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Publisher's Note, March 2014

Alayne Sulkin
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Published on: February 18, 2014

Nick Ost with Alayne Sulkin and Natalie Singer-Velush

Trust vs. Fear

Apologies to you parents of singletons, who have a bit more pressure to get this parenting journey right the first time around. I have that easy third child who makes me look like I have more of a clue what I’m doing.

But don’t be fooled: As I read Kristen Russell’s “Spy Game: Should We Track Our Kids With Tech?”, my heart raced and beads of sweat began to form as the story reawakened trauma from my early parenting years. Yes, I say: Play the spy game — and make sure you win!

I’m not referring to the newborn Big Brother tech that crosses the line and “perpetuates a heightened sense of parental fear,” as Russell puts it. I’m talking about the many parents who are caught off-guard during the adolescent transition years. Ill-informed parenting is centuries old —what’s new is the lightening speed at which technology has emerged to become our (and our children’s) friend and foe. While we don’t want to feel like CIA agents, we all have the ultimate goal of keeping our kids safe.

My husband’s and my ordinarily bold, investigative personalities were squandered when it came to reconnaissance efforts with our first teen.

The combination of her impeccable first 17 years with the “we don’t want to know” denial buried deep in our parenting psyche left us dumbfounded when the proverbial s*#t hit the fan!

Tweens and teens have the occasional volcanic eruption, and parents are often woefully underprepared. If we don’t wise up with our kids, or if we respect their privacy too much, we may unintentionally put them in harm’s way. Spying a little to see into your child’s world can help build trust between you — and let you assess real threats.

In this month’s Someone You Should Know, health and awkwardness convene at a joyous intersection. Meet Nick Ost, the spirited and strategic 19-year-old founder of Sacks of Love, an organization that aims to spread awareness of testicular cancer by “saving one nut at a time.” Their ballsy slogans bring levity to this serious subject. Join me as a wife and mother to support and educate the men and boys we love about this threat to their good health!

—Alayne

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