Category: Sponsored

This post is part of my partnership with the
US Cellular Blogger Brigade Ambassador Program.

Does your teen have a cell phone?
Make sure you download the Parent-Child Agreement.

 

We’ve been hearing the “when can I get a cell phone?” question for the past three years. At Christmas, we finally decided our eldest could use one of our old iPhones for games and music.

 

However, there were some rules we needed to put in place first. The internet is a big wide, fun, scary, sad place and without some perimeters, children can fall victim to dangerous content and people.

Luckily our son hasn’t discovered Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat. However, he is playing online games and watching videos on YouTube – yikes. So it was time to have him sign the U.S. Cellular Parent Child Agreement, and start educating him on the dos and don’ts of Internet browsing.

The average age children receive cell phones is 13, according to a recent U.S. Cellular survey. Ironically, safety is cited as the main reason for this decision.

Devices such as an iPhone can help families stay connected, but with that connectivity comes responsibility, and many parents realize they need to guide their kids’ mobile device usage.

Here are some tips that U.S. Cellular has provided to help parents monitor their children’s online activities and facilitate conversations about the use of mobile devices:

 

Have an agreement with your children. U.S. Cellular has created a Parent-Child Agreement to help guide families’ conversations about mobile phone usage. The agreement focuses on safety and etiquette, and it’s customizable based on each family’s specific needs

Discuss online communications: Beyond texting, increases in the use of social platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat have opened up new communication pathways for teens. U.S. Cellular recommends that families discuss the importance of never posting harmful or hurtful comments on others pages and always being responsible for what is said online.

Set boundaries for online sharing. Make sure your child knows to never share personal information online. That includes their name, age, address, school, and sports teams, as well as any passwords. Also, remind them to communicate only with family or friends and not to answer unsolicited requests or texts.

Post photos appropriately: We all know how eager kids are to capture and share photos, but today’s kids don’t realize that once those images are online, they are in the public domain and can even be modified by others. Talk about guidelines for sharing photos with friends and alert them to never post photos which could contain information about where they live or be seen as inappropriate. It’s also best to not post or share photos or videos of others without their consent.

Use parental controls. The NQ Family Guardian app is available for $4.99 a month on Android devices and provides safety and security by monitoring your children’s location and mobile usage. This service allows parents to review their child’s calls and texts and restrict certain websites and apps. Children can even send their parents an alert with the simple press of a button if they are in trouble or find themselves in an uncomfortable situation. For iOS users, there is a wide range of parental-control options that are automatically available in iOS 9’s Settings app.

 

With just a few guidelines and communication, you and your children can feel safe to cruise the Internet.

 

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Disclaimer: Through the rest of the year I’ll be sharing some more of My BETTER MOMENTS as a US Cellular Better Moments Blogger Brigade Ambassador. All opinions are my own and an honest view of my story as a US Cellular customer.

This post is part of my partnership with the
US Cellular Blogger Brigade Ambassador Program.

Does your teen have a cell phone?
Make sure you download the Parent-Child Agreement.

“Mom, look!” said my youngest as he makes a funny face for me, “take a photo.”

 

This isn’t the first time one of the boys have asked me to snap photos of anything and everything. From funny faces to baseball games, to LEGO projects, we document it all.

I can’t imagine a time when I wasn’t able to document these moments. Back in the dark ages when phones were just phones and not these technological photography wonder tools.

U.S. Cellular’s recent survey revealed that four out of five smartphone owners are taking advantage of the quality and convenience of cell phone cameras and two out of three say they’re sharing those photos through email and social media.

The convenience of snapping and sharing is in a word – Amazeballs. My family and friends from far and wide get to see all those funny faces, baseball games, and LEGO projects. In the past, they probably would have sat on my camera for eons before being developed and then slipped into photo albums never to be seen again.

Now don’t get me wrong. The ease and convenience of my iPhone camera doesn’t mean I post every blurry, headless image. In fact, the constant practice of snapping photos has upped my photog game. I’m always on the lookout for tips, tricks and apps to make my photos pop.
Here are few I’ve picked up along the way thanks to my friends at U.S. Cellular.

Check the Lens: A dirty lens will cause parts of the picture to be out of focus. Use a clean, soft cloth to wipe away any dirt or lint from the lens on the back of the camera as well as on the front (for selfies).

Light Your Subject Well: The better lit your subject is the clearer your image is likely to be: this is just as true with a mobile device as with an expensive camera. Shoot in the sun if you can and move around to get the best light on your subject.

Hold Steady: The steadier your camera phone is when taking your shot, the clearer your image will be.

Use a small tripod or lean your device against a solid object when taking shots, especially taking into account that in low light situations ‘shutter lag’ (the time between when you press the shutter and when the camera takes the shot) can be noticeably increased.

Consider Your Composition & Framing: Follow the Rule of Thirds – avoid placing your subject squarely in the middle of your frame but a third of the way in; Frame your shots through windows, mirrors, other objects that provide some depth and interest to the photo; Watch your backgrounds so that poles or wires don’t appear to be going through people’s heads; Look for different angles; and Look for color differences, patterns and shapes to add compositional interest to your shot. Try your photo both vertically and horizontally to choose which orientation best portrays your subject.

Take Plenty of Pictures & Learn: The advantage of digital photography (including that of camera phones) is the ability to shoot off many shots quickly, we have unlimited film, instant feedback and all at no cost.

Now that you have the tips and tricks to quality photos, it’s time to have some fun!

There are so many photography apps out there, but here are few that I found to be VERY fun and helpful.

Camera+ (for Apple) and Camera for Android are apps that are great for photo sharing and editing. Both feature a full photo editor that is very user friendly, along with the ability to connect and share your photos with others.

 

 

Adobe Photoshop Express is an app that helps edit photos just like the desktop program – one-touch adjustment for contrast, exposure, white balance along with blemish and red eye removal and 20 one-touch eye-catching effects to give your photos special “looks.”

 

 

Snapseed is an app that helps you tune an image to create depth and vibrancy with color saturation, brightness and contrast and also helps you crop and adjust perspective across the vertical and horizontal axes.

 

 

Magnifier & Microscope is an app that allows you to get great close-ups of small items or subjects.

 

 

 

 

 

Instagram {obviously} I use this app to share photos on both Facebook and Twitter {Tumblr and Flickr are also options} but you can also create collages, and edit photos as well.

 

 

 

Studio is an amazing app that lets you add text, shapes, and other fun options to your photos. You can either remix a photo that has already been created or design your own. The options are endless. It’s perfect for adding quotes to your photos, or for birthday wishes and other special occasions.

 

 

 

All of these are available for free in the Google Play store or the Apple store.

With U.S. Cellular’s 4G LTE network, the apps can quickly and easily be downloaded to my iPhone 6s.

Whether you are taking a photo of your vacation to Africa or the kids by the pool, you can have photos that rival a professional. So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and snap some Better Moments.

***

Disclaimer: Through the rest of the year I’ll be sharing some more of My BETTER MOMENTS as a US Cellular Better Moments Blogger Brigade Ambassador. All opinions are my own and an honest view of my story as a US Cellular customer.

 

 

 

 

This post is part of my partnership with the
US Cellular Blogger Brigade Ambassador Program.

Does your teen have a cell phone?
Make sure you download the Parent-Child Agreement.

 

 

I spend half my life in the car.

Driving the kids to and from school.

Driving to the grocery store.

Driving to Target {a lot}

Driving to the gym {which sounds silly when I type this}

Anyway, you get the point.

I’m all over the place and while I’m running errands and playing chauffeur, my phone is buzzing with calls, texts and notifications. Some of these are important, like the hubs telling me which ball field practice is on. While others, like the fact that 20 people favorited my Facebook post, can wait.

While I know it’s not safe to text, call or check those Facebook messages while driving. I find myself doing it anyway.

I’m not in the minority either.

According to a U.S. Cellular survey, 43% of smartphone owners use their device while driving.

Since April is Distracted Driving Month, I figured this would be a great time to give some of these safe driving tips from our friends at US Cellular a try.

Take away distractions:
It is easy to be distracted by the phone buzzing in the console. If the noise is too disruptive, switch to the Do Not Disturb mode on the iPhone 6s during drive time. Friends and family will understand the commitment to limit distractions.

Prepare yourself beforehand:
Enter the address into the GPS on a smartphone before hitting the road. Make sure to place your mobile device in a spot where directional prompting can be heard to prevent missing a turn.

Utilize accessories:
With accessories such as the Plantronics Voyager Legend Bluetooth Headset, carrying on a conversation during a commute is easy, convenient and safe. According to the same U.S. Cellular survey, 74 percent of those who use their phone while driving utilize a hands-free device such as a Bluetooth headset or in-car Bluetooth system.

Enlist the help of passengers if it can’t wait:
Remember, distracted driving not only affects you but also impacts the safety of others. Now that my oldest can read and write, he’s been an excellent communications co-pilot. He can text his dad, and respond to messages that can’t wait. If I’m alone, I have designated ringtones set for my husband, so if I hear an incoming message I know it’s important and pull over to check my device. If it’s not important it can’t wait, and friends and family understand.

Make a family commitment:
Make the commitment to not text and drive. With the popularity of texting, it is no surprise that 87% of smartphone owners text daily. U.S. Cellular’s Parent-Child agreement allows families to create a customizable contract with family members to make the conversation easier and clearer. The agreement focuses on safety and etiquette, even when it comes to bringing smartphones into the car.

Remember distracted driving is not limited to using a mobile device, but also includes eating, drinking, grooming and talking to passengers. In 2013, there were 3,154 deaths in relation to distracted driving.

Now that I’m not distracted by my iPhone, I’m listening to the radio more, and better yet having THE BEST conversations with the kiddos. Yesterday we discussed which super powers we’d like to have. Better Moments thanks to fewer distractions.

That’s a win, win.

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Disclaimer: Through the rest of the year I’ll be sharing some more of My BETTER MOMENTS as a US Cellular Better Moments Blogger Brigade Ambassador. All opinions are my own and an honest view of my story as a US Cellular customer.