In the social network, trust is the currency, and there is always something new to learn about the latest social media apps, changes to the existing most popular social media apps, and the tactics of cyber thieves and criminals to gain our trust and then exploit us. And so it goes with viruses and malware which are scripts and codes and apps designed to exploit individuals by stealing identities from social media accounts and other personal data accounts including banking, and/or to torment through cyber bullying and stalking.

Naturopathic Doctor, Greta Hauck D’Amico, who practices at Four Rivers Naturopathic Clinic in Auburn, California. She spoke to a group of citizens at Sun City in Lincoln, about the role of virtue in a cyber-powered world that hypes human judgment as truth. D'Amico offers insights for parents and grandparents struggling with concerns about the lessons featuring risky behavior, social justice conflicts, war and terrorism we are witnessing in the global social network and what this means for the future.

Growing up and parenting are deeply affected by cyber connectivity, as children are natural born users of technology which is constantly changing and requiring well-informed adaptation. And so there is much education required on the part of parents in order to provide the guidance kids need in their cyber social realms.

Last Thursday, Dr. Alok Banga, Medical Director of Sierra Vista Hospital, delivered a presentation about Mentalization Based Thereapy (MBT) to therapists and counselors, at Sierra Vista Hospital in Sacramento. His explanation of mentalization as “a form of imaginative mental activity about others or oneself,” is instructive for the modern parent challenged with engaging hearts and minds of youth in a world where we are all continually distracted with devices and apps. In short, it is cultivating the capacity to share naked thoughts with another person. It is an intimacy enabled by trust.

At the beginning of the year, United Health Care issued a feature about a Pew report survey finding that parents across socio-economic boundaries rank bullying as the number one concern for their children.

Cross Roads Church Next Generation Pastor, Dan Britton, has invited me to speak to parents of teens at the South Placer Teen Center about the challenge of parenting tech-savvy teens.

It’s a new day for growing up, being a parent, worship and love...

Teens today are digital natives (they cannot imagine the world without the internet), and they do not necessarily perceive the distinction between virtual and physical reality.

Last Monday, Marie Hall, co-founder of Living Smart Foundation in Carmichael, facilitated a personal finance workshop for teens and young adults entitled, Head Start to Money, at St. Joseph Marello Catholic Church in Granite Bay.

Effective January 1, 2016, the State of California is enforcing new rules for law enforcement to gather personal data, and for manufacturers of devices and web-enabled services, such as smart televisions and parking security services. The aim of the legislation is to protect the on-line privacy and civil liberty of citizens. And while legislation provides some very important safeguards against the abuse of personal data provided by consumers and citizens, the most important privacy measures are learned and enforced at home. This is to provide an overview of the new on-line privacy laws, and reinforce the things we must do at home to protect privacy.