Focus Friend.” Besides how adorable the illustrations by Honey B Games are, it might just help your children self-regulate their screentime. [Note that Focus Friend does not claim to help with screentime; I’m suggesting it’s worth a try based on my experience. – CMJ] Continue reading Help kids self-regulate with Focus Friend by Hank Green
I was watching @KreekCraft on Friday when the Roblox Developer Conference began, which started airing at 1 pm ET. Follow the Bluesky & Threads accounts to get real-time updates on Roblox safety. BACKGROUND on recent Roblox news as of 5 Sept 2025, 4:30 PM ET It’s been a rough few weeks for Roblox. But you wouldn’t know it from their Roblox Developers Conference (RDC 2025) … Continue reading I watched the Roblox Developer Conference to see what they’re doing about child predators
Would you accept an invitation to a party from a stranger? Would you let someone you don’t know inside your house? Would you give a stranger your phone number? No? Not until college? Then don’t do that in the game either. Continue reading How to set up Roblox: From parental controls to explicit consent [Updated]
Our family binging Haminations when I came upon his Kickstarter for the animated board game Hoard the Hams, I signed up to get the game. Continue reading New Game by Haminations: “Hoard the Hams” Sneak Peek
Stephanie Mitchell believes that stories create empathy, and empathy is how we change the world. Continue reading Anne Frank & the Impact of Memoir in History w/Stephanie Mitchell
As I cleaned out my files, I rediscovered this really lovely 2021 National Geographic article “Talking to Kids about advertising,” where they used our Gatorade story as the introduction. Continue reading Break the Fourth Wall of Advertising for Your Kids
How parents can spot red flags that a Roblox game might be connected to a predator. Continue reading How to spot the red flags in a Roblox game
I am under no delusion that Back to School means we have more time to read, but I can’t keep quiet about these books for parents. Continue reading Back to School Books for Parents: Monsters to Menopause
In recent years, creators will often post React videos but forget the main ingredient–a reaction. Those videos run so rampant that many have been accused of plagiarism. Continue reading What’s a React Video and Why is my Kid Obsessed with Them?
Fortnite is certainly a hot topic among families, and I hear people try to describe this thing that happens….this ethereal idea that Dr. Emily Edlynn, PhD, pinpoints exactly: The Fortnite Creep. Continue reading Fortnite Follow-Up:
I don’t like to fearmonger, but every time I look at an app or software my kids want to download, it’s a potential scam. Continue reading Is Everything a Scam? Gen A Can’t Trust Anyone
“There is no such thing as perfect parenting. And that is actually a GOOD thing! Resilience, creativity, and adaptability—the very qualities that define us as humans—emerge not in spite of imperfection, but because of it. Continue reading No Perfect Parenting
What if I was that new mother, over a decade ago, desperately searching for answers as to how to be a “good” mother? I would have been tempted. Continue reading What do my kids need to know about AI? or “Mattel, I have questions.”
With Anne Frank’s birthday and also the anniversary of The Diary of Anne Frank being published on June 26th, it unlocked a new road into how we learn history: memoir. Continue reading The role of Memoir & Anne Frank in how we teach History (Out Think Media History bonus)
Given the WICKED: for Good trailer caused such excitement, we’re revisiting our own coverage of the Wicked Witch of the West- two years ago, I explored the concepts of evil and good in relation to pop culture and parenting. Continue reading Witchy Wednesday #1: The Wicked Witch got the shaft
Out Think Influencers is the second podcast series from Out Think Media, where I team up with experts to give you the historical, cultural and emotional context needed to understand the influence of media on your kids today.
Continue reading How to evaluate science influencers w/ Kacie Luaders (Out Think Influencers ep3)
I want to share a special Out Think Media calendar with you all- see which topics I’m covering this month and vote on the dep dive. Continue reading Grab our new June calendar
With The Taming of the Screens premiering last weekend, it’s time to sit down and explain how Shakespeare ties into digital literacy. Thanks to everyone who joined us at the Orlando Kids Fringe Festival for activity tables and at our new workshop, performed for free in the Courtyard each day. Why use Shakespeare for digital literacy? If you can decode Shakespeare in 2025, you have … Continue reading What’s digital literacy & what does Shakespeare have to do with it?
I watch YouTube so you don’t have to. Unfortunately, there are some of those YouTubers who have found the Venn diagram for every major childhood algorithm, and I must review them too. Today, it’s Brent Rivera. Unless otherwise noted, these reviews are my opinion based on our core values and research process. Day 1: Brent Rivera Rivera started on Vine in 2014, while a freshman in … Continue reading Brent Rivera: Prankster without a cause
Kids team up with Shakespeare’s clowns and sprites on a quest, where they see the power of curiosity and context clues are the keys to staying safe online! Continue reading Happy birthday Shakespeare! & Introducing “The Taming of the Screens”
“Nobody is immune to this type of predatory behavior.” –Jennifer Lawrence DSW, LICSW Out Think Influencers is the second podcast series from Out Think Media, where I team up with experts to give you the historical, cultural and emotional context needed to understand kids’ media today. Today’s episode continues discussing Influencers, and specifically the kinds of Romantic Scams that children can fall prey to. Show … Continue reading Sextortion & Kids w/ Jen Lawrence (Out Think Influencers ep2)
Out Think Influencers is the second podcast series from Out Think Media, where I team up with experts to give you the historical, cultural and emotional context needed to understand kids’ media today. Continue reading This is your child’s brain on Influencer Marketing w/ Lauren Mazzarese (Out Think Influencers ep 1)
On the occasion of The Minecraft Movie premiering today, here are some of the best YouTubers to help introduce your child to the intensely popular game. Continue reading I watch Minecraft YouTube so you don’t have to
The world of kids media, influencer marketing, and online safety move so quickly, and here are the topics on the edge of my brain right now. Continue reading Kids Media on my Mind
I watch YouTube so you don’t have to. And I have so much to share about Kids Media Literacy that normally, I post on Facebook, Instagram, or BlueSky. This Patreon is my attempt to collect my best work in one place for you. Read my recent posts here! Please join our readership community at any tier (including free)! You get access to: This is our community to … Continue reading Want to get Kids Media news early?
March 2nd was the birthday of Theodore Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss. In a way, we can thank The Cat in the Hat for starting me down this rabbit hole of dissecting kids media. Please enjoy a frank discussion with these intelligent people I am honored to know: “[Seuss] is only a reference. He has no impact on my artistry. He’s just a part … Continue reading How the Grinch Stole His Own Legacy: Dr Seuss (Exploring Evil episode 6)
How Do You YouTube? YouTube as entertainment entered my kids’ lives sometime in February of 2020 when we were already distance learning (thanks, COVID). With two parents working at home and two kids doing their schoolwork online, we all needed separate workspaces Around the same time, we introduced our 6-year-old to Minecraft. We’d played games on the Nintendo Switch before, but this would be the … Continue reading Teach Kids to be YouTube Smart
We are what we watch. And there’s a reason why our kids take the advice of YouTubers and other influencers more than we assume they do. Continue reading Under the Influence of The Royalty Family
No one thinks their child could be groomed online. We interviewed Jen Lawrence from WeFightCyberCrime.org on how to identify and discuss it. Continue reading Primer: Clues your Child Might be at Risk of Grooming
Recently announced changes mean that fewer players will be deceived into joining games like “Coin Slide” that can’t actually offer their players copious amounts of coins or XP as advertised. Continue reading Epic Games Loyalty Levels Up w/ Small and Significant Change in Fortnite
The fires still burning through areas of Los Angeles have led many creators to post updates to fans about their safety. Continue reading West Coast YouTubers Update Fans on Their Safety During L.A. Fires
Here’s what families need to know about influencer marketing, YouTube, and attacking algorithms in 2025. Continue reading I Watched YouTube in 2024 So You Didn’t Have to
Shari Franke’s memoir The House of My Mother is a must-read, especially in light of recent laws, regulations, and questions put forth about the role of social media in our children’s lives. Hear it from a young woman who lived her entire childhood online. Continue reading Family Vlogging and Shari Franke, The One Who Got Away
Ask if your child watches ConnorEatsPants, or Fortnite Friday. You can gain insight into how gamers discuss current events and some of Connor’s questions/views could align with your child’s. Continue reading Who is ConnorEatsPants & What is Fortnite Friday?
When our kids started reading on their own, I knew we would need to focus on including diverse voices like Native American and Indigenous Booksellers and Authors. Continue reading Support Native American Booksellers & Artists Today
Is the Wicked Witch of the West really the wicked one? How to talk to your kids after seeing the WICKED movie. Continue reading WICKED: When the Hero Must Play the Villain
The 2024 US Presidential election looms large in our minds, and your children will likely have questions. Our new podcast series called “Out Think the Election” is about to launch, and until then, here are reliable resources to spark your family’s dialogues. Continue reading 3 YouTube Channels to Explain US Elections to Kids
Media literacy is never done; it is a lifelong process. But how can you sustain meaningful dialogues with your kids? Continue reading Local Newspapers & Elections w/ Emily Popek (Out Think Media History EP 1)
Get insights on the role of content creators in the Democratic National Convention and how much influence does MrBeast really have? Continue reading In the Belly of MrBeast: Influencers Gonna Influence
Every month, I’ll share a kids’ media roundup of all the articles, announcements, and new reviews—when they happen. Continue reading Skibiditoilet Goes Hollywood, Congress Puts a SHIELD between Kids and Data Miners – August News
What’s the connection between neuroscience and kids’ media, and how can families harness that knowledge for good? Continue reading Civic Science, Kids’ Media, and Me
Mimic channels look very close to the content they steal and repurpose, so here are tips to check if it’s safe to watch.1“““222224 Continue reading Mimic Channels and How to ID Them
We’re on to minisodes around Representation and Love in pop culture. We’re thrilled to begin with an exploration of Dads, with special guests Shannon Carpenter (Author and Stay-at-Home-Dad) and Dan Jenkins (Creative Director, themed entertainment). Continue reading Bandit Dads: The Good, The Bad, and the Pop Culture Dad (an Out Think the Classics Minisode)
Learn about Nick Eh 30, the family-friendly streamer who promotes positivity and entertainment while keeping his channels suitable for all audiences. Continue reading Who is Nick Eh 30, and Why Do My Kids Want His Fortnite Skin?
The annual Orlando Fringe Festival brings hundreds of families downtown, and we got to meet them! Continue reading Caregivers Connect at the Orlando Kids’ Fringe Festival!
Now that Ninja told his audience about his cmelanoma diagnosis, how do you talk to your kids about cancer? Continue reading Popular Streamer Ninja Uses His Platform to Encourage Cancer Checkups
Ruby Franke, the former family vlogger on the “8 Passengers” channel, and her former business partner Jodi Hildebrandt are being sentenced today for – counts of child abuse. Continue reading Live Updates on the Ruby Franke and Jodi Hildebrandt Sentencing
The Pink Shirt Couple is just one of the latest YouTube couples who broke up after rising to fame – while dating. But why does my kid care? Continue reading What the Pink Shirt Couple Can Teach Us About Break Ups
If your kids give you the old “I need to play Fortnite so I know what my friends are talking about,” here’s what you need to know, Continue reading Fortnite and Disney? A Parent Primer if You’re Still Unsure
Let’s use Milne’s birthday as an opportunity to explore the whys, wherefores, and drawbacks of writing or filming about your family. Continue reading The Perils of Writing About Your Kids: A.A. Milne, Christopher Robin, and Family Vloggers
We’ve avoided Ali-A for a bit in our house, but every once in a while, he creeps back in. Continue reading YouTube Review: Al-A is Great at Fortnite, But Avoid His React Channels
I was a guest for the “On Boys” podcast, and we discussed how to see the clues that extremists might be influencing your child, parasocial relationships, doxxing, Gamergate, The Great Replacement Theory, how to mentor and guide YouTube use, and more. Continue reading What are the Signs of My Child Being Radicalized?
How can you talk to kids about death and grief? How hard is it to watch “The Boy and the Heron” if you’ve experienced the loss of a parent? Continue reading Death, Grief, The Boy, and the Heron
Now it’s time to explore the renowned Studio Ghibli, the man behind its success and impact on our culture, and why he cast himself as the villain for his last film. Continue reading Listen to “Out Think the Classics” EP 4: Studio Ghibli’s ”The Boy and the Heron”, When a Master Paints Himself as the Villain
Influencer marketing is under fire again thanks to Logan Paul and KSI’s new Prime Energy Drink. Continue reading 7 Ways to Show Your Kids the Power of YouTube Influencers Over Their Brains
Who is MrBeast? MrBeast is the most-subscribed-to individual YouTuber who engineers large-scale challenges where people compete for even larger amounts of money. His estimated net worth is $500 million, so you can imagine how in demand his merch is. MrBeast Merch [UPDATE 5/6/2024] In early May, Donaldson separated from his manager for multiple years., Reed Duchscher of Night Media, after six years together. For those … Continue reading YouTube Merch Part 3: MrBeast
As a child of the 80s, it takes a minute to shift my expectations around toys; mainly, that they don’t want Care Bears or He-Man as much as a plushie of a monster. Continue reading YouTube Merch Part 2: Hug a Horror Friend
I felt like I had never heard of this drink and then BAM! It was everywhere. Continue reading YouTube Merch Part 1: 7 Reasons Not to Buy Prime Energy Drink
One thing I love about yo-yo YouTube is that it’s mostly wholesome, safe for all kids to watch, truly work as tutorials, and shows kids that even a hobby like the yo-yo can be turned into a challenging career. Continue reading How to Learn Yo-yo Tricks on YouTube
I won’t lie. I was super confused when I first played Bloons Tower Defense 6. I need to buy monkeys? And shoot down balloons with magic or military weapons? Oh, not balloons, but bloons? What are bloons? Continue reading Video Game Review: Bloons Tower Defense 6
Everything about Sackboy is delightful. Go on a solo or multiplayer co-op adventure with the seriously cutest hero ever. Continue reading Review: Is “Sackboy: A Big Adventure” the Cutest Co-op Video Game Ever?
I don’t have a lot of objective criticism for MrBeast’s main YouTube channel. He’s a 24-year-old who makes a massive amount of money through YouTube’s Ad Sense (he has 124 million subscribers) and brand sponsorships. His videos just aren’t my style. Continue reading Is MrBeast Good for Kids?
MrBeast, aka Jimmy Donaldson, started making video games at 13 years-old because he was obsessed with what makes a great YouTube video, analyzing the data on audience retention, and continuing to “make the best videos possible,” as you’ll hear him repeat in a number of interviews. Continue reading YouTube Review: MrBeast
The storyline is that parents May and Cody tell their daughter they’re getting a divorce. Then their daughter Rose’s tears turn her parents into dolls who must battle bosses like a neglected vacuum cleaner. Continue reading It Takes Two (to Screw With Your Kid)
It’s Chuck-E-Cheese meets Freddy Krueger. It’s actually Showbiz Pizza meets Freddy Krueger if you want to get really specific. Continue reading Coming to Terms With Five Nights at Freddie’s (But We Still Don’t Play the Game)
Stampy Longhead, AKA StampyCat, AKA Stampy, AKA Joseph Mark Garrett, is a British YouTuber who rose to prominence on YouTube thanks to his Minecraft playthroughs, where he created Stampy’s Lovely World and pushed the boundaries of the game in family-friendly, fans-first, ways. Continue reading YouTube Review: StampyCat
Take the opportunity to talk through some emotional language and get as specific about how they would label Shark and his friends’ behaviors as you can. Continue reading Shark, LifeOfShark, and SharkAttack: YouTube Reviews
