UD Tech Trek

Directions Website

From the first device to social media platforms to gaming communities, every family's digital journey looks different.

Tech Trek offers resources, expert insight, and community connection to help Upper Dublin families raise kids in the digital age.

10/12/2026

Cybersecurity Awareness Month, tip #2: privacy settings aren't just “set it and forget it” 🔒

This week, sit down together and check your kid's account settings: who can see their posts, who can message them, and whether location sharing is actually on for a good reason.

👉 For more on privacy settings, check out our website at udtechtrek.org.

10/09/2026

📱 UDSD families, we’ll see you at NetSmartz!

Apps, features, and online risks change fast, and it can be hard to keep up. The UDSD Office of Student Services is hosting a district-wide evening of practical strategies to help your kids and teens stay safe and make smart choices online.

🗓️ Wednesday, October 14
🕡 6:30 PM
📍 Sandy Run Middle School

Featured presenter Jason Swan is a former police sergeant and school resource officer who now serves with the U.S. Secret Service. He’ll cover:
👉The apps kids are using
👉Red flags to watch for
👉How to talk with kids about risky online behavior
👉How to set up parental controls that work

UD Tech Trek is proud to support this event by providing refreshments in the SRMS lobby starting at 6:00 PM.

Registration is required. Sign up here 👉 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfolnWZRwI5QTNc98JZYOTEI3-dljVofwhkMseFckOuj_OqrA/viewform

10/08/2026

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and one of the easiest habits to build with your kids this month is about passwords.

On our social media safety resource page, one line from the "Is My Kid Ready for Social Media?" checklist stands out: knows never to share their location or passwords.

It sounds simple, but plenty of kids (and adults) reuse the same password everywhere, or hand one over to a friend "just this once."

A few habits worth starting this week:
👉 Use a password manager as a family
👉 Agree that passwords should never be shared over text or Discord (even with friends)
👉 Take two minutes to check which apps might use an old, reused password.

09/30/2026

A surprise charge on the credit card is usually the first sign that in-game spending has become a habit rather than a one-time ask. Skins, loot boxes, battle passes — the prompts are designed to feel small in the moment, but they add up quickly.

Before it turns into a fight, help your child:
💡Understand the value of money in a digital context
💡Recognize pressure from friends or influencers to buy things
💡Set spending limits or require permission before purchases
💡Talk to your kids about the fear of missing out that’s created through monetary barriers– the industry thrives on this for microtransactions
💡Turn off in-app purchases or use parental controls to avoid surprises

09/28/2026

Not every group chat drama is bullying, and treating it that way can make kids less likely to bring you the things that actually are. Getting left off a chat, a joke that lands wrong, a conversation that moves on without you — these sting, but they're also just part of growing up.

Helping your child separate "this feels bad" from "this is actually harmful" is one of the most useful skills.

09/25/2026

Turning 13 doesn't come with a switch that flips to "ready for social media." Some kids are, some need another year, and an app's minimum age is really just a floor, rather than a recommendation. Readiness has more to do with how a child already handles friendship conflict, screen time limits, and asking for help than it does with a birthday.

If your family's weighing this one, consider readiness, grade level, and the level of supervision or access you want your child to have. The key is to be intentional, flexible, and involved.

09/23/2026

Not every post here is about screens. Pumpkin picking, a Saturday bike ride, a board game that runs long because everyone's actually having fun — these count too, and they're some of the easiest counterweights to a screen-heavy week.

What's one no-phone tradition your family has? Tell us in the comments!

09/21/2026

A new driver's license completely changes the conversation around phones. The habits that felt manageable when your teen was a passenger– checking a text or glancing at a notification– turn into big risks behind the wheel.

Before the keys leave your hand for the first time, it's worth agreeing on where the phone lives during a drive: glovebox, back seat, or Do Not Disturb. Decide before it's ever tested in the moment.

09/18/2026

The last hour before bed is where a lot of sleep trouble starts, and it usually isn't about willpower. Blue light, notifications, and infinite scrolling all work against a tired brain trying to wind down.

A charging station outside the bedroom — for the whole family, not just the kids — is one of the simplest changes that actually sticks. Small swap, huge difference.

09/16/2026

Somewhere between full independence and knowing their exact location at all times is a setting that likely fits your family. Location-sharing apps can build trust. They can also turn into round-the-clock monitoring that backfires once kids are old enough to notice.

Worth revisiting with your child every so often:
📍What you're checking for vs. what you're not
📍What happens when they ask for more privacy as they get older

Address

800 Loch Alsh Ave
Fort Washington, PA
19034

Website

http://udtechtrek.org/

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