Guides
The longer answers.
A review tells you whether a game is fine. These are for the questions that come after it: how early, how much, what to set up first, and what to do once it has already gone a bit sideways. Five so far. None of them are quick, because the questions aren't.
Age-Gating That Actually Works (Not Just a Checkbox)Typing in a fake birthday isn't age verification — it's just a question. Here’s what real, working age-gating would need to look like, and what parents can do right now. Read it The short version
- Birthday fields and “I’m over 13” checkboxes are not real age verification.
- Stronger systems use ID, payment methods, third-party verification, or device-level controls.
- Better age-gating always adds friction and can slow growth, so companies are reluctant to adopt it.
- Platforms benefit from underage users even when policies say they’re not allowed, which reduces urgency to fix the gap.
One guide stays pinned here. It changes when something else needs the spot.
Guides
Is Instagram safe for kids?Instagram changed substantially: under-18s now default into Teen Accounts (PG-13, private for under-16) they can't opt out of, and under-16s need permission to loosen them. The feed's pull stays a conversation.What to do nowConfirm the real age is on the account, then turn on parental supervision through Family Center so the protections can't be quietly loosened.GuideIntroducing your kids to Minecraft (hint: you'll play too)Most Minecraft advice for parents jumps to settings and editions. The thing that actually matters comes earlier: this is one of the few games where you should plan to be in there with them too.What to do nowPick a platform you already have, install Bedrock Edition, start them in Creative mode, and sit next to them for the first session.LivingWhy I made an email address for each of my kids when they were bornThe idea is older than it sounds and the setup takes about ten minutes. The hard part is keeping the account alive long enough for it to matter, and not overthinking what to put in it.What to do nowOpen any free account, set the recovery address to your own email, and send one thing today. The earlier you start the more it accumulates. The first email is the only one that's awkward.GuideClimbing Down From a Lot of Screen TimeMost screen-time advice is written for parents preventing a problem. This is for the rest of us. The families already in it, who need a real plan for walking it back without burning the house down.What to do nowDo two things in the next 48 hours. Move device charging out of any bedroom to a central spot. Turn off notifications on everything that isn't a person talking to your kid. Don't cut screen time yet. That comes later.LivingAge-Gating That Actually Works (Not Just a Checkbox)Typing in a fake birthday isn't age verification — it's just a question. Here’s what real, working age-gating would need to look like, and what parents can do right now.What to do nowTreat age-gates as a weak signal, not a safety guarantee. Check the app or site yourself, set your own minimum ages, and use device-level tools (family accounts, Screen Time, Google Family Link, etc.) to control what your child can install and when. Talk openly with your child about why age limits exist and make it clear that lying about age is a family rule issue, not just a ‘hack.’Living
Living means it gets re-read when a platform changes something. The rest were true when they went up and probably still are.
Builds1 so far
A build is a guide where the answer is a thing you put together, not a setting you change.
Series1 running
Read in order if the question is new to you. Otherwise jump to the part you need.