Blog Posts by Common Sense Media

Does anyone remember life before Harry Potter? In our house, we divide my son's reading interests into two distinct eras, B.H.P. (Before Harry Potter -- when Captain Underpants ruled our world) and A.H.P. (After Harry Potter -- when the Ministry of Magic took over).

I'll never forget the day our son proudly boasted that he could read the last book in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows , all by himself. It was the end of an era. My son was maturing, but would he be able to handle the decidedly mature themes of the final book?

One of the delights of discovering Harry Potter is that you see him grow up. But along with that, the subject matter of the books and movies get scarier, the villains viler, and beloved characters die.

If your family is just getting into this magical world, here's a quick age-by-age guide for enjoying Harry Potter with your kids. Keep in mind that all kids are different, so assess your child's ability to handle frights and peril

Read More »from Growing up with Harry Potter: a parent's guide [video]

Some games are just perfect for getting a little help from your friends- and siblings. Co-operative video games allow parents and kids, siblings, or best friends to bond over playing a video game. Here are some to try that might help alleviate a battle over the video game controller.


1. Disney Princess: Enchanted Journey Quintet of princesses lead young girls on safe, fun romp.

Targeted squarely at your kindergarten-aged girl, the game puts her in the slippers of a lass who is led by a pixie to a dilapidated castle and told that the only way to restore it to its former glory is to help a quintet of princesses-Snow White from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Little Mermaid's Ariel, Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin's Jasmine, and Cinderella-in their struggle against the an evil witch and her minions, blobby bad guys known as bogs.

Her journey takes her to famous locations from the princesses' films, including castles, mines, cottages, and forests. She is bestowed a

Read More »from Stop Fighting! Games That Will Have Your Kids' Playing Together - Quietly.

Setting Limits

Our kids are growing up in front of screens. From smartphones to gaming devices to the ever-present computer, our kids seem mesmerized by them. According to a recent Kaiser Foundation study, kids as young as 8 are spending nearly 7.5 hours per day consuming media. That's not surprising. Video games, Facebook, the Internet, and even TV -- they all seem so much more interesting than, say, doing homework. But studies have shown that all of this screen time can impact everything from kids' health to their school readiness.

The solution isn't as simple as turning everything off. There's a huge difference between an hour spent playing World of Warcraft and the same amount of time spent learning vocabulary from a smartphone app or composing music online.

So when it comes to screen time, it's important to pay attention to both quality and quantity.

In today's 24/7 digital world, learning to balance media usage has become an essential part of growing up.

Read More »from 3 Time Management Tips for Your Kids

Back in the day, watching a movie at home meant a trip to the video store, or waiting for a disc to arrive in the mail. But now more and more movies are available instantly through the magic of the Internet. We've looked through Netflix, Hulu, and other online movie sites for the best family titles.

10. Ponyo this stunning adventure from anime master Hayao Miyazaki is one of his most kid-friendly films to date, with strong characters and positive messages.

9. The Iron Giant This touching robot-kid friendship tale has great messages and provides the commensurate cartoon action that most kids love: a giant robot under attack; buildings, trains, and cars crashing; futuristic weapons firing; Hogarth, the boy hero, creeping through a dark forest looking for "trouble"; a boat caught in a storm; spooky music; and an arrogant, mean-spirited villain who threatens everyone and everything that is important.

8. Toy Story 3 The third movie in Pixar's flagship Toy Story franchise is bound to

Read More »from Top 10 Movies Streaming Online for Kids

Among my favorites? The first Transformers movie, which was rated PG-13 but lent its brand to Happy Meal toys aimed at kids 4-9. Too bad the adult meal didn't come with a person to explain why the movie was a non-starter for kids that age.

Age-inappropriate targeting -- arguably begun in 1992 when McDonald's got scolded for pushing toys to kids for Batman Returns (rated PG-13 for violence) -- has become a time-honored practice. This summer, Burger King is promoting the PG-13 Transformers: Dark of the Moon by giving away Transformers toys with a BK Kids Meal. Subway is shilling Green Lantern .

Does this stuff work? Take one look at our country's childhood obesity numbers, and you'll be convinced.

According to a new policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics entitled "Children, Adolescents, Obesity and the Media," ads for junk food and fast food increase kids' desire for these foods. And what's a great way for your fast food message to reach kids? When

Read More »from Nothing Says "Summer Blockbuster" Like a Fast Food Tie-In

No doubt about it, sharing pictures on Facebook is a major pastime for teens. And if they're careful with what they post and use privacy settings (a big if!), enjoying friends' pics is part of the fun of social networking. But Facebook's new face-recognition software can now automatically recognize people in photos -- and add their name to the picture -- dramatically increasing the number of places that your teen's photos can pop up.

How it Works

Called Tag Suggestions, the program digitally scans the faces in photos and suggests who they are so that you can tag them. The company claims that this feature makes it a lot easier for users to label and share photos. But it also makes it a lot easier for teens' online identity to get away from them.

[[See Protecting Personal Privacy Online for tips on setting privacy controls.]]

Let's say your teen daughter went to a party at a friend's last night. Everyone was taking photos and uploading them to their Facebook pages.

Read More »from Know that Face? Facebook Does.

What Are Kids Learning from TV Characters?

When it comes to sex, violence, drinking, bullying, and other sensitive topics, you want messages about right and wrong to come from you -- not, say, Snooki from Jersey Shore.

But surprisingly, Snooki might be more of an ally than you think. Talking about TV characters and their choices can be a great way to start conversations with your kids about their own behavior. We encourage you to get familiar with the characters kids are watching -- whether you love or hate them -- and sneak in a little parental direction between Snooki's visits to the bar.

1. Snooki, Jersey Shore
Why's she's bad: Not only is she not the brightest bulb in the bunch, but she drinks constantly and to excess. And while her drinking sometimes gets her arrested or leads to iffy sexual behavior, she gets lots of attention (and a big paycheck) for her antics.
Why it matters: Kids who watch shows with alcohol use are more likely to try drinking than those

Read More »from TV's 5 Worst Role Models for Kids

What's one of the most important things to a typical tween or teen girl? Her friends, of course. And when it comes to her social circle, what do many girls care about more than anything? What their friends think of them. Enter Formspring, a comment-and-reply social networking site that lets kids post their deepest, darkest opinions completely anonymously.

Formspring was a running four-month-long nightmare for my daughter, her friends, and extended school community -- and we still battle my daughter's "need" to know what her friends post on the site. The kids were all being incredibly vicious to each other, as well as asking really creepy questions. What made it all creepier is that the questions could have been asked by the boy they sit next to in History ... or by a 40-year-old man, since anyone can access Formspring.

My daughter was so addicted that she kept reactivating her account behind our backs, even though the consequences were severe each time -- one week of no phone and no

Read More »from Which Social Network Can Be a Nightmare for Teens -- and Parents?