Family IT Guy Podcast (audio)

Settings Kids Up For Success: When Algorithms Replace Family Conversations (ep4)

Your child's future might depend on the conversations you're NOT having because of your phone. This changes everything about screen time limits.
 
Join Family IT Guy Ben Gillenwater and Dr. Steve Underwood (https://www.veritasedconsulting.com) as they connect dots between device addiction and the literacy crisis. Steve overcame poverty and a severe stutter to become a leading education consultant - and his insights will transform how you think about technology's real cost to your family.
 
CRITICAL MOMENTS:
00:01:40 - Steve's personal struggle that shaped his mission
00:24:21 - The grocery store test revealing 10,000 word gaps
00:28:08 - "Rich get richer, poor get poorer" in literacy
00:43:03 - When addiction patterns repeat across generations
00:47:08 - Using YouTube as a conversation tool, not babysitter
01:20:14 - Why typing skills don't equal future readiness
 
Learn why first grade is the literacy deadline, how to ask questions that build critical thinking, and what "attachment parenting" means in our digital world.
 
Perfect for parents who've read "The Anxious Generation" and want specific, actionable strategies beyond just limiting screen time.
 
#DigitalParenting #LiteracyCrisis #EducationReform #ScreenAddiction #ChildBrainDevelopment #ParentingStrategies

25 Years Fighting Predators: What Every Parent Needs to Know To Keep Kids Safe | Conrad Woodall ep3

Former police officer Conrad Woodall has spent 25 years working with survivors of sexual assault and trafficking. In this eye-opening conversation, he shares hard truths about what's really happening to our kids online and in schools.
 
What You'll Learn:
- Why over 100 boys sent inappropriate images to his 16-year-old daughter
- How a child was molested in just 37 seconds at a Dollar Tree
- Why certain kindergarten books are perfect grooming tools for predators
- How to teach kids consent as "the power to stop" not just saying yes
- Why sheltering kids from technology makes them MORE vulnerable
- How teaching toddlers to "fight the vacuum" builds crucial neural pathways
- The one skill every child needs before touching any device
 
Conrad developed the RECOVER model of therapeutic self-defense after seeing his mother's childhood trauma shape his family. With a master's in forensic psychology and 12 years as a Sacramento police officer, he understands both predator psychology and survivor recovery.
 
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Introduction & Conrad's Background
01:56 Mother's Trauma That Started It All
11:50 The Spider Analogy - How Trauma Affects Intimacy
14:35 Redefining Consent: The Power to Stop
28:42 100+ Dick Pics: The Shocking Reality in Schools
45:13 The 37-Second Molestation Case
53:45 How Kindergarten Books Help Predators
1:04:28 Your Kids: Big Tech's Test Subjects
1:18:37 Teaching Toddlers to Fight Fear
1:29:11 Raising a Daughter Who Triangle Chokes Boyfriends
1:43:41 The 4-Year-Old Who Saved Herself
 
Resources Mentioned:
Netsmartz
Connect Safely
Internet Keep Safe Coalition
Trad Fam (Idaho organization)
 
Note: This conversation contains discussions of sexual assault, child abuse, and trauma. While approached sensitively, some content may be triggering.
 
#childsafety #onlinesafety #parenting #digitalparenting #internetsafety #parentingtips #ConradWoodall #traumarecovery #kidsandtechnology #cybersafety #parentingpodcast #childprotection

We’re Winning Against Child Predators (And They’re Mad About It)

We're disrupting sextortion operations worldwide - and the criminals are getting desperate. Here's what every parent needs to know.
 
As a 30-year cybersecurity expert and father, I'm seeing firsthand how education about online predators is making criminals less effective. In this video, I explain why scammers are trying to infiltrate my content and, more importantly, share the exact conversation you need to have with your kids tonight.
 
What you'll learn:
- Why education is the best defense against sextortion
- Specific predator tactics: love bombing, sudden friendship, photo requests
- The critical response if your child becomes a victim
- How criminal networks operate globally
 
Timestamps:
0:00 Evidence we're winning
1:10 How this disrupts criminal business
2:01 Teaching kids to recognize red flags
2:40 Crisis response protocol
 
Don't let your child become a statistic. Watch, learn, and share with other parents.

Why Your 10-Year-Old Can’t Stop Scrolling (Bottomless Feeds Explained)

Your child's app addiction isn't accidental—it's engineered. Former NSA cybersecurity expert explains the "bottomless feed" design that creates chemical addiction in developing brains.
 
In this 2-minute breakdown, discover:
- What bottomless feeds actually are (0:00)
- The hidden business model keeping kids hooked (0:26)
- Why it's literally "digital drugs" with real brain chemistry (0:45)
- The doom scrolling trap adults fall into (1:17)
- How to protect your family starting today (1:36)
 
As a parent myself, I've watched my own kids struggle with these intentionally addictive designs. After 30 years in cybersecurity, including NSA work, I'm sharing what every parent needs to know about algorithms.
 
Visit FamilyITGuy.com and search "algorithm" for step-by-step guides to protect your family. No tech expertise required.
 
#DigitalParenting #ScreenTime #KidsAndTechnology #ParentingTips #DigitalWellbeing

Strong Moms and how to protect your kids on the internet - with the Family IT Guy team

The Family IT Guy team discusses:
- Why they're doing this work
- Critical safety issues
- Parenting in the digital age
- Solutions and Future Plans

”100% of Boys Will Be Targeted” - Officer Gomez - How Predators Hunt Kids Online (part 1)

This interview could save your child's life.
 
Officer Gomez, a school resource police officer with 12+ years experience and an engineering background, reveals the shocking reality of online child predation. In one summer, he arrested 14 predators attempting to meet children - and says they could arrest 14 EVERY SINGLE DAY.
 
MOST SHOCKING REVELATIONS:
- 4th and 5th graders are already sending nude photos
- 100% of boys WILL be targeted by sextortion scams
- 18 boys have taken their lives from these scams in the past 2 years
- Predators aren't who you think - many are attractive teens
- "By lunchtime it'll be someone else's picture" - the new normal
 
KEY TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - Introduction
07:05 - "By Lunchtime" - The Normalization of Nude Photos
18:11 - Elementary School Kids Sending Nudes
26:45 - 14 Predators Arrested in 10 Weeks
29:25 - Why Predators Target Roblox
31:09 - Young, Attractive Predators
35:32 - How Biology Defeats Boys' Judgment
37:49 - 100% of Boys Will Face Sextortion
39:09 - Teen Suicide Statistics
40:38 - Friday Night Tribal Council Solution
44:38 - The 200 Friend Rule
 
CRITICAL TOPICS COVERED:
✓ The 4-step predator playbook
✓ How to make your kids "hard targets"
✓ What to do if your child is being sextorted
✓ Why Roblox and gaming platforms are hunting grounds
✓ The conversation you MUST have tonight
 
WHO IS OFFICER GOMEZ:
- School Resource Officer in Idaho
- Electronics Engineering degree
- Works with Idaho Crimes Against Children Task Force
- National speaker on digital safety
- Tracks predator tactics through fake accounts
 
PARENT ACTION ITEMS:
- Watch this entire interview
- Have "the naked picture scam" talk with your sons TONIGHT
- Implement the 200 friend rule
- Start Friday family discussions about online safety
 
Share this episode - it could save a child's life.