Sad as it is, social hierarchies are established very early on, with popular kids and queen bees starting to assert their dominance in elementary school. These situations are often labeled as “girl drama,” but they can apply to kids of all genders. While your son or daughter might not be directly involved in any bullying that’s going on, it’s important to teach them that sitting back and watching when someone else is being targeted isn’t okay either. But how do we raise kids to have the confidence to stand up for another person, especially when adults sometimes don’t?
Storytelling: Provide your child with lots of stories of children having similar social challenges. This can come from your own experience, from books you read, or stories you hear on the news. These stories are a jumping-off point for discussing whether your child has had similar challenges and what they might do if faced with them in the future.
Language: Teach your child the word “upstander.” Talk about times when you’ve been an upstander and look for opportunities to show what this behavior looks like.
Social network: Help your child develop friendships with other children in their class to widen their social network. It’s not quite as hard to be an upstander when you have friends on your side.
Dealing with a bully means taking away their power and de-escalating the situation. If we provide our children with examples of upstanders before they are faced with a bullying situation, they can see how important it is to rise above bystander status and stand up for someone. Practicing what to do in these situations can make the reaction more innate once they are faced with it in real life.
Sharenting may have long-term effects on kids long after the pictures are posted
In 2023, most children have a digital footprint before they are even born. While sharing images online can be a way to show your child’s milestones with distant relatives and friends, especially in light of the pandemic and travel plans being halted, there’s a difference between sharing and oversharing. The “Sharenting” (parents oversharing on social media) trend is still on the rise but many parents are starting to reconsider where and how often they share images of their kids online.
So, what should you think about before posting pics of your kiddos on social media? Experts have weighed in on everything from personal privacy to online safety; keep reading to find out what they had to say.
While you might think your toddler having a tantrum or your tween misbehaving is so hilarious that you have to share it on social media, putting anything online leaves a permanent trail that will follow your kids for the rest of their lives. "Not only is this kind of oversharing disrespectful to your child, but you should also consider how these types of images or videos will be perceived by others, and the impact it could have on your kid when he/she is older," says parenting expert and author of Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids, Dr. Laura Markham. If it's on the internet, as well as the possibility of humiliating them later in life, there's a chance it could be seen by school bullies, college admissions officers, and future employers. Next time, ask yourself how you would feel if it was you in the photo instead.
Consider the Message You Are Giving Your Kids
As parents, we are constantly telling our kids about the risks of using social media and teaching them about online safety. But, we then ignore our own advice when posting photos of them. "It's our job to teach and model online literacy and safety," says Dr. Markham. "When children grow up routinely seeing photos of themselves online, they think it's the norm. We're inadvertently teaching them that they have no privacy and no control over their online image."
According to a UK study by Parent Zone and Nominet, the average parents share almost 1,500 photos of their kids online before their 5th birthday. Many parents announce the birth of their babies all over social media, while some go one step further and hashtag their kids' names or even set up Instagram accounts for their little darlings before they can even talk. While it's kinda cute, all someone needs is a name, date of birth, and address, which they can get using a geotagged photo, and this can put youngsters at risk of identity theft and digital kidnapping: when someone uses photos and details of someone else's kids and pretends they are their own. According to a national internet safety expert, Katie Greer, if your kids are searchable, anyone can find out anything about them. "To maximize the online safety of your child, limit the information you share about them," she says.
Avoid Posting Photos of Your Kids in the Nude
That photo of your little angels in the bath, running around the yard in the nude, or even in their underwear might be adorable to you, but once you post it, you no longer have control over it, and anyone can do what they want with it. "There is a chance this kind of photo could end up in unintended hands. Even using seemingly harmless hashtags like #pottytraining or #bathtime can also attract the attention of the wrong people," says Katie Greer. "Your kids' online safety is paramount, so to keep things simple, keep their clothes on."
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Be Wary of Revealing Locations and Routines
It's surprisingly easy to track people using the information you can get from photos posted online. To protect your kids from potentially being discovered by child predators, Justin Lavelle, a leading expert on online safety and scam prevention and Chief Communications Officer with beenverified.com recommends turning off geotagging and location services and never posting details about where you live, including your address. "Avoid tagging the locations of places you and/or your children may be at frequently and crop out backgrounds with recognizable landmarks. First day of school? Take a picture at home with them in their new backpack, not in front of the school building with the name clearly visible," he says. "Do not advertise their routines and wait a few days before posting photos of birthday trips or visits to the park."
Get Permission to Post
While some might argue that parents have every right to post family photos, kids don't ask for such public childhoods. While babies and toddlers generally have no say in what mom or dad posts, tweens, teens, and even younger kids often feel their parents share too much about them online without their consent. Take Gwyneth Paltrow's daughter, Apple, who, after seeing that her mother had posted a selfie of the two of them without her permission, reportedly called her out in the comments. "While you might think it's your right to post what you want on social media when you ask kids, many don't want photos of them to be put online," says Dr. Laura Markham. "Our children have a right to decide what is posted about them and deserve not to have their privacy violated by us. It's important to get their approval first."
When you're posting photos of your kids online, especially in the public domain for all to see, it's important to consider what the people who see the photos might think. They might not like it for all sorts of reasons and will be happy to tell you exactly how they feel. This can be very hurtful. There are many instances where people have been attacked for oversharing on social media. In 2019, Pink appeared on The Ellen Show and explained why she had stopped sharing photos of her kids after getting comments attacking her for posting a photo of one of her kids without a diaper.
Pay Attention to Your Privacy Settings
If you're going to post photos on social media, then check your privacy settings regularly. According to the Child Rescue Coalition, 89 percent of parents haven't checked their privacy settings in over a year. Facebook, Instagram, and other social media apps all have different settings. Without realizing it, you may be sharing your photos with the general public, aka strangers. Also bear in mind that the friends and family you share your photos with may have different privacy settings, which means they could potentially share your photos too. "Public posting means anyone, anywhere can see it," says Lavelle. "Keep your posts private, set your profiles to private, and make sure your posts are only visible to a custom audience of friends and family."
No one knows what happens with all the photos once they have been posted on social media. Take Facebook (which also owns Instagram and Whatsapp), which has been all over the news recently due to data breaches and their handling of personal information. Do you want these big corporations to have access to all sorts of data on your kids that you inadvertently supply? "While it's wonderful that technology allows us to be connected with family and friends around the world using social media and other photo-sharing apps, there is so much we don’t know," says Lavelle. "It comes down to common sense, smart-decision making, and being careful what you post."
Be Present in the Moment
When your child is performing in a show or playing in a match, of course, you want to capture every proud moment on camera so you can share it with family, friends (and maybe the whole world.) We've all done it. But your kids see you with your phone in front of your face instead of watching them, and you won't be able to focus on what they're doing. Next time, put your phone away, watch, and be proud. Your kiddos will love that they have your undivided attention, and you will be able to enjoy the experience much more.
As mainstream platforms like Facebook and Instagram come under fire, private social apps like the one we offer through TinyBeans are gaining ground for their privacy and security features. Our app offers parents a private space to share photos, milestones, and other moments with their children among family and friends in a private social network.
It’s never been easier to live like an influencer (minus the pristine white couches because c’mon) with these TikTok famous products on Amazon
We’re a little obsessed with TikTok. Once we learned how to clean up our social media feeds to only see accounts that uplift and inspire us (and we highly recommend you do the same), established the best ways to keep our kiddos as safe as possible while using it, and stopped believing everything we see (sorry, Journey, we did stop believin’, but only this one time), we’ve been riding the TikTok train. Apart from all the content that makes us laugh and cry, we’ve gotten a lot of product recommendations from it. TikTok loves a good viral anything, so imagine our excitement when we found so many of those viral TikTok products on Amazon!
That’s right. Prime strikes again. Since we already rely on Amazon for like, a lot, “gleeful” isn’t enough to describe how we felt when we found all those goodies from TikTok we’ve been searching for right there. These are the things the most relatable, popular, and trusted creators swear by, and we’ve seriously never been let down by one of their recommendations. Of course, Prime already offers a mind-boggling array of stuff, so we went ahead and rounded up some of our favorite TikTok famous products on Amazon so you don’t have to. Consider it an early holiday gift from us. Live like an influencer? Don’t mind if we do.
6-Piece Matte Liquid Lipstick Set
These lippies have almost 32,000 verified reviews that rival any of the pricier brands out there. We can confirm, and our only warning is to make sure you're fully committed to wearing it before you put it on. It. Stays. All. Day.
If you're looking for legit, we bring you The Pink Stuff. Actually, Amazon brought it, but that's not the point. This bubblegum-pink paste works on absolutely everything we've ever tried it on. It's non-abrasive, so we've used it in the bathroom, the kitchen, on jewelry...this stuff is the real deal. (Of course, always read the directions and test that you can safely use it on your item of choice, just to be sure.)
Let's just take a minute, shall we? Are you reading this on your phone or computer? Are you hunched over, chin tucked, shoulders tense? You're totally noticing it now, aren't you? We thought so. This cervical traction device from RESTCLOUD claims to relieve neck and shoulder pain in just 10 minutes. Based on the almost 52K Amazon reviews, it does just that. Everyone from migraine-sufferers to athletes swear by it, so excuse us while we add to cart. (We're not doctors, so make sure to talk to yours before using, especially if you have a history of injury. Just lookin' out for ya!)
The overnight acne solution we dreamed of as teens is finally here! The Mighty Patch is exactly that; a patch made of medical-grade hydrocolloid that sticks directly to your blemish, pulling out the gunk (gross, we know) in 6-8 hours. It's drug-free and allergy-tested, plus it's ultra-soft and blends into your skin, so if you wanted to wear it during the day, you definitely could. Once you take it off, expect a spot that's far less inflamed, smoother, and not nearly as angry. We swear by them!
Another one we added to our carts. This is supposed to be the one shower filter to rule them all, using a proprietary filtration system that goes beyond activated charcoal to remove chlorine, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, dirt, odor, and helps control scale build up. According to the almost 42K reviews, what's left is ph-balanced skin, reduced dandruff, controlled eczema, and all-around healthier hair, skin, and nails. Okay, we're convinced.
Forget those wasteful oil-absorbing sheets. If you're a glowy babe like some of us, this roller is made from volcanic stone that can be used over and over again (and can be washed!) on a bare face or over makeup—it won't mess it up!
Yeah, yeah. We know it's almost December. But hear us out: walking on marshmallows. Seriously. These slides are designed for everyone, come in a bunch of colors, and are so wickedly comfortable you've probably seen them on all the cool kids this past summer. If you absolutely can't stand your toes being exposed in cooler weather, we're seriously eyeing the BRONEX Bubble Slides.
Switch up the ambiance with the tap of a button or a request to Alexa! These smart bulbs can be set to timers, controlled with an app or via Alexa or Google Assistant, and can dim and change colors in a flash. Your kids will love them, too. Kids love stuff like this.
Charging cords are a thing of the past. This chic little wireless charging station is linen-covered, so you can leave it out on your bedside table without it looking clunky. It also comes in several colors!
The results of these serum-filled, one-time-use plastic booties are so gross and so satisfying. They absolutely work, so if you're not easily disgusted (it's pretty graphic, honestly), you'll end your several-day-long foot peel journey with baby-soft tootsies!
Hoops are having a moment. They're so chic, can be worn with a n y t h i n g, come in gold, rose gold, and white gold, and 4 different sizes. For less than $14, we're probably going to just grab them all.
Protect mail, documents, bank statements—anything that has information you don't want in anyone else's hands with this stamp roller. It's a 1/2in wide roller stamp in an encrypted pattern plus an oil-based ink that penetrates non-glossy paper so you're covered front and back!
It's entirely possible that this editor is wishing desperately that she had one of these at the very moment she's typing this. A device ledge, mousepad, and phone holder mean everything you need to live your most productive life is at your fingertips!
Okay, first of all: PopBabies?? Adorable. Also, though, this portable blender is small but mighty and goes where you do. It's USB-rechargeable and even works while it's charging. 17,000+ Amazon customers are believers, so we're thinking the odds are pretty good that you will be, too.
We know this doesn't necessarily look like anything new, but trust us, this is the best ice cream scoop! It's like if a spade and a scoop had a baby, so the edge basically cuts through your frozen faves and makes uniform servings. Oh, and even those super deep-frozen ice creams are no match for this.
Never get stuck in a dirty hand situation again. These handy soap sheets dissolve in water and lather up fast and slip easily into purses, pockets, backpacks, lunchboxes, and you'll definitely want some to pack in your suitcase for holiday travel!
We're so over foil and plastic wrap. Over. It. These lids fit over all sorts of kitchen containers so you can easily store your leftovers without any fuss!
Holiday party, anyone? This machine washable satin dress is a favorite of over 15,000 Amazon customers for its flattering silhouette, versatility (you've seen dresses and sneakers is trending, right? Do it. Just do it. You won't regret it.), and wide rainbow of color options! One note—some bustier customers did have a few comments about the fit in the chest area, so keep that in mind when selecting your size. We got you.
Talk about viral! Maybelline's Sky High Mascara has created a loyal following fast (it only came out in the beginning of 2021!), and there's a reason for it: we think it holds up to its pricier counterparts for a fraction of the price!
You didn't think we'd leave out the leggings that took the country by storm, did you? Although their claim to fame is making booties look amazing, they're actually truly flattering and tummy-smoothing. If you're someone who likes to be cinched by their leggings, these are fantastic. They're also available up to a 4X, and we adore size inclusiveness.
If you don't believe that the viral JW PEI bags are so awesome, maybe you'll believe Megan Fox, Gigi Hadid, or Hailey Bieber who have all been spotted toting this Amazon tote. All of the JW PEI bags have glowing reviews, so you absolutely can't go wrong with a great handbag for less than $100! They're also available in all sorts of colors.
Everyone went nuts for these adorable can-shaped glasses, and we get it. How cute are these? They're designed to be ultra-easy to customize with etching or sublimation if you're feeling crafty. They come in a set of 10, so they'd be a fabulous gift set, or add one or two to gift bags or baskets this season (maybe add a few of these TikTok famous straws?)!
Create a whole vibe with this nebula projector! Dine "under the stars", relax with a face mask in a spa-like environment, amp up a gaming corner—this one is just so cool.
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Though challenging at times, parenting is truly our greatest activism. With the right framework and solid support, we can raise kids who are aware of social struggles, optimistic about the future of our society, and equipped to manifest a better vision of our world. As described inRace, Class, and Parenting: 7 Strategies for Raising Sensitive, Confident, and Loving Kids, incorporating a stronger social justice perspective into parenting is essential to raising confident, empathetic children who are prepared to lead our diverse, global society. Luckily, we’ve got 10 straightforward strategies for raising kids that will help parents do exactly that.
While most people are quick to state their values, raising children who feel good about who they are, love all different kinds of people, and respect different worldviews is not mainstream. Our society has long been based on the premise of inequity, and we have to actively engage in social justice parenting to protect our children from defaulting to biased opinions. Make a personal commitment to doing things differently. Develop a vision of the world that you believe in, and determine your unique purpose to bring that about as an individual, and then collectively as a family. Communicate with your children about what you believe the world should be like and why. Set goals and demonstrate your beliefs through regular and consistent acts of kindness, service, or advocacy as a family.
Strategy 2: Be Vulnerable
In dedicating yourself to a lifestyle of growth and love, you have to make yourself vulnerable. All of us have preconceived notions. We are socialized to draw quick conclusions about other people. Parenting from a social justice perspective means we have to be willing to acknowledge areas where we have biases and limitations. We need to be vulnerable enough to admit that our exposure is often very limited, and we are not truly in a position to make judgments about the lives and experiences of others. What we can and should do is suppress our inclination to judge, approach new people and experiences with open-mindedness, and focus on our common humanity. Be transparent about your journey to becoming more informed and compassionate so that your children can learn from your example of humility and vulnerability.
Strategy 3: Find Support
In pursuing any kind of goal, we need support, and this is especially the case with parenting goals. We need support from people that know and love us. We need to be able to comfortably share our vision for our family and our society with people we trust. We need to be able to ask questions and get feedback in safe spaces. We need people who are going to keep us accountable and lovingly call us out when we make mistakes. Develop your tribe, and lean on them to help you figure things out.
Strategy 4: Make New Friends
To raise truly open-minded kids, we also need mentorship and support from people who are different from us. According to a 2014 study published in the Washington Post, Americans struggle to develop friendships with people of different ethnicities. The average white American has only one black friend out of every 100 friends she has. Of 100 friends, 91 are white and only nine are of other races. The average black American does not have a single Asian friend for every 100 friends. Of 100 friends, 83 are also black, eight are white, and two are Latino. We just aren’t doing as well as we think with diversity. We need to place a higher value on diversity, and we need to develop friendships with people of different races, religious beliefs, ages, socio-economic levels, and abilities. Consciously diversify your social network. As you initiate this process, realize that friendship is about reciprocity. Be prepared to share and teach as much as you hope to receive and learn.
Strategy 5: Eliminate What Does Not Help You Evolve
We all need to be conscious of the content that we consume because there is so much negative media that can be distracting and discouraging to us as parents. Besides media content, there are several types of people in our lives who can stifle our social justice parenting. The most harmful person to your process may be the person who cannot acknowledge systematic imbalances in our society or who chooses to excuse injustice. These are often people who do not go out of their way to harm anyone, but their worldview and satisfaction with the status quo are unjust. You may have to limit or eliminate these influences to protect your vision for your community. It is your right and responsibility to protect your children’s sense of self and their instinct to love.
Strategy 6: Teach Your Children to Be Curious, Not Judgmental
It is quite an accomplishment to raise children who are curious rather than judgmental. We can do this by giving our kids more diverse and immersive experiences. Take your kids to eat new foods! Travel to foreign countries (and actually leave the resort)! Take them to concerts to experience different kinds of music and dance! Encourage them to learn new languages! You can also model positive curiosity for them by the way you comment about different people:
"That's a pretty scarf she is wearing...I wonder if it has a special meaning."
"I wonder what language they are speaking...it sounds cool."
"I have never seen that food before...I wonder how it tastes."
"Her hair looks really pretty. I wonder how long it took her to style it that way."
Teach your kids that encountering someone different is a blessing because it is an opportunity to learn. Impart the value of humility, and develop their thirst for new experiences.
Strategy 7: Be More Specific and Intentional with Your Language
To help our children avoid stereotyping, we need to be more specific when we talk about social groups and avoid generalizations. We also need to correct our kids when they default to generalizing—even when their generalizations don’t seem “negative.” Not every young black man was raised without a father. Not every Muslim is a terrorist. Not every Asian is a first-generation violin prodigy. Not every Spanish-speaking person is from Mexico. Not every white person experiences economic privilege. Not every Jewish person is leveraging power in business. Having a physical or learning disability is not an indication of intelligence. If we want to teach our children to judge and treat people by the content of their character, then we have to eliminate the myth of racial and social homogeneity. By being specific with our words, modeling critical thinking, and creating the expectations that our kids do the same, we'll be teaching our kids to be more sophisticated in the way they think about race, class, ability, and culture.
Strategy 8: Be Thoughtful When Talking About Specific Instances of Injustice
Well-intentioned parents can unintentionally perpetuate bigotry in the minds of their children by over-sharing stories of social injustice or by failing to provide sufficient context for these stories. While young children can and should begin to learn about fairness and justice, you need to be considerate of the age and development of your child when you discuss acts of injustice. If your child cannot process this abuse or violence, there is a risk of traumatizing young children with stories of police brutality, concentration camps, and slavery. Use common sense and discretion when sharing this information. Moreover, make sure you have plenty of context before you introduce narratives of social injustice. For example, your children should have access to many different kinds of books, toys, and movies about the plethora of African American experiences before you begin to talk about slavery and the Civil Rights Movement. It is dehumanizing to only share stories of hardship and disempowerment for a social group, and you will likely impose a social hierarchy in your child’s mind that is the opposite of what you intend.
Strategy 9: Acknowledge Privilege and Frame Disadvantages Responsibly
We usually consider life through the lens of our own disadvantages. If we are healthy, we may still distort our experiences through the prism of being a minority. If we are wealthy, we may still distort our experiences through the prism of our sexual orientation. These are choices that we do not always make consciously, but we need to be more aware that our privilege is relative, not absolute. Every individual has privileges and disadvantages to negotiate. We need to learn—and then teach our children—to acknowledge our privileges and frame our social disadvantages responsibly. Teach your children to understand who they are in society, but train them to be deliberate in processing their disadvantages. This will help them to have a grateful heart and compassion for others. Teach your children to see the options, capacity, and responsibility in different forms of privilege, and empower them to leverage their privilege on behalf of others.
Strategy 10: Give Yourself Grace
The final strategy is to give yourself grace. We are human. We make mistakes. We get distracted. We get discouraged. As you make mistakes, show resilience and the ability to renew your commitment because that is the most powerful demonstration of all. Your children will learn to be patient with themselves, to stay committed to growth, and to be dedicated to a lifestyle of love.
Can’t wait for Disney and Pixar’s Soul to premiere on Disney+? Walt Disney Records is set to release Disney and Pixar’s Soul Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, Soul Original Score vinyl album and Music From and Inspired by Soul vinyl album. The digital soundtrack and both vinyl albums will be available on Dec. 18.
Disney and Pixar’s Soul will be available exclusively on Disney+ beginning Dec. 25, 2020.
Soul is set in two distinct worlds, gritty New York City and the ethereal cosmic realms of The Great Before, which called for two styles of music that help shape and define each world. Globally renowned musician and Grammy nominee Jon Batiste provided the original jazz compositions and arrangements for the film, and Oscar winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (The Social Network), from Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Nine Inch Nails, created an original score that will drift between the real and soul worlds.
The soundtrack also includes the songs “Rappin Ced” performed by Daveed Diggs, “Parting Ways” performed by Cody ChesnuTT, and Batiste’s cover of the Curtis Mayfield classic “It’s All Right.”
Docter said, “Jon Batiste is a fantastic musician—he’s a historian yet is able to push the music forward, bringing all these different influences to the work. I sincerely hope that the jazz music in ‘Soul’ will inspire a whole new generation.”
Batiste said, “All the compositions are influenced by a large swath of the hundred-plus years of jazz music, which gives the listener a lot of reference points. It’s a subtle way to pay homage while also introducing a whole new audience to these types of sounds.”
On creating the score Reznor said, “Our first step is always to listen and really try to understand where the filmmakers are coming from—what they’re seeing, what they’re imagining. We spent a lot of time discussing how you’re supposed to feel when you’re first exposed to the ‘Soul’ world. Then we went back to our studio, which is filled with a variety of real, imagined and synthetic instruments, and spent the first chunk of time experimenting with different arrangements and different instruments and seeing what felt emotionally right to create the fabric of this world.”
According to Ross, they wanted to help differentiate the areas of that world. “There’s The Great Before, The Great Beyond, The Astral Plane, The You Seminar,” he says. “Every place needed its own identity.”
Docter said, “We wanted the score for this film to be different from any other Pixar film. We were excited to work with Trent and Atticus because we knew they would bring us places we’d never gone before. Their unique approach to sound and creative thinking made them really inspiring to work with.”
The digital Soul Original Motion Picture Soundtrack features 42 score and jazz tracks; the Soul Original Score vinyl album by Reznor and Ross features 23 tracks (Side A 12 tracks / Side B 11 tracks); and Music From and Inspired By Soul vinyl album by Jon Batiste features 22 tracks (Side A 15 tracks / Side B 7 tracks), including his cover of “It’s All Right.”
The debut of Disney and Pixar’s Soul is fast approaching. If you can’t wait for Dec. 25, Disney+ just released an exclusive sneak peek of the critically acclaimed feature film. In the movie, Joe Gardner (voice of Jamie Foxx) is a middle-school band teacher who dreams of playing in the best jazz club in town. Filmmakers found they could relate to the character’s passion for music.
Director Pete Docter grew up in a musical family and plays the double bass. “My folks are both teachers and both musicians,” says Docter. “There are three kids and we all became musicians. I think my mom enjoyed having the Von Trapp family; when people would come over, we’d have to perform. My two sisters stuck with it—one is a cellist with the Metropolitan Opera, and the other one is violist and a teacher.”
Co-director Kemp Powers, who used to be a music writer, played the alto saxophone in a jazz band during high school. His affinity for jazz plays a big role in his personal life. “My son’s name is Mingus,” says Powers. “He’s named after Charles Mingus. A lot of us Gen Xers, particularly Black Gen Xers, fell in love with the bebop-era jazz artists—John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, Miles Davis, of course Herbie Hancock. These guys were musical icons that—specifically in New York City—inform so much of the other big musical genre in the city, which is hip hop. The background tunes of my life are jazz and hip hop.”
“Life has so much to offer,” says Joe in the sneak peek. “We only have a short time on this planet. Don’t miss out on the joys of life. Remember to enjoy every minute of it.”
Disney and Pixar’s Soul also features the voices of Tina Fey, Phylicia Rashad, Donnell Rawlings, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Angela Bassett and Daveed Diggs. The film is directed by Docter, co-directed by Powers and produced by Dana Murray. Jazz compositions & arrangements are by globally renowned musician and GRAMMY nominee Jon Batiste, while Oscar winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (The Social Network) composed an original score.
Last week Disney+ announced beginning Dec. 25, Disney and Pixar’s feature film Soul would be available exclusively on the streaming service. The new animated film introduces Joe Gardner, a middle-school band teacher with a serious passion for jazz music. The story is particularly relatable to the artists behind it.
Jamie Foxx, who lends his voice to Joe, said “Like Joe, I hear music in everything. When you’re a jazz artist, man, you talk a little different: ‘Hey, cat!’ I got a chance to go to a few jazz fests and meet Herbie Hancock, Chick Correa—hang out with those guys. They have a way of talking, a way of dressing—everything funnels toward their music, toward the jazz.”
Director Pete Docter, who shares Foxx’s love of music, conceived of the character before jazz entered the picture. “I’ve been so lucky to work with some incredible people and make movies that have been seen around the world,” he said. “But I realized that as wonderful as these projects are, there’s more to living than a singular passion—as expressive and fulfilling as that may be. Sometimes the small insignificant things are what it’s really about. This film is about broadening the idea of a singular focus to thinking more widely about what life has to offer and what we have to offer life.”
Likewise, co-director Kemp Powers, who initially joined the project as a writer, didn’t have to look far to find inspiration for Joe Gardner. “We’ve been working on Soul for years, but the film feels timelier now than we ever could have imagined back when we began,” said Powers. “In a year where everything we know has been turned upside down, we’ve all been forced to find new meaning both in the relationships we have and the small moments that truly make life worth living.”
In the film, Joe is on the brink of getting his big break playing for a jazz quartet. But he finds himself on an unexpected detour from the streets of New York City to The Great Before, tasked with helping new soul 22, voiced by Tina Fey, find her spark to earn her way to Earth. “He’s sure if he can share his life story with her—his passion for jazz—she’ll be inspired and they’ll both get to go to Earth,” said producer Dana Murray. “They do make it back to Earth, but that’s really the beginning of their adventure. It’s a funny and touching story of friendship and self-discovery, and we can’t wait to show it to the world.”
Five-time BAFTA winner Graham Norton (The Graham Norton Show) revealed last weekend that he lends his voice to spiritual sign twirler Moonwind. The voice cast also includes Rachel House (Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Thor: Ragnaraok) as the count-obsessed Terry, and Alice Braga (Elysium), Richard Ayoade (The Mandalorian), Wes Studi (Woke, The Last of the Mohicans), Fortune Feimster (Bless the Harts) and Zenobia Shroff (The Affair) as the voices of the Counselors. Comedian Donnell Rawlings voices Joe’s barber Dez, and June Squibb (Nebraska) provides the voice of Gerel. They join Foxx, Fey, Phylicia Rashad, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Angela Bassett and Daveed Diggs.
Rated PG, Soul features jazz compositions & arrangements by globally renowned musician and GRAMMY nominee Jon Batiste, and an original score by Oscar-winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (The Social Network).
There’s another reason to look forward to the holiday season. The Walt Disney Company announced that Soul, the all-new original feature from Pixar Animation Studios, will debut exclusively on Disney+ on Dec. 25, 2020. In international markets where Disney+ isn’t currently or soon to be available, Soul will be released theatrically, with dates to be announced.
“We are thrilled to share Pixar’s spectacular and moving Soul with audiences direct to Disney+ in December,” said Bob Chapek, Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company. “A new original Pixar film is always a special occasion, and this truly heartwarming and humorous story about human connection and finding one’s place in the world will be a treat for families to enjoy together this holiday season.”
Soul comes from visionary filmmaker Pete Docter, the Academy Award-winning director behind Inside Out and Up, and co-director/writer Kemp Powers, playwright and screenwriter of One Night in Miami. It stars the voice talents of Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Phylicia Rashad, Ahmir Questlove Thompson, Angela Bassett and Daveed Diggs and features original jazz music by globally renowned musician Jon Batiste and a score composed by Oscar winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (The Social Network).
“The world can be an exhausting and frustrating place – but it’s also full of unexpected joys, even in seemingly mundane things,” said Docter, director of Soul and Chief Creative Officer of Pixar Animation Studios. “ Soul investigates what’s really important in our lives, a question we’re all asking these days. I hope it will bring some humor and fun to people at a time when everyone can surely use that.”
Previously scheduled for theatrical release on Nov. 20, 2020, Soul was named an official selection of the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year along with multiple upcoming festivals including the British Film Institute’s London Film Festival this Sunday.
Halfway through September, Facebook made an under-the-radar update to its Facebook Messenger Kids platform. Parents logged on to find a message informing them about a new “feature,” which allows kids to see who their friends are friends with, “making it easier for your children’s friends to connect with each other.” And thus, Facebook Messenger Kids went from being a messenger to a full-fledged social network.
The Trouble With “Easy” Connections
This new feature is off-putting for a few reasons: First, Facebook rolled the change out automatically. While parents need to opt in to allow their kids to be visible to their friend’s contacts, by default, kids can now see who their friends are connected with—and experience all the FOMO that goes along with that. And second, the change makes it easier for kids to connect with people they don’t know. And this is the first time that the tech giant’s platform has exposed kids to strangers. Back in 2019, a “technical error” allowed thousands of kids to connect with unauthorized users. This time, however, Facebook has intentionally opened up the Messenger Kids network to encourage kids to amass more contacts.
This shouldn’t be surprising, since Facebook’s number one goal has always been to have as many daily active users as possible. In general, the company wants its adult users to spend copious amounts of time on the platform because that gives them the chance to show more ads and generate more revenue. And while it’s true that Messenger Kids is ad-free, it’s not a huge logical leap to assume that this kids’ product exists to train the next generation of adult users. And, in order for children to access Facebook Messenger Kids, their parents also need to have an active adult account.
All of this is why I’m wary of the network—and why I’ve never considered putting my own young children on the platform. Even before they effectively turned Messenger Kids into a social network for children, I didn’t want my daughter to use it because I simply don’t trust the company. They’ve demonstrated a disregard for their users’ privacy over and over (and over) again, and I knew that their values didn’t align with my own.
But Where’s the Alternative?
This, unfortunately, also put me in a tricky spot as a parent: technology is going be a major part of my kids’ lives, and I wanted to be able to give them access to it. But when I looked at the available options for kids messengers, Facebook was the only option and that was an immediate non-starter.
Back in the day, I think Facebook did offer something novel to the world. When I first used the platform way back when, I found it was a decent way to connect with family and friends who were far away. But somewhere along the way, the predominant Facebook experience became less about connection and more about engagement and amassing as many “friends” as possible. (I remain convinced that was the sole purpose for the game Farmville.)
After a while, content became more polarizing and I started to feel like I wasn’t getting the same value out of it that I used to. And I believe that transformation in the user experience all ties back to their company values. Today, I do not trust their motivations because they’re a platform that’s optimized for growth above all else. I believe that this leads them to prioritize the needs of advertisers—often to the detriment of their users. So, I decided that I would solve my own problem, and hopefully, help out other families in the process. I knew that there were others out there who were also wary of Facebook, and I wanted to be able to give them and their kids an alternative way to stay in touch that wasn’t a thinly veiled onramp to a social network. That’s why I founded Kinzoo.
Competing on Values, Not Features
I believe that companies that are building products for kids need to hold themselves to a very high standard. They should always be striving to give children the best of technology, without exposure to the worst of it—and that needs to be built into a company’s values from the outset. Our mission is to be a catalyst for meaningful experiences, with kids at the heart. While technically, we’re vying for space in the same category as Facebook Messenger Kids, we’re not competing feature-for-feature. Rather, we’re competing on values. For us, the motivation behind our app is what’s important. We want to build something that creates real value for families without the mechanisms that often manipulate us.
So, as Facebook Messenger Kids starts to look less like a messenger and more like a Facebook training ground for children, I’m reaffirmed that families need an alternative. I’m emboldened in our vision to be the most trusted brand for incorporating technology into our kid’s lives. And I’m thankful that my own kids have a safe space to connect with family and friends—without the pressure that often comes with social media.
Sean Herman is the founder and CEO of Kinzoo, an exciting new company that helps parents turn screen time into family time. His first book, "Screen Captured," debuted at number one in Amazon's parenting category, and his writing separates technology fact from fiction for his fellow parents.
Not able to make that multigenerational family vacation happen this year? With COVID 19 on the rise and travel restrictions and recommendations changing daily, it’s no surprise to anyone that our elderly grandparent population may be most at risk. That doesn’t change the fact that kids will be disappointed. Here are some ways to help kids stay connected to their grandparents and other relatives when travel isn’t possible.
Create a Video Montage
Tribute
Grandparents won't miss out on a thing when you use a service like Tribute.co to capture daily special moments. The platform is now being offered for free, and is a simple way to stay connected to loved ones from afar. Invite other family to submit videos through Tribute, then arrange the clips and add effects using the simple tools. When you're done, you'll get a high quality video to send to grandparents in jiffy.
From subscription services like Grandy, designed to help grandparents use technology to stay connected to their grandchildren, or the popular Amazon Echo or Facebook Portal, or just Skype, adding video to calls can help kids feel more connected to the person on the other end of the line. Grandparents can make silly faces, see artwork or read bedtime stories.
For babies and toddlers, consider meal time or snack time to make a video call. Wiggle worms tend to sit still while they’re eating, plus they are occupied and strapped in.
For older kids, prepare a couple of things they want to show and tell with grandparents. A few good jokes, an accomplishment at school.
Routine can be helpful. Having a set scheduled time to talk to G&G is great for some kids, as it gives them something to look forward to, but it’s not a necessity. Sometimes spontaneous calls are the most fun.
The calls don’t always have to be about the weather or school. You can use the time for “lessons” if your grandparent wants to show your kiddos how to bake, build, play piano or draw.
Play "I spy" with the grandparents. Or 20 questions.
Know when to wrap it up. If you’ve got a toddler this will be more obvious. For older kids, setting a time limit can help keep them engaged during the call.
Remind grandparents that there is sometimes a video delay and remind kids that grandparents might need a repeat or louder volume.
If the grandparents can’t do video calls for whatever reason, much of the above can apply to a phone call, i.e. telling jokes, reading stories, recalling something that happened that day in school. It’s always good to bear in mind that an abstract disembodied voice won't hold a toddler’s attention for very long, so prep the grandparents to tell a story or similar.
The Tinybeans app is an easy and safe way to have a social network that is completely private and super easy to use. You can add grandparents to the account, they download the app, and can easily see any images you share. You can also print photo books and gifts in a snap via Chatbooks.
Play a game online that is kid and grandparent friendly, like Scrabble, Words with Friends or something similar where you take turns either in real time or at your own pace. Bonus if there’s a place for the Grands to leave little messages via chat.
Have the grands record themselves reading a book or buy a recordable book and have one of the grandparents (or both!) record it.
f your kiddos can make little cards and notes, sending something along for a special occasion or even just because, helps kids think about their grandparents in a positive way. Did your kid do their first masterpiece in colored pencil? Make a photocopy and drop it in an envelope. Kids don’t have to create custom art each time. Just sending something that shows progress and a child’s world view can be something to share (or talk about on the next video chat).
Start a story together. Have your parents start a paragraph or two of a story and mail it to your child. Your kids can add the next two paragraphs, and send back.
Send postcards from your hometown. It doesn’t always have to be a letter or package. Sometimes dropping a postcard from your favorite park or a place your kiddo loves with just a short-sweet note is a fast and easy way to let people know you care. Buy the pre-stamped kind or load up on postcards stamps to make it even easier to be spontaneous with your correspondence. Try Postcardly for taking it from online to in-hand.
