My guest this week is Josh Ochs, the founder and digital citizenship author of smartsocial.com. With a background in marketing at Disney and a love for all things technology, Josh Ochs combines both to help teens and tweens use social media as a portfolio of positive accomplishments. Josh travels the nation speaking to over 30,000 kids each year sharing with them tips they can use to create a positive online presence. Josh’s book: “Light, Bright and Polite for Teens” teaches kids of all ages that everything they post on social media will eventually be discovered by their parents, teachers, their school Principal and someday colleges and employers. He shows families and teenagers practical examples they can use to always keep it “Light, Bright and Polite” by posting photos of community volunteer projects that will help them shine online. Josh Ochs' other 5 books teach people and brands how to shine online. In this episode, Josh and I discuss the importance of teaching kids and teens how to maintain a positive online presence. Josh shares with the audience his top tips on encouraging children to use social media for the better by instilling in them the knowledge of what their digital footprint looks online and how they can utilize it for future college and employment opportunities. Parents can help keep their children safe by opening up a dialogue about online profiles, tech use and implementing guidelines on technology in the household. To learn more about Josh Ochs click here. Episode Timeline Episode Intro … 00:00:30 Be Aware of Your Digital Footprint … 00:08:27 Setting Limits On Tech Use … 00:20:39 Tech Guidance Tips … 00:28:00 Why Flip Phones Are A Good Starting Point … 00:33:40 What Age To Begin Social Media … 00:35:00 Episode Wrap Up … 00:41:00   Episode Highlights Setting Limits  On Tech Use  Actively engage in dialogue with your children about their tech use Actively engage in dialogue with parents in your child’s community of friends i.e. whose house they frequent etc. Use the apps your children use Being in the know will open your eyes to the true awareness you need to have and help you create that communication with your children on the right topics   Tech Guidance Tips  When should my child have a cell phone? Smart Social suggests the following 0-10: no phone, sometimes allowed to use yours to watch videos or use learning apps in your presence 10-13: time for a flip phone for emergency use, text and sms only 13: cell phone safety contract 14: smartphone without social apps  15: smartphone with social apps allowed but limited and monitored   Where to learn more about Josh Ochs... Smart Social Site App Guide Books by Josh Ochs Instagram: @joshochs Twitter: @JoshOchs     Connect with Dr. Nicole Beurkens on... Instagram Facebook Drbeurkens.com   Need help with improving your child’s behavior naturally?  My book Life Will Get Better is available for purchase, click here to learn more.  Looking for more? Check out my Blog and the Better Behavior Naturally Parent Program - a resource guide for parents who want to be more effective with improving their child’s behavior.  Interested in becoming a patient? Contact us here.