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What is happening with the Geeky Parent Guide (GPG) in 2025? Well, I am hoping to share experiences that will resonate with other parents. As if that wasn’t a goal already, I am hoping to discuss ways to be present in our families, while navigating the need for uplifting our own kids’ independence, spending time with our partners, and helping one another when times seem difficult. And what can be more challenging than knowing what to do with the internet and all it offers when parenting our kids?


It is safe to say that parenting is a rewarding challenge where we get to witness our little ones grow each and every day. And as they get older, we do our best to help them navigate new experiences. But how do we deal with parenting pre-teens (ages 10 and 12 for me) when they are gaining more experience with online activity?

I have no idea.

Wait, is this the point where I’m supposed to share some insightful thing that’s supposed to make parenting easier or at least help everyone let out a peaceful sigh of relief? Well, okay, I’ll try. The internet is something I have grown accustomed to, but it has taken years of involvement where I feel comfortable going to sites or avoiding clicking on things.

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Most of the time, I generally know to avoid clicking on random links, advertisements, or anything else that might bounce back in the form of some mutated “my life is about to be ruined” virus. Our kids, however, do not yet have that experience. They are building up to “Googling” things. Earlier when I was homeschooling, they used Kiddle as a “safe search engine for kids.” Now, Google is used in the public classroom setting.

So, if I were to describe my kids as a video game or role playing character, I would say they are slowly leveling up their character as they get higher in their education. On top of that, they have seen me post on a variety of social media sites – Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky – which highlights that there are a lot of opportunities for making connections online.

But we (my wife and I) haven’t gotten there yet with our kids. They have zero online presence when it comes to social media. There are concerns we have with online apps. Maybe a random person will reach out to them, and they’ll be curious to respond, and before you know it, there is a bit of a disguised relationship happening in the form of some random adult somewhere else in the world pretending to be something they’re not. Unfortunately, I know someone who has experienced this, and it’s hard not to think about this with my own kids.



What Online Activity Do We Do with Our Kids?

Some of our family time comes in the form of watching YouTube videos. It’s a way for all of us to unwind and decompress after a long day of school, whether my kids were learning or Meghan was teaching. Oh, my wife is a teacher, if you didn’t know already. A lot of our videos come in the form of cooking or baking recipes – and we go to Allrecipes quite a bit.

Is it fun to watch these food videos and then think, “Maybe we can make that?” Yes. Is it also fun to watch knowing we might never make any of the dishes (even though we’d like to)? Yes to that, too! From breakfast casserole recipes, homemade fish and chips, and finding a way to make multiple dishes using crescent rolls, our family loves to watch food videos. Our love of food isn’t the only thing we veer towards on YouTube.

We also watch travel videos, The Newbys and their life on a Portugal farm, funny cat or dog videos, or some form of Watch Mojo list. Now, if it’s just Meghan and me, we usually lean into some true crime or Scary Interesting, which provides real-life encounters that prove to be scary and interesting. Also, big props to Scary Interesting for posting “No AI generated content used in this video.”

Will our kids use other apps at some point? Sure. Will that happen any time soon? No. We want our kids to spend time with their friends in person and opening up their worlds to the wonders of the internet seems a bit soon.

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Where Do I Turn to in an Online World?

Bluesky is the newest space I’m trying to be more active on. Admittedly, I am not the greatest at engaging with others (socially awkward introvert over here), but I do love sharing other people’s works. It does take a lot (for me) to share bits of myself to the world, or even promote my own works, but it’s so much easier to prop up other people. I like seeing other people happy or sharing things they’ve accomplished.

In saying that, and depending on what you’re looking for, there are plenty of people providing content on a variety of things. For example, I am a big fan of Survivor, so I follow RHAP (Rob Has A Podcast) where Survivor and a variety of other shows are discussed in podcast or video from. If you’re looking for Star Wars content, you can follow the Dork Side of the Force – or you can subscribe to the Space Wizards Book Club which is a newsletter providing “news, reviews, guides, recommendations, and pretty pictures of Star Wars books.”

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I am also subscribed to a few other Substacks, such as Lifeline Comics (founded by Kat Calamia and Phil Falco), where they discuss their upcoming projects and experiences, such as reviewing Wicked: Part 1. If you’re looking for stories involving classic monsters, or you’re interested in Wicked Tree Press who “highlight strong women heroes, anti-heroes, and villains” in a variety of genres, then check out Monster of the Week (created by Jessica Maison).

If you’re looking for a path to “navigate the labyrinth of writing TV, movies, comics, podcasts, plays and animation,” then head over to The Writer’s Labyrinth (run by Meghan Fitzmartin). Now, I don’t know how long I’ve been on Substack, but as a big fan of James Tynion IV, I’m pretty sure I’ve been following The Empire of the Tiny Onion for quite some time. So, you can also explore how one builds an empire from the ground up.

And, yes, I am going to push myself to prop up my own Substack, where I talk about, well, whatever I want. The Neverending Streamer is a place where I talk about TV and movies where I get to write about Survivor each season, while also highlighting other TV shows or movies worth your time. Maybe I liked The Marvels and believe you should watch it. Maybe I covered the wildly popular Fallout and its dystopian journey through the radioactive wastelands. Or maybe I open up about cancelling Disney+ or what a snow day makes me think about as a dad.

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What Does It All Mean?

The internet can be a very good resource to stay connected with loved ones, while also trying to promote our works to the masses. On the other hand, it is very easy to get lost online and not stay present with those in our own homes. Our kids will not be getting online profiles anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean they should feel on the outs with their own parents. I want to be active in their lives and sometimes that means putting my computer or phone down and being there with them.

Yes, maybe that means we’re putting on YouTube videos. Or maybe it’s as simple as sitting in the same room playing games, reading books, or doing crossword puzzles. I hope these moments together will mitigate any drive for them to “need” to get online to be social. I know it will happen at some point, but hopefully they’ll understand that it’s okay to take their time, so they can be as fully prepared for social media when the time comes.

But, hey, that’s just me. Are your kids active online? Do you or your kids use a particular app more times than not? What sites do you go to when you explore the internet? Share your thoughts here or find me online (@travisadork) and tell me all about it.

Until next time, friends, happy parenting and happy geeking.




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S.T. Lakata, Fanbase Press Senior Contributor

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