How do I talk to my kids about online safety? 

We live in a digital world, and online child abuse does happen. Here are conversation starters to discuss online safety.

  • What are you looking forward to with having a phone?

This early conversation is used to understand your child’s intended online activity and to introduce them to safety concerns. 

  • Can you tell me what you know about online safety?

Use this conversation to understand your child’s knowledge and reiterate your guidelines for staying safe. 

  • Have you ever chatted with someone online, and they made you feel weird?

Encourage your child to have a plan for uncomfortable online encounters and be clear that you are there to help.  

Learn more at SDCPCM.com. 

After 13 years of photography, what are your best tips for birthday sessions? 

  1. Regular photos first, before the messy part of the shoot.
  2. A smaller cake works better.  
  3. Be careful when choosing the cake. Choose colors that are photo-friendly. Chocolate often looks like dirt, and red looks unsightly when photographed. White and pastels photograph wonderfully and aren’t as messy. 
  4. Don’t be upset if your kid doesn’t go for the cake right away.
  5. Consider other kinds of first birthday sessions. A painting session, a spaghetti session, or just regular portraits will capture the moment just as great.

 I can help you plan your child’s first birthday session. Contact me, and let’s create something special for your little one!  

My child tried a new activity this summer and struggled to keep up. Does he just need more practice? 

It’s fun to try something new, but frustrating when it isn’t as easy as it’s expected to be. Vision problems can interfere with summer activities as well as academics! Problems catching or hitting balls, difficulty shooting baskets, clumsiness with physical activities, or trouble seeing 3D movies are clues of a vision problem.

More specifically, if your child has: 

  • Difficulty knowing where the ball or other players are  
  • Over or under-estimation of the distance of the ball, players, or boundaries 
  • Great athletic ability but struggles with ball sports
  • Minimal improvement with practice  

A vision problem may be impacting their performance, and a developmental vision evaluation is warranted.