Turn Traffic Stress into Teaching Moments

Modeling Mindful Behavior

Ever honked your horn and heard your child call out a curse word from the backseat? It happens quite a lot! Kids learn to associate the honk with your stressed-out traffic commentary. It’s a stark reminder that kids follow the actions we model.

Next time someone cuts you off, take a deep breath and choose a different response, such as

• “Maybe that driver is in a hurry for an important reason. I hope they arrive safely.”

• “Do you think there are reasons a person is justified to rush?”

• “It frustrates me when people drive like that. Let’s take a few breaths to calm down.”

• “What do you think we can learn about staying calm and understanding others?

We shared this on TikTok, too, in an effort to make the world a little happier!

Upcoming Workshop for Caregivers

Our next free workshop of “When Tech Goes Sideways: Strategies for Navigating Digital Dilemmas” will be June 7 at 10am Pacific/1pm Eastern via Zoom (register here).

The workshop for parents and caregivers of kids and teens covers

1. Realistic and Positive Tech Mindset: Set a strong foundation for digital engagement, fostering dialogic connections and critical conversation skills.

2. Joint Media Engagement: Apply research-based, dynamic techniques to screen time, enhancing engagement, critical thinking, and digital literacy.

3. Guide for Good Chats: Master the art of conversation with your child, promoting understanding and curiosity.

4. Be Ready: Prepare for when things go sideways, with strategies for understanding, assessing, and taking action.

Join Dr. Marcie Beigel, a renowned mental health and parenting expert, and Dr. Carla Engelbrecht, CEO & Founder of Betweened and internationally recognized educational product and content creator (that’s me!), as they guide you through a pragmatic approach to managing your child's technology and fostering a strong foundation of digital literacy, critical thinking, and connection.

We’d love your help expanding this workshop, too! We offer the workshop for free to organizations of all types -- camps, parent teacher associations, schools, community groups. Please share our info or drop us a note if you have suggestions for where to share.

Thank you for being an integral part of our community. We’ve now served more than 100,000 videos to kids, in our efforts to provide safer, more engaging digital experiences for kids. But we have a long way to go! You can always help by sharing with your friends (iOS and Android). Or send your feedback. And have a great week!

Blue skies,
Carla