Enjoy the Holidays Unplugged: Fun Activities with Family and Friends

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With the holiday season in full swing, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of crowded shopping malls, long lines, online shopping, gift wrapping, holiday parties, and scrolling through fun updates on friends’ feeds. Don’t forget to take time as the year wraps up to step back with your family and friends and spend some memorable moments together. Here are some ideas from Team DijiWise and our families for unplugging from tech and spending quality time together.

From Stacy, DijiWise Development

Visit a senior care center

“My daughter’s favorite memories of spending time together unplugged are our annual visits to local senior care facilities. Over the last several years we have gone to various locations with different groups of friends and families. Armed with care packages, poinsettias, and hearts filled with giving spirit, we sing carols and visit with the residents. The smiles and gratitude that we receive are so rewarding. This is a great way to give back to your local community and bring the holiday spirit to those who need it.”  To arrange, give your local senior center a call, ask for their wish list and schedule the best time to visit.

Adopt a family

In every community, there are families that have fallen on hard times or are having difficulties making ends meet.  What better way to unplug and give back than to adopt a family in need. “One year, we contacted a local church that had a list of several families that could use some holiday spirit. The family that we chose had a very simple wish list of winter gear to keep them warm and just a few toys for each child to make their season bright. Seeing the faces and meeting the children that received our package was a great memory for our family.” Contact your local church or shelter today to see how you can help.

From Cindy, DijiWise PR

Have a hot chocolate party

Spend an afternoon as a family creating and trying different hot chocolate flavors. “It’s a little out of the ordinary, but is a fun and tasty thing to do. My kids enjoy it and it’s especially fun to do with a few relatives or friends.” It’s a great theme for hosting a small gathering, too. Have everyone bring a different type of hot chocolate - purchased or “invented” - for sharing.

Discover a local event or festival

Check calendars near where you live for festive events or displays you go can go to together that only happen this time of year. “We try to find something new each year, and even look beyond our city but within reasonable driving distance. It breaks up our daily routine, and by doing this, we’ve even found a historical Christmas festival with Santas from around the world that we now look forward to each year.

Get together one-on-one or as a small group

Sprinkle small meetups throughout the holidays and enjoy special quality time, attention, conversations and fun you might not get when you're all together as a big group. “I come from a large family and this is something my brother started doing this time of year with family and friends. The time together with just our families was so enjoyable and special, that I’ve followed suit and make an effort now to have one-on-one time with people during the holidays.” It can be an afternoon date alone with your child, the two of you getting together with an uncle or cousins you don't see often, or inviting your child’s friend to come along. Grab a bite to eat, relax at home together or check out a holiday display. These small get togethers will fill your heart and become one of your favorite traditions to this time of year.

From Diana, DijiWise Marketing

Host a winter potluck

Have a fun, low-stress potluck party where everyone brings a dish to share. “I love getting together with friends and trying our different homemade dishes. A lot of family recipes get made, from potstickers to double chocolate cookies, so it’s really neat learning about and getting a taste of everyone’s backgrounds.” Have the kids help you with the cooking and they’ll feel accomplished when everyone’s raving about the dish.   

Take a walk and enjoy the holiday cheer

Bundle up and head outside to enjoy the fresh air and holiday lights! From your neighborhood to the town center, holiday decorations are popping up so go ahead and take a family stroll at dusk. “I’m an outdoorsy person, so when the cold weather rolls in, I try not to forget that there’s a whole world outside of my window! Walking around the neighborhood in the winter is such a treat with lights twinkling on rooftops and inside homes. It’s great quality time, either by myself or with family, and I always feel rejuvenated.”

Other ideas for special time with family and friends during the holidays:

Painting class

Spend family time learning a new skill. This is a popular new trend and fun to do together, regardless of your talents! Many local painting studios have special sessions during the holiday season with families in mind. Classes are designed for novice painters and taught in a simple step-by-step manner so that everyone can become an artist and create some beautiful work. Even better, give your finished art as a gift, contribute it to a local business or and deliver it to a local senior center to brighten up their common area and resident’s rooms.

Local theater

Check out your community newspaper for musicals, plays and family concerts in the area, especially if this isn't something you already do together. Many groups do free shows during the holidays which makes this an affordable activity for all to enjoy.

It’s not about the presents or the parties (or capturing every moment with a selfie). It’s about the season of giving and making memories with your family that will last a lifetime.

Happy Holiday’s from our family to yours.

Strengthening Your Network To Make Digital Parenting Easier: 6 Must Have Groups

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If you’re a parent with a pre-teen or teenager using social media, one thing is a must: you have to be social. In the best interest of our children, it’s not optional, it’s an evolved parenting requirement. This doesn’t mean that as parents we must be active on social media, but active and involved with the people and the touch points in your teenager’s life.

In the age of digital parenting, your network matters when your kids are on social networks. Similar to your personal or professional life, who you connect with regularly from a parenting perspective will help in many ways. Whether it’s being aware and comfortable with who your teen is connected to online, being in the know about happenings in and around school, or just having that gut feeling that something’s amiss, having a strong network will help you stay informed and respond in ways that benefit and support your child as he or she becomes more independent.

Here are six must have groups parents should have in their real-life social network:

Your Child’s Friends

This is the most important group of people to have in your network as a parent. Think back to when you were a child and the parents who were active at school, present at parties or welcoming you in their home. Being visible, knowing your child’s friends’ names and talking to them about interests and things going on in their lives not only creates a welcoming, nurturing environment, but it helps you keep a pulse on who your child is hanging out with and the influences in their lives. It also helps establish respect and accountability when they’re in your home or out with your child. And should you ever need to address a situation, be there for one of their friends or come together as a group in unity, these relationships will be golden - not just in their teenage years, but for many years to come. (Imagine the adult years ahead when those friends are suddenly ‘friending’ you on social media!)
 

Parents Of Your Child’s Friends

There’s no better second set of eyes and ears that can protect the well-being and happiness of your children than the parents of their friends. Introducing yourselves to other parents helps you get an understanding of the environments your child is in when they’re not at home, and provides other parents with a level of comfort and trust when their child is with you or your son or daughter. There are also situations or things you may not know about that other parents can pick up on when they’re talking to their teenager, shuttling them around in the car or overhearing them when they’re all together as a group. This is where having parents in your network has its greatest value.

And as for ourselves, let’s face it - in our adulthood, friendships form at different rates and are sometimes accelerated by having things in common such as our children’s activities and sports. We may not be destined to be friends with everyone, nor have the time; however, even if you simply remain acquaintances, knowing the adults in your teenagers friends’ lives and proactively keeping in touch with them time to time will give you peace of mind or help you know when you need to step in.
 

Teachers, Coaches, Principals and Counselors

A mother recently shared a story with her father about how grateful she was for her first grader’s teacher and how the teacher addressed a need and creatively empowered her daughter. Being a dad for more than 40 years, he had this to say: “Being visible at school, knowing the staff, and them knowing you, really has its benefits in how your child does at school.” And he’s right.

Most educators in the middle school and high school settings are tuned in to things going on at school and among students. Many of them will also have a pulse on the social perspective of technologies and social media students, in general, are using. When a coach, teacher or other faculty know your child and see you present, they have the sense of an involved parent, and there’s a stronger personal connection that can be helpful when your child’s in a sea of 30 to 500 other students. When your network is strong with relationships at your child’s school - even if they’re simply on a name and face-recognition basis, you’ll find yourself with an expanded support system. This group will be filled with adults who are aware and can identify and support your child’s high points, or notice a change that suggests something isn’t right, such as online bullying, peer pressure or the rumor mill. Collectively, this group will have a powerful impact on opening new doors, having performance conversations, or sometimes, addressing consequences.
 

Activity Leaders and Volunteer Coordinators

Similar to faculty at your child’s school, the people in charge of leading your child’s youth group, volunteer experiences, robotics team or any organized activity are important to have in your network. This group differentiates itself in that often times these individuals span vastly in experience and also age range - from your child’s peer set to adult. The individual might be volunteer or paid employee, and different than school staff, they’re in that role with the sole purpose of guiding and overseeing whatever that subject matter or experience is. By keeping in touch with these leaders, you’ll have a sense of their involvement, personality and leadership style. You’ll be able to gauge how present and involved you’ll have to be, and can drum up conversations about peer-to-peer interactions, how things went on retreats, group trips, practices, and other events. This will help you keep a pulse on things that might be shared on social media, who your child is interacting with, and things that could positively or negatively be impacting your child.
 

Your Friends & Family

This is probably the closest network to you and the best one to use to your advantage. Sometime’s we can be so close to a situation that we may not realize something happening in front of us. Chances are you have friends or family that are also experiencing the milestones you are or who have handled relatable situations you can learn from and chat about together. Let’s not forget, too, that this group of people can be a walking library of information for you, with knowledge or opinions about trends, apps or social networks your teenager might be using. There’s great appreciation for the aunt who sees their nephew post something on social media and either pings him and pats him on the back or suggests he heed some caution, or the cousin who surprises relatives by accidentally making it known at a family gathering that another cousin has an account on the same app or social network that she uses. These are real-life moments and a network that can make parenting easier in meaningful, simple ways.
 

Your Child’s Place of Work

This group might often be overlooked, but if your child has a summer job, babysits, cuts grass or is working during the school year, then this is an important group to have in your parenting network. Does this mean you have to be friends with your teenager’s boss? No. Should you be familiar with where he or she is working, and possibly even visible once in awhile? It can’t hurt. (A restaurant, theater or shops are great examples.) Interactions at work can turn into new contacts on chat apps and social media that parents should be aware of. Whether it’s an employer or people in your community that your child does tasks for, being tuned in to this environment has its benefits. You’ll have a sense of coworkers and strangers he or she has exposure to, and a supervisor might appreciate knowing their reliable employee is supported by engaged parents. You’ll also be able to identify red flags, and have more understanding and connected conversations with your child.

If there’s one thing we learn as parents, especially when it comes to online safety and keeping an eye out for online bullying, inappropriate conversations or peer pressure: we can do it all alone, or accept the help of an army.

10 Websites and Apps We’re Thankful For

It's hard to imagine what life would be like without the access to information, entertainment and each other that the Internet and tech make possible. This time of year, expressions of thanks and greetings flood social media and apps such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, WhatsApp and SnapChat.

As we make new memories and celebrate Thanksgiving with traditions, we thought we’d share a list compiled by everyone at Team DijiWise of 10 websites and apps we’re thankful for that keep us going and make life great.

GoFundMe
GoFundMe and other online fundraising websites not only make it easier to raise money, they’ve enabled globalization of the spirit of giving. It’s a forum for anyone to raise money for almost anything - charity, medical costs, community outreach, natural disasters, a person or family facing an emergency, a project, or even groceries. With GoFundMe, people can receive help or donate money, touch the lives of other people with more immediacy, and discover and contribute to any cause or purpose that’s meaningful to them. And for these reasons, we’re thankful.

AllRecipes.com
Dinner and hosting possibilities are endless when thousands of recipes, cooking videos and tips are a search away by ingredient, course or theme. (There’s even user ratings and comments on the recipes so you know what you’re in for.) The app is as user-friendly as the website, and the ability to save recipes so you have a digital cookbook of recipes you don't want to forget makes this one of the websites we’re most thankful for.

8tracks
Describe your mood and this website will find the perfect list of free playlists for your day. Pick a handful of keywords such as “summer,” “happy,” and “work out,” and discover an endless stream of music that is the epitome of those words. The 8tracks app works seamlessly as well, so add some sweet jams to the background of your work day or weekend morning.

Medium
Medium is a wonderful hub for reading and sharing stories with people around the world. You can follow people and topics that you’re passionate about, while being inspired to write your own stories. A broad range of perspectives are shared, from personal narratives like “Pseudonyms and True Names: The Sacred Power of Identity” to professional insights like “ABC: Always Be Coding.” This website gives individuals a space to connect through thoughtful interactions and words.

WorkFlowy
When you use WorkFlowy, you’ll be thankful you didn’t forget anything. This is the ultimate list for jotting down which groceries are running out, dinner party details, and random errands and is perfect for anyone with responsibilities. Everything is organized into one big sheet of expandable and collapsable bullet points. If you only want an overview of your to-dos, you can hide the underlying bullet points. Its website and app interfaces help you catch random reminders and efficiently cross off to-dos throughout the day.

Cozi
Cozi might just be the best family organizer app out there. You set up one family account that everyone can share (including grandparents and babysitters). Each member can access the app via their smartphone, tablet, or computer. The PIC (parent in charge) can upload grocery lists, to do lists, contacts, recipes and calendar for the entire family to access. No need to send Dad a text to stop for milk on the way home or remind Johnny about his soccer game on Saturday. Everything you need your family members to know is all contained privately in the app. A bonus feature is the online journal so you can jot down a milestone event, notable quote, story, or add a photo, which you can share privately with other household members. (We’re extra thankful Cozi is available for different devices and platforms including iPhone, iPad, Android, and Windows.)

Evernote
Who hasn’t been thankful for something that makes staying organized easy? Evernote is the ultimate note taking/organizing app for busy people on the go. It keeps your life organized in notebooks, so it’s like your personal virtual filing cabinet to help you keep track of all the little things that can get lost in the shuffle. Tag your notes with keywords so you can easily search without having to remember where you filed them.  Scan business cards, invoices, receipts, or any other papers to eliminate desktop clutter. Its newer “web clipper” feature installs an extension on your browser so you can clip articles and things you find online, and save directly to your Evernote account. Evernote conveniently syncs to your master account so that you can access the same info from any device you use. This app is ideal for personal use, but excellent for work team collaboration as well and now integrates with Salesforce enterprise software.

TeamSnap
If you have kids who play sports, you’ll be thankful for the people who created TeamSnap. TeamSnap is perfect for keeping sports schedules organized and in one spot. Keep track of the team roster, parents' emails, phone numbers, and game and practice schedules. The interactive map feature is also helpful. Parents or the team coach can upload a schedule for the entire season and share with all of the members so that parents can add it to their iCal or Google calendar with the click of a button. TeamSnap is a HUGE time saver! Premium version offers additional features like photo sharing, payment tracking for team fees, player availability and more.

PocketUniverse
This app brings out the inner astronaut or astronomer in all of us by easily identifying the night sky with the simple point in the direction you're looking with your smartphone or tablet, teaching you interesting facts about space, the planets and more. Time flies when you use this app, and it’s just plain fun for all ages.

Nextdoor
Nextdoor brings a community closer and creates a private social network for your neighborhood. It’s useful for quick communications with your neighbors (and only your neighbors) to share emergency info, find a recommended plumber, dog walker, babysitter, or to look for a lost cat.  Nextdoor is also helpful for newcomers to meet their neighbors and get acquainted with a new community.

By this time next year, we expect another one to make the list of 10 sites and apps we’re thankful for - DijiWise. DijiWise is an app-based tool for parents that helps them monitor their children’s social media activity and encourages conversations about their posts and digital responsibility. DijiWise’s Parent Central also provides parents with articles and resources about online safety, digital responsibility, and fun, relatable everyday stories about parenting in the digital world. The app is expected to hit iTunes and Google Play by the end of the year.

We wish you a Happy Thanksgiving from our families to yours.

5 Teen Social Media Moments You’ll Love

Part of social media’s attraction is its entertainment value and ability to capture and share anything from everyday moments to unforgettable moments. It goes to show that as important as it is for parents to educate teenagers about digital responsibility, it's also important to lay the ground rules and set them free.

Here are five moments on social media by teens that will make your day:

1. Anonymous Instagram Account Builds Up High School Classmates
“It’s about you. You’re next.” These are the words in the description of @thebenevolentone3’s Instagram account where for nearly a year, students in the graduating classes of 2014 through 2017 were cheered on, complimented, and recognized. Anonymously. In his graduation speech, valedictorian Konner Suave revealed he was the person behind these kind words. The story caught the attention of both ABC News and Huffington Post, in which Suave details the purpose behind his genuine actions.“I wanted to focus on the better aspects of people...To shed a positive light on each individual, make them feel appreciated, and to know that someone cares."
 

...There is one quote in particular from Maya Angelou that reads “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” I find this such an inspiring quote because over the past year I saw a change occur in our high school, a positive one, it seemed as though we were more united than we had been in the past. During the summer, I made the decision to go in and try to make everyone here feel appreciated and recognized for simply being the amazing people they are. It is easy for people to be cruel over social media, so I decided to make an anonymous account on Instagram that would counteract the negativity seen today by posting a picture of each student and a paragraph of what makes them GREAT and how other people should see that too. So after 657 posts, over 11 months, and finishing each person in the Class of 2014, Class of 2016, and of course our Class of 2015, I would like to prove Jose Gutierrez right and admit that I am “thebenevolentone3” Benevolence being defined as “characterized or expressing goodwill or kindly feelings.” In the end, I realized that we are ALL the benevolent ones in our way and actions of how we treat others, it has been a wonderful year. I’ll miss East Valley. And although I part without finishing all of the class of 2017, I wish that the next generations take over and find bolder ways to express positivity and encouragement in the East Valley Community. Keep on keeping on.

A photo posted by Its About You. You're Next.☯ (@thebenevolentone3) on Jun 6, 2015 at 10:09pm PDT

2. Lip Synching Teen Makes The Big Time on YouTube
All that it took for a teenage boy from the Midwest to make it big was some creativity, mad lip synching skills, and an Internet connection. When Keenan Cahill posted this video to YouTube of him lipsynching to Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream, his life changed forever, to the likes of 57 million views - for that video alone. Since then, he’s attracted close to 1 million YouTube subscribers, performed with Katy Perry in a video and teamed up with other stars including 50 Cent, The Oak Ridge Boys, Maroon 5 and many more. Follow him on Twitter via @KeenanCahill to see what he’s up to now.

3. Powerful Instagram Photos Humanize Our Homeless Population
Nic Tullis adds credibility to the term ‘iPhone Photographer,’ and shows us that the camera on our smartphones can be used in powerful ways. His iPhone and interaction with a homeless man while snapping pics on a trip to St. Louis inspired an ongoing series of photos on Instagram in hope to drive social change. As described in this Backchannel article, “Most teens use social media to share ‘selfies or pictures of food they’re eating...But unlike the average teenager’s Instagram feed, Tullis’ features grizzled men in hoodies, moody shots of downtown streets and lots of black and white. It’s urban, thoughtful, intimate.”
 

☔️🚶🏽

A photo posted by Nic (@tullisnic) on Nov 12, 2015 at 7:26pm PST

4. Teenager’s Tweet Catches the Attention of Late Night Talk Show Host
A tweet with the hashtag #AndrewShadowJimmy landed high school senior Andrew Kochamba of Tennessee the opportunity to shadow Tonight Show Host Jimmy Fallon. On October 6th, he tweeted, “Hey @jimmyfallon, can I shadow you for my Senior Shadow Day? It's October 14th. Let me know.” The tweet was retweeted more than 1,000 times and within a week, @akochamba got a surprise phone call from Fallon and was on his way to shadow him at the Tonight Show. The teen’s social media play didn’t stop there. He posted a video to support his case, and then took to Periscope on the big day so others could follow his time together with his favorite celeb in real-time. He summarized the surreal experience perfectly when he tweeted #BestSeniorShadowDayEver.

Hey @jimmyfallon , can I shadow you for my Senior Shadow Day? It's October 14th. Let me know!

— Andrew Kochamba (@akochamba) October 6, 2015

5. Teens Put Pens to Paper And Share on Social In Response to the Sharpie Brand’s Uncap What’s Inside Campaign
Over the course of 4 years, Sharpie ran an advertising campaign targeting teenagers and encouraging creativity and self expression. The campaign took off thanks to social media and caught the attention of thousands of teenagers who interacted with the campaign on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more. Teens responded by sharing their “Sharpie Creations” on social media which were then featured in the campaign. The collection is fascinating and inspiring, and worth swiping through. You can check out Sharpie art here on Instagram.

Do more (of what makes you happy) #BeHappy #Sharpie

A photo posted by @sharpie on Apr 30, 2013 at 2:04pm PDT

How to Let Your Kids Make Mistakes and Learn

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As your children grow, how you parent and who you are as a parent is likely to evolve. Especially as they become teenagers. The societal debate over the right balance of parenting - helicopter parenting or free-range parenting — ultimately is a personal decision when it comes to what’s right for your parenting style, your family, and in some cases, each individual child.

Regardless of which end of the spectrum you fall on, there’s one thing all parents have in common: our children are going to make mistakes. With the best interest of our hearts, it is tempting to shield our kids from any wrongdoing, but let’s face it — it’s going to happen — and sometimes, it’s okay. At any age, and especially as pre-teen and teenagers, by allowing them to make decisions and have experiences good or bad, kids understand consequences and learn how to be accountable, adapt, and move forward from a situation.

The result is hopefully stronger confidence — and better decision making in the future.

Whether it’s in your teenager’s physical daily life or with their online activity, here’s how to let your children make mistakes - and learn.

Use your child’s mistake as a teaching moment. When it comes to social media, it’s inevitable that your teen/preteen will make a mistake. Maybe it’s saying the wrong thing or posting the wrong photo. Here’s where a big teaching moment comes in. Using behavior you want them to exhibit toward others as they mature, talk about what was said or done, and learn from it together. Don’t hesitate to punish, if necessary, so they understand there are sometimes consequences to their actions. (A teen without their phone will learn very quickly.)

Use these moments to teach your child the art of the apology. When a child makes a mistake, hurts someone’s feelings or acts rudely, whether it’s intentional or not, they not only need to stop the behavior, they need to understand what it is like to be remorseful, and apologize. The kid in trouble may not think something is a big deal, fully understand what their action represents, or the impact it has on another person. Encouraging your teenager to think about their actions and apologize to anyone impacted, will teach them respect - and earn them respect.

One parent’s example is of her teenager’s first exposure to social media and Instagram. A friend posted a picture with all of their buddies hanging out at someone’s house, only her son was not invited. His knee-jerk reaction was to lash out at these friends, in writing, by commenting on the photo. He said some pretty mean things to his friend because he was so hurt that he was left out. The mother regularly monitors her children’s social media activity (with easy to use apps such as DijiWise), and saw the exchange the next day. She sat down and talked with him about it, and helped him sort through his very real anger surrounding the first time he truly felt excluded. In this situation, he learned how to handle it better and how not to put unkind words on Instagram or other social media networks. At first, she had him remove the post, followed by a public apology to the friend online. She then had her son meet his friend face-to-face to talk about what happened. During that conversation he learned the situation of the photo, which in fact had taken place while he was out of town, so he wasn’t left out after all. Water now under the bridge -- an important learning moment.

Use real-life, relatable examples of mistakes you or others have made, and what happened as a result. Share a personal story, or an example of someone he or she may know, even a celebrity or public figure. Add these real-life lessons into daily conversation so your child can see consequences of making mistakes, especially ones that include online activity or social media. By doing so, your child will understand they’re not being singled out, and that just because it happens elsewhere, doesn’t mean it’s okay. This will also help your teenager continue to mature into an adult who is respectful of themselves and of others, responsible in their daily interactions, and who practices online safety and digital responsibility.

Just remember, we’re not failing as parents when our kids make mistakes. It’s human and we make them, too. Most of us didn’t grow up with social media (or the Internet for that matter), so it is difficult to truly understand what kids go through today. Finding a good balance between helicopter and free-range parenting when dealing with our kids’ daily lives and social media usage will empower them with the knowledge and ability to make good choices and hopefully avoid “the talk” next time.