I write, counsel, parent, and edit. Often at the same time.
As a published essayist/journalist in both international and national publications, I always gravitate toward helping families and educators. That’s why I was excited to launch this venture. It aims to help families evaluate content creators on YouTube to have the dialogues needed to understand this new world. I am also grateful to the many readers and listeners who jumped on board!
While directing live theatre in New York and Los Angeles, I pushed storytelling to its limits for social impact, testing our evolving mediums and environments through live events. This passion naturally brought me into schools as a teaching artist and to delivering the Keynote for the 2007 UK Remember Chornobyl Conference.
Stories stayed at the forefront when I moved into arts marketing, training many artists, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits in DIY Marketing. After moving and writing around the world for a while, I found my niche in reviewing and curating kids’ media for families, now at Out Think Media, where I watch YouTube so you don’t have to.
Bylines include: Out Think Media, Insider, Business Insider, The Mary Sue, The Beijinger, Time Out Family Beijing, Jingkids International, StarTrek.com, LA Stage Times, PLAYGROUND Orlando, Vox Populi Winter Garden, No Proscenium, The Last Bookstore, and more
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.
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.
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.
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,
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.
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.
I always enjoy reading Meg St-Esprit’s work, and contributing is an honor! Here she lays out an excellent roadmap for the different ways to approach Digital Literacy.
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.
The key to making any relocation run as smoothly as possible: communication. You and your spouse must talk to each other and listen to one another, even — and especially — if they are saying things you don’t want to hear.
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.
The Super Mario Movie, Peter Pan & Wendy, The LIttle Mermaid, and I want to watch The Barbie Movie?!?!?!? Plus TikTok Goes to Washington, Apple Barks Back, Link Learns to Cook, and YouTube Shorts Come Up Short.
The answer, according to school leaders at October’s Jing International School Expo panel, is empathy, flexibility, and a multi-pronged approach that looks at all stakeholders in the school community: students, parents, and staff.
Everything Cindy does is at an outstanding level. She consistently goes above and beyond on any project big or small and inspires everyone around her to do the same. As a leader, she is organized, goal-oriented, compassionate, and supportive. As a collaborator, she is creative, detail-oriented, and fun! She has the rare ability to not only see the highest potential in someone but the verbal and interpersonal skills to give thoughtful feedback and support that draws that potential out and helps it grow. She is a gifted writer, creative thinker, outstanding parent, and pillar of every community lucky enough to have her as a member.
— Julie Wolf, Director of International Education at First Five Learn and Play
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Rating: 5 out of 5.
I’d written a nonfiction book worth of content, but it was completely unorganized. I knew I needed support if I was ever going to achieve my dream of publishing a book. So I called Cindy. She coached me until my book took shape, and then she helped me with structuring my content and editing. I liked that I was able to talk with Cindy about my publishing options. I started with the goal of self publishing, but as I become more confident, I decided to try reaching out to publishers. I am currently talking with a small publisher about my first book! I like that Cindy can coach me and keep me accountable in the beginning, and also provide different levels of book editing, including the final edit for books I self publish.