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Stop Paying for Starbucks. It's Easy to Make Iced Coffee at Home
Stop Paying for Starbucks. It's Easy to Make Iced Coffee at Home
This story is part of Home Tips, CNET's collection of practical advice for getting the most out of your home, inside and out.
On a scorching summer day, nothing hits the spot like a big iced coffee. But if your Dunkin' or Starbucks habit is starting to stretch your wallet and you want to save some money, know this: It's actually really easy to make iced coffee at home, with the same basic ingredients as your regular hot coffee.
Iced coffee isn't the same as cold brew coffee -- it's less concentrated, and it has less caffeine. But while cold brew often takes a whole day to, well, brew, and requires a specialized cold brew maker, iced coffee is far more convenient, and also retains more of the subtle flavor notes of the coffee than cold brew does.
Here's how to make your own iced coffee at home. We've also got tips on how to make ice cream in your food processor, and how to make a viral Dirty Shirley cocktail. You can also check out our picks for the best coffee maker and the best coffee grinder.
Read more: Best Coffee Subscriptions and Clubs for 2022
What you need to make iced coffee
It might seem obvious, but here's what you'll need to make iced coffee at home:
Brewed coffee (this can be from your Keurig, an automatic coffee pot, a pour-over or any other method you prefer)
1. Let your fresh brewed coffee cool. You can either let it sit out until it reaches room temperature, put it in the freezer for a few minutes, or if you're thinking ahead, refrigerate it overnight so it's ready to pour in the morning.
2. Fill a glass with ice, and pour the cooled coffee over it. (If you impatiently pour hot coffee over ice, you just get weak, lukewarm coffee.)
3. Add any of your preferred extras, like cream and sugar.
Extra tip: Freeze some of your brewed coffee in ice cube trays. Next time you make an iced coffee that you want to keep cold without watering it down so much, drop some in.
It's really that easy. Now go enjoy it for the rest of the summer.
For more money-saving tips, check out whether it's cheaper to buy groceries online than in the store, and what temperature you should set your thermostat to this summer to save on AC costs.
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2019 Honda Accord review: The driving enthusiast's family sedan
2019 Honda Accord review: The driving enthusiast's family sedan
It's a bit of a surprise to see a brand-new midsize sedan arrive with three pedals and a six-speed manual transmission, and even more so when those pieces are attached to a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with a not-insignificant 252 horsepower. But this unusual and unusually sporting version of the 2019 Honda Accord is an absolute delight to drive, one that'll satisfy your need for speed even if your life circumstances have moved you away from sport compacts and into midsize sedans.
Powertrain aside, the 2019 Honda Accord is a wonderful car in which to spend time. It nails the mission brief of a midsize sedan, delivering easy everyday livability that makes this car our top pick in its class.
About that engine
Of course, with "2.0T" right in the name, there's no way to avoid discussing the brisk acceleration enabled by that engine. A cousin to the 2.0-liter in the Civic Type R, the turbo mill endows the Accord with 252 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque, the latter offered all the way from 1,500 through 4,000 rpm. That's quite a bit more verve than the 1.5-liter turbo engine in other Accords, which serves up a perfectly adequate 192 hp and 192 lb-ft and mates either to a manual or a continuously variable transmission.
On boost, the engine whips the Goodyear Eagle Touring tires into a frenzy and pulls swiftly through the manual transmission's lower gears. It's quite exciting for what is, ultimately, an ordinary family sedan.
Fortunately the engine is not all about big boost, and operates smoothly and quietly in more quotidian driving situations. There's ample torque right off idle for spurting through city traffic and enough midrange punch you don't even need to worry if you forget to downshift before merging.
The optional 2.0-liter turbo engine is a real powerhouse.
Jake Holmes/Roadshow
Big credit also must go to the car's six-speed manual, which has to be among the loveliest gearshifts you can find in a new car today. Light enough to use with two fingers, direct enough that you never mistake one gate for another and paired with a just-right clutch pedal, it's the sort of stick-shift arrangement that takes no effort at all to drive -- even in stop-and-go city traffic. But I wouldn't fault anyone for buying this car with the optional 10-speed automatic transmission instead.
Daily driver extraordinaire
There's quite a lot of joy in the way the 2019 Honda Accord handles all aspects of driving, actually. With a great, commanding driving position and panopticon visibility in every direction, busy city streets are no chore at all. The Accord's steering is light but not without some sense of what the front tires are doing, the brake pedal reassuringly firm but not overly so. It's a car that feels like it was engineered by people who enjoy driving, and as a result, it's a car that is enjoyable to drive.
On the freeway, the Accord keeps wind and road noise remarkably hushed, while displaying well-mannered damping that keeps head-bobbing over dips and bumps to a minimum. However, those 19-inch wheels and low-profile (235/40 aspect ratio) tires struggle with cracked and brittle pavement. Impacts are both felt and heard in the cabin; other Accords ride more softly on 17-inch wheels with more tire sidewall, and that would be my preferred setup for daily-driving duty.
The Accord's interior is functional and well laid out.
Jake Holmes/Roadshow
This Accord Sport model does benefit in terms of handling from a quicker steering ratio, upgraded anti-roll bars and wider tires than, say, the more common EX trim. But experience in other models suggests all Accords are equally as satisfying to drive as this sporty-ish model.
Business casual design
There's a lot to look about the stylish, modern design of the 2019 Honda Accord, which manages to be a whole lot less bland than the last-generation model. With a low nose and a curving roofline, the sedan has quite a sporty profile. I could do without the big chrome strip along the top of the windowline, but otherwise the Accord's jewelry, specifically the LED head- and taillights, nicely breaks up its big surfaces. Large 19-inch wheels, chromed dual exhausts and a trunklid spoiler are appreciated touches on this Sport model.
Functional interior
The cabin is equally pleasing to the eye, finished with high-quality materials that, despite the black-on-black color scheme, do not look in the least bit dour. Everything you touch, from plastics to switches to the teensy shift knob, feels nice, too. The two center cupholders are set deep into the console, so you can use taller coffee mugs or water bottles. The center console cubby itself is not enormous, though offers a USB and 12-volt power outlet to power gadgets. A cubby ahead of the shifter is home to another pair of outlets and can conceal a charging phone or iPod.
Honda's infotainment system works well and supports both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Jake Holmes/Roadshow
In true Honda fashion, the interior is extremely functional, with big knobs for the climate control, easy-to-find flaps covering the USB ports, big switches on the steering wheel and a superlegible, semidigital instrument cluster. While the right-hand side of the cluster is an old-school analog speedometer, the left-hand side can serve as a virtual tachometer or a trip computer, or can offer up any number of data pages for things like vehicle status, safety-system operation, music and phone calling info and even service schedules.
A big range of adjustment for the front seats and steering wheel makes finding a comfortable driving position a cinch, and there's head- and legroom to spare for average-size adults. The same is true of the second row, where you won't believe how much space passengers have. Even with the roof's sloping profile, back-seat headroom is generous.
Nor will you believe how much stuff you can fit in the trunk, which has a low liftover height, a wide opening and the ability to swallow a class-leading 16.7 cubic feet of your belongings. The back seats fold down easily, too, for transporting larger items if necessary.
The trunk is enormous, storage 16.7 cubic feet of luggage.
Jake Holmes/Roadshow
Plentiful technology
All Accords save the base LX and the Hybrid use an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment that supports Bluetooth, satellite radio, HD Radio, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Built-in navigation, a Wi-Fi hotspot and wireless phone charging are available on some models. It would be nice to have some USB ports in the back to keep the kids' tablets charged, too, though.
The touchscreen crams a lot of information onto its display, but its menu structure is simple to navigate and responses to inputs are near-instant. Redundant physical buttons surround the screen, making it easier to jump between options or to adjust settings by feel while driving.
Safety technology is in abundance and, best of all, most of it comes standard across all trim levels -- something that can't be said of all rivals. Standard equipment includes forward-collision warning automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning and lane-keep assist, traffic-sign recognition, automatic headlights and adaptive cruise control. That ACC is offered even on a manual-transmission car is a rarity. Blind-spot monitoring is also offered on most trim levels.
These wheels look great but don't do ride quality any favors.
Jake Holmes/Roadshow
Economy and pricing
One downside to electing the 2.0-liter engine is that fuel economy falls to 22 miles per gallon city and 32 mpg highway in this Sport model. While that's comparable to other high-powered midsize sedans -- the Toyota Camry XSE V6 also scores 22/32 mpg, for instance -- it's not too impressive by the standards of the class. Most shoppers will be more compelled by Accords equipped with the car's 1.5-liter turbo engine, which return up to 30/38 mpg in EPA testing. The Accord Hybrid, meanwhile, is rated for 47/47 mpg.
In terms of pricing, however, this Sport 2.0T falls right in the middle of the 2019 Accord range, at $31,630 as tested. The sedan's pricing structure largely mirrors its competition, with models powered by the base 1.5-liter engine running from $24,640 for an LX up to $31,040 for an EX-L. Opt for the 2.0-liter mill and you'll pay between $31,630 and $36,870.
This Accord Sport 2.0T is definitely the driving enthusiast's choice, what with its power and six-speed manual transmission. Yet spending a week behind the wheel of the Accord really just underlines how well-sorted the entire car is for whatever type of driving you like: City, suburb, or highway, the Accord handles it well. Plus, it's affordable, efficient, incredibly spacious and filled with technology that just plain works. With all that in mind, there's no midsize car we'd recommend more readily than the Honda Accord.
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Cheaper Gas: Quick Tips to Save Money at the Pump
Cheaper Gas: Quick Tips to Save Money at the Pump
What's happening
Gas prices have dropped from record-high levels but are still much higher than last year.
Why it matters
With prices so high, using less gas and paying less for fuel can add up to sizable savings.
Gas prices have retreated from their record high of $5.02 a gallon on June 16, but they're still 9% higher on average than last year at this time -- that's about $11 more to fill up a 15-gallon tank.
Fluctuating oil production and the war in Ukraine are contributing to higher prices at the pump. And while there's not much that individual motorists can do about those factors, there are several ways to save money on gas.
Read on for details on price trackers, tips for improved fuel efficiency, club memberships and more.
Track local prices
GasBuddy is a well-known website for tracking gas prices in the US and Canada. It also provides data for the US Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy's gas tracker pages. The sites present the information in different ways -- try them both to see which you prefer. GasBuddy is available on the web or via mobile apps for Android and iOS, although critics have raised concerns about its data tracking and privacy policies.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Geico also provides a helpful local gas station tracker: Enter an address, city or ZIP code plus a maximum distance area, and Geico will return a detailed list and map with regular, midgrade and premium gas prices as well as directions to stations.
AAA provides a gas price tracker in its mobile app (Android, iOS), as does Gas Guru (Android, iOS), and you can check gas prices in your vicinity when using navigation apps like Waze and Google Maps.
Get money back from gas cards and fuel rewards programs
Major gas stations typically offer credit cards and reward programs that give you a percentage back. Speedy Rewards offers a $25 gift card when you reach 500 points, or 50 gallons of gas. At $5 a gallon, that's 10% back on your gas spending.
Shell and BP claim you'll save at least 5 cents per gallon with their respective reward programs, and ExxonMobil says you'll get at least 3 cents off. Be sure to review the terms of each program to see exactly what percentage of your gas spending you'll be getting back.
Supermarket chains also offer rewards programs: For every $100 you spend on groceries at Safeway or Kroger for example, you'll get 10 cents off gasoline the next time you fill up. Kroger works with Shell and Kroger Fuel Centers, while Safeway's program works at Chevron, Texaco and Safeway stations.
Pay for gas with cash
GasBuddy shows both credit and cash prices if there is a difference.
Screenshot by Peter Butler/CNET
The practice of charging less for gasoline for customers paying cash varies by region and individual gas station: In Los Angeles, several gas stations offer 20-cent discounts for cash, especially for premium gas.
That difference can quickly add up: You could save $3 every time you completely fill a 15-gallon tank, or $156 a year if you top off weekly. (Just watch those ATM fees: If you're paying $2 to $3 to get your cash each time, you could be losing money.)
Check your tire pressure
Making sure your tires are properly inflated can boost gas mileage by 3%, according to the US Department of Energy. At current prices, that could save you about 15 cents per gallon.
But 60% of car owners only check their tire pressure if an indicator light turns on, according to Jiffy Lube's Vehicle Maintenance Survey. A tire pressure gauge can monitor the health of your tires and only costs about $10 to $20.
When tires wear down to a depth of 1/16th of an inch, they're considered "bald" and should be replaced right away.
Google Maps will recommend routes designed to save gas.
Screenshot by Cliff Colby/CNET
Map your route
Google Maps can also boost your miles per gallon by recommending certain routes that avoid hills and traffic, resulting ideally in more constant driving speeds. Fuel-efficient routes are available on the mobile Android and iOS apps, though the feature hasn't been rolled out to all users yet.
To turn on fuel efficiency in Google Maps, tap the three dots on the directions screen, then tap "Route options" and toggle the "Prefer fuel-efficient routes" option on.
Other fuel-tracking mobile apps like Fuelio and JerryCan suggest methods of improving your fuel efficiency as well as tracking gas prices at stations. JerryCan claims that drivers using its app can improve their fuel efficiency by up to 20%.
Try a club membership for discounted gas prices
Costco, Sam's Club and Walmart Plus all offer discounted gas prices to members. Walmart Plus charges 5 cents less at its fueling centers, plus access to all Sam's Club locations. Memberships cost $13 a month or $98 a year, while Sam's Club memberships range between $45 and $100 per year.
Costco fuel prices are almost always significantly lower than at traditional gas stations, generally about five to 25 cents, according to Consumer Reports. Its June 10 review of gas prices found a 34-cent discount on Costco gas in Independence, Missouri, compared to the closest commercial gas station. Costco memberships cost between $60 and $120 per year.
Warning: Due to the record-high prices nationally, gas lines at Costco have become notoriously long.
Buy discounted gas cards through resellers
Gift cards are a popular choice for easy presents, but as you might expect, not all of those gift cards get used. A variety of resellers let consumers hock their unused gift cards or buy them on the cheap.
Raise and Gift Card Granny are two sites that let users buy and sell unused gift cards from Chevon, Texaco, Shell, BP and other gas providers. As you might guess, most discounted gas gift cards are sold out right now, but you can set up alerts for when new ones come in.
Be careful to check the actual price discount and other specifics of any card -- both sites also sell gift cards at retail rates, and Gift Card Granny also sells reward cards.
Become a master of fuel efficiency
You can ease gas consumption quite a bit by learning basic fuel-efficiency practices. Advice for saving gas while driving abounds on the internet, and AAA has compiled some great tips. Here are a few of the biggest savers:
Drive the speed limit, especially on the freeway. Fuel economy drops sharply once you start driving faster than 50 mph.
Ease up on the acceleration. "Jackrabbit starts" -- when a car lurches forward very quickly -- are a major gas waster. Accelerating smoothly will also let automatic transmissions shift to higher gears earlier, saving more fuel.
Avoid extended idling. You're going nowhere while burning up your gas. If it's going to be longer than 60 seconds, turn off your engine.
Minimize air conditioning. Even at high speeds, open windows hurt your fuel efficiency less than air conditioning. Park in the shade or use a windshield screen to keep your car as cool as possible in summer.
While driving in the city, time traffic lights so that you don't need to stop and start. Similarly, take your foot off the gas as soon as you see a red light or near a stop sign. The less braking and accelerating, the more gas you will save.
Go even further with hypermiling
Hypermiling is the practice of maximizing fuel efficiency to the ultimate degree, from choosing routes that require less braking and accelerating to cleaning out your trunk to lower your vehicle's weight.
Hypermilers might even park facing the sun when it's cold to conserve energy spent defrosting their windshield, and in the shade when it's cool to save on AC.
In the video below, CNET's Brian Cooley explains how drivers can adapt extreme hypermiling techniques to increase their own fuel efficiency.
Consider bicycles, public transit and electric vehicles
Soaring gas prices provide a timely opportunity to wean yourself off gasoline-based transportation. Riding a bike or using public transit more often will obviously help decrease your gasoline costs.
Similarly, if you can afford an electric vehicle it will certainly reduce your gas usage. It's not just Tesla -- Hyundai, Ford, Porsche, Audi and many other automakers sell electric cars. Bonus: You'll be fighting pollution and climate change at the same time as you're saving money.
Check out CNET Cars' list of the best electric vehicles to learn about the latest and greatest EV cars.
The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.
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Best Baby Clothes of 2022
Best Baby Clothes of 2022
When it comes to having and raising a baby, there's an awful lot to worry about. From where they're going to sleep to what car seat to buy, you have to do some research to find the best option for you. One of the biggest tasks is refreshing their wardrobe every couple of months as they grow out of their clothes unbelievably fast. Dressing up your baby can be a lot of fun, but constantly shopping for clothes can be a nightmare. It can be very difficult to tell the quality of a piece of clothing, and you never want to buy more than you need.
Your preference in baby clothes is subjective, as your own personal style will largely dictate what your infant wears (you're welcome for that Astro Boy onesie, son!). But just because you vibe with an outfit doesn't mean it will fit right or the materials will agree with your baby. After some trial and error, you'll start to get an idea which brands of baby clothes are best for your little one.
This guide to baby clothes during the first year can point you in the right direction. We've broken down which items and styles to look for, from onesies to dress clothes, along with top product picks for each category.
Onesies
The all-purpose bodysuit, or onesie, will make up the majority of your baby's wardrobe for the first six months or longer. Onesies are easy to throw on and allow for quick diaper changes, with a flap at the crotch that unsnaps when you need access. Another less celebrated but incredibly handy feature of the humble onesie are the envelope folds at the neckline, which allow the garment to be slipped off the shoulders and pulled down. When your baby inevitably has an epic diaper blowout, you'll be thankful you can remove their soiled onesie over their legs instead of their head.
Carter's
Even if your baby doesn't blow out every day, you're going to need a few onesies on hand for frequent changes. Whether from milk spills, food stains or dozens of other reasons, baby clothes get dirty fast in the beginning. Suggestions on how many pieces of clothing you should own vary depending on who you ask, but I'd recommend having seven to 10 onesies in rotation so you're not doing laundry all the time. To make shopping easy, look for onesies that come in sets. This set from Carter's comes with seven cotton onesies in various colors and patterns.
Pajamas
Footie pajamas or sleepers will keep your baby comfy and warm at night, but they're also great for wearing during the day. Chilly morning? Keep them in their pj's. You'll find many styles of pajamas, but if you take one thing away from this article let it be this: Avoid footies with snaps -- or worse, buttons -- as much as you avoid the changing table in a dollar store bathroom. They might be the cutest jammies in the universe, but they won't be at 3 a.m. as you curse yourself for missing a snap and realize you have to start all over again. Get zippers and save yourself a lot of time and hassle.
Old Navy
Normal zippers are great, but 2-way zippers or zippers that zip from top to bottom are even better. This setup allows you to undress only half of your baby's body for diaper changes, keeping the top half warm and toasty. This particular set of pj's also has fold-over mittens, which you can use to cover baby's hands to prevent them from scratching themselves at night.
Hanna Andersson
If your baby has sensitive skin, you may want to consider sleeping them in pj's made from 100% organic cotton, like this set from Hanna Andersson, or other natural materials like linen or bamboo fiber. These garments are typically free of chemicals so there's less chance of irritating your little one's skin. Prices range from $11 to $4 depending on the style you choose.
Burt's Bees
Gowns are another category of baby sleepwear you might consider, especially in the early months of your child's life. Being open at the bottom, gowns make diaper changing even easier because you don't have to wrestle baby's legs out of any footies. You simply pull the gown up whenever you need to change them. This set from Burt's Bees is affordable and highly rated.
HALO
Another item you might want to consider is a sleep sack or bag. Part clothing and part bedding, a sleep sack is worn over pj's and is intended to replace loose blankets, which the American Association of Pediatrics advises against to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. A sleep sack serves the same purpose as a swaddle, but unlike swaddling, you don't have to stop using a sleep sack once your baby can roll over. If your child likes the security a sleep sack provides, they can keep using it through their first birthday and beyond.
Pants
Because onesies leave your baby's legs exposed, you should also have a few pairs of pants or leggings in their wardrobe. Baby leggings should be stretchy so they're easy to get on and off. Sweatpants are another practical choice, and they can even be stylish when paired with an appropriate top. If you're considering dressing your little one in stiff, tight-fitting jeans or khakis on the regular, my advice is to save those for special occasions. Actual pants are a real pain to put on a baby, and you don't want to be doing it multiple times a day.
H&M
Because you'll be taking pants off and putting them on again so often, you should make it easy on yourself. As long as your baby doesn't have serious skin allergies, cotton with a little bit of spandex is a safe material choice that will make diaper changes go much smoother. This set from H&M, for example, is 95% cotton and 5% spandex.
Lamaze
When your baby starts crawling, you might consider adding some pants with built-in knee pads to their wardrobe. This will give them a little cushioning when crawling on wood floors or other hard surfaces.
Socks and booties
Our extremities, including hands and feet, get colder faster than the rest of our body. This goes double for babies as they lose heat more quickly than adults, so it's important to keep their little piggies dressed in the cooler months.
Gerber
The problem with most baby socks is they don't stay on. No matter how high you pull them up, one sock will inevitably be missing the next time you turn around. Gerber's Wiggle-Proof socks are designed to deal with this with elastic bands that hold onto your baby's calves without leaving marks.
Hudson Baby
Booties tend to stay on better than socks because they typically have some method of fastening around the ankle to prevent slippage. They can still be kicked off if your kiddo is determined enough, but at least their feet will be warmer for a bit longer.
Jackets
No matter where you live, at some point in your baby's first year it will be cold enough for you to want to throw on a jacket. If it gets really cold, you may even be tempted to dress them up in a heavy winter coat. Though that would undeniably be cuteness overload, the American Association of Pediatrics advises against bulky coats. This is mostly due to the fact that you can't safely buckle a child into a car seat while wearing one, as the jacket leaves space between the straps and your child's chest.
Carter
In addition to interfering with safety harnesses, thick jackets are largely unnecessary because you can dress a child in many thin layers and achieve the same result. A light fleece jacket like this pick from Carter's is warm and versatile, and can be all a baby needs for a stroll around the block or can serve as the final layer for a snow day.
Buckle Me Baby
If you just love the puffy jacket look, consider getting one from Buckle Me Baby. These coats are specially designed to maintain contact between the seat harness and your child. How it works is the front panel of the jacket unzips and opens, allowing you to buckle your little one in and zip the jacket back up over it. If you're going somewhere cold, this is a great choice to wear in the car while it warms up.
Dress clothes, special occasion
Babies aren't expected to dress up. If you showed up to a wedding with your six-month-old wearing their toastiest footie pajamas, people would understand. But we like dressing our babies up for special occasions, so having one set of fancy duds in the closet doesn't hurt. Sure, they might only wear it once, but think of all the adorable photos.
Cat & Jack
Though dress clothes by nature are less comfortable and convenient to get on and off, the same general rules for baby clothes apply: Make it as easy on yourself as possible. Imagine your baby having a two-way blowout in the middle of whatever special occasion you're dressing them for. Would it be a nightmare to change them out of the outfit you're looking at? Better keep shopping.
This little number is made up of two pieces. The top is really just a fancy onesie with the typical snaps on the crotch, but you wouldn't know it once it's tucked into those tiny chinos. Topping off the ensemble is a bow tie and suspenders, which are just precious.
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
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Sugar cravings during pregnancy: How much sugar is too much?
Sugar cravings during pregnancy: How much sugar is too much?
In large amounts, sugar isn't good for you -- and that may be especially true when you're pregnant.
What you eat during pregnancy fuels not only your body's arduous journey in growing a whole new human -- it can also set the stage for your child's health once they leave the womb. Too much sugar can affect a growing fetus and influence childbirth and beyond, especially if you're one of the many people diagnosed with gestational diabetes.
But before we get into the nitty-gritty of sugar, Dr. Gloria Bachmann, an OB-GYN and director of the Women's Health Institute at Rutgers University, says it's important to think about your general diet and overall health in pregnancy -- ideally before you're pregnant in the first place. Bachmann says that when you're contemplating pregnancy is the time to make sure you're eating the most nutritious diet you can, and that you're in the healthiest shape you can be in.
"There are so many various diets available," Bachmann says. "And I think the one that's most important is the one that's well balanced." Eating enough protein, fats and carbohydrates is important, but part of a well-rounded diet is limiting sugar intake.
So, what are the sugar rules in pregnancy? Read on for advice on how excessive sugar intake can affect your pregnancy and how to satisfy your sweet tooth while you're expecting.
Read more: Foods to avoid during pregnancy
How much sugar can I have?
Bachmann advises pregnant patients to keep their free sugar intake under 30 grams (a little over 7 teaspoons). Free sugar is added sugar, which includes the sweetness in fruit juices, desserts and other foods. Sugar that comes naturally in foods, including sugar in the cells of fruits and vegetables, doesn't count toward your intake because this type of sugar doesn't have a negative impact on health, according to the British Heart Foundation.
For scale, a packet of sugar you'd put in your coffee is typically 4 grams of free sugar. A pint of Ben & Jerry's "Cannoli" ice cream has 30 grams of sugar, or your total daily amount of free sugar. That's why it's especially important to make healthy swaps of your favorite foods -- say, a juicy orange for dessert instead of a cookie.
This is a general example of how much a person should eat in pregnancy, but your own limit may depend on other factors, including whether you've been diagnosed with gestational diabetes.
Gestational diabetes occurs in about 2 to 10% of pregnancies, and it's diagnosed only in people who are "gestating" (aka pregnant). It happens when your body can't make enough insulin during pregnancy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There usually aren't symptoms of gestational diabetes, and you'll need to be tested to see if you have it. It typically develops between the 24th and 28th weeks of pregnancy, Healthline reported.
Blood sugar levels usually return to normal after a person's baby is born, per the CDC, but about 50% of people who have gestational diabetes will go on to develop type 2 diabetes. Gestational diabetes also puts the pregnant person's child at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in their own life and of being born early, which can lead to breathing difficulties according to the Mayo Clinic.
The high blood sugar levels that a pregnant person shares with the fetus can also cause the baby to get too big, Bachmann says, which can complicate pregnancy.
"The other problem with increased weight is that a vaginal birth may not be possible because the baby will be too big to get through the birth canal," Bachmann says, which will then make a C-section necessary.
Making sure you're healthy before getting pregnant can reduce your risk of gestational diabetes, as a lack of physical activity can increase your risk of developing it. People in larger bodies, people with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, as well as Black, Hispanic, Native American and Asian American people are also at greater risk of gestational diabetes.
If you develop it, gestational diabetes can be managed by keeping your blood sugar levels low by following a low-sugar diet or meal plan prepared by your doctor or dietician. If eating healthy and staying active isn't enough, your doctor may prescribe insulin or other medication, per the CDC.
Can I have more sugar in the third trimester vs. the second, or vice versa?
Nope, Bachmann says -- you should monitor and limit your sugar intake throughout your pregnancy, no matter which of the three trimesters you're in.
Read more: Pregnancy timeline: What happens each month and trimester
What about fake sugar?
Bachmann says some artificial sweeteners are OK in moderation, including sucralose (Splenda) and aspartame. (People who have the hereditary disease phenylketonuria or PKU should avoid aspartame, because their bodies can't break down aspartame, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.) However, people who're pregnant should avoid saccharin, Bachmann says, which can cross the placenta and stay in fetal tissue. Many different foods can contain saccharin, including diet sodas, chewing gum, canned fruit, baked goods, vitamins and more, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Similar to sugar, the "moderation" element may be key in artificial sweeteners. While many health experts seem to agree that most sweeteners are fine for most people when consumed sparingly, one study links low-calorie sweeteners to childhood obesity. If you're trying to cut back on sugar and find yourself turning to artificial sweeteners, talk to your doctor about when to replace the real stuff with artificial or low-calorie sweeteners.
Just like you, every pregnancy is unique. And once you become pregnant, it's an unreasonable ask to expect change overnight. This may be complicated further if you experience nausea or vomiting as a symptom of pregnancy. In terms of diet when you're trying not to throw up, Bachmann says to work with yourself, but that it's important you continue to eat things that include protein, fiber, calcium, carbohydrates and other fuel your body needs.
"It's always easier said than done -- if you have really severe nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, you really have to modify and see what you can tolerate," Bachmann says. "Try to stick to as healthy a diet as possible."
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
Evil Dead: The Game Perfectly Captures the Cult Film's Chaos
Evil Dead: The Game Perfectly Captures the Cult Film's Chaos
The Evil Dead films have a different flavor compared to similarly venerable horror franchises like Halloween or Friday the 13th. What the Evil Dead does differently, and does so well, is blend outlandish slapstick action-comedy with some truly ghoulish monsters and horror violence. It's no surprise that its popularity has endured since its 1981 debut, but it still seems like its potential is largely untapped within the gaming world.
Due May 13, Evil Dead: The Game wants to change that. I recently got to play about an hour of the game with staff at developer Saber Interactive, which also made the World War Z game. Not only is it faithful to the goofy horror of the original films, I was also surprised by how much fun I had getting scared.
Firstly, Evil Dead: The Game is a massive tribute to the beloved horror series. Serving as something of a greatest hits for the original trilogy and the three-season TV series -- all starring cult film actor Bruce Campbell -- the game channels the Deadite slaying and horror comedy into the structure of a multiplayer game. (Deadites are a species of parasitic demons and primary antagonists of the Evil Dead franchise.)
Four players fight to stay alive as the survivors; another player uses a variety of demonic magic to stop them. Structurally it's quite similar to the popular Dead By Daylight -- a great fit for Evil Dead.
Paying homage to the main location of the first two films, series protagonist Ash Williams and other survivors face off against the forces of darkness in a massive forest filled with supernatural horrors. You'll be able to squad up in a team of four as the survivors, each of which play as different classes -- leader, support, warrior and ranged. The playable characters are made up of mostly familiar faces from the original films and the TV series, which includes fan favorites Pablo and Kelly.
Fans of the Ash vs Evil Dead TV series will be able to revisit that incarnation of Ash in this game.
Saber Interactive
But of course, Ash Williams -- portrayed by the returning Bruce Campbell -- makes his comeback. This character is such an icon, and I couldn't resist playing as him, even though the other playable characters are interesting too. In a clever twist, there's not just one version of Ash, but four different incarnations based on his many appearances throughout the series. So if you prefer Ash from Army of Darkness, then you play as that one, with different skills to his counterparts.
In my interview with Saber Interactive Chief Creative Officer Tim Willits, he said the approach to making the crew of survivors was to satisfy long-time fans and give variety for players when they jump into a game.
"The Evil Dead universe is just so great. Bruce Campbell is a legend, and the amount of stories and lore in the universe is so rich," says Willits. "The thing about [Evil Dead: The Game], which is an asymmetrical horror game, is that the hero Ash Williams and the other survivors can kick ass and win."
The big difference between this game and other horror games of its ilk -- like Dead By Daylight or Friday The 13th: The Game -- is that Evil Dead: The Game gives its "survivors" the means to defend themselves against the forces of darkness. When I got to play as the survivors, it felt like I stepped into a genuine action-horror game like The Evil Within or Resident Evil.
Squad up with several returning characters from the Evil Dead series, including some favorites from Army of Darkness and even the original film.
Saber Interactive
By scrounging up supplies, I could pull together a rifle and a chainsaw to take down some roaming Deadites. It was thrilling getting to tear into them with finishing moves from Ash's chainsaw, and taking them down allowed me and my squad to clear the way for our set of objectives. One thing that players on the survivor team have to watch out for, however, is your character's level of Fear, which will make them susceptible to the more vicious attacks and even possession from the big baddie of each game. That's when the game's spookier side begins to show itself.
The roaming Deadites are just one obstacle. The true threat is another player pulling all the strings. Along with playing as survivors, you can also play as the architect of the Deadite invasion. When playing as the demonic force, shown from the first-person perspective like in the films, you can freely move around the map to set traps, power up the roaming Deadites and assume direct control of powerful demons or even the survivors themselves.
Playing as the survivors is enjoyable, but Evil Dead: The Game really shines when you're the one shaking up the game's events. One of my favorite moments came from playing as the antagonist. After laying traps and stalking the survivors from the shadows, I saw that the crew of four were quickly trying to head to a nearby vehicle. I activated a fear-based skill that triggered a jump scare effect that hit the survivors. As they were distracted, I immediately used my demonic powers to possess the car and rammed it into the group as more Deadites surrounded them. It was so satisfying watching the chaos unfold.
The forest is a big place, and your squad will need some wheels to get around.
Saber Interactive
I appreciated that there's a lot of variety and depth for both the good and evil sides of online matches. The survivor mode gameplay feels like a game of co-op survival horror. In contrast, the antagonist gameplay is a more dynamic tower defense-style mode, and that's a really cool combination.
Evil Dead: The Game is very much multiplayer first, but there is also a bonus mission mode for solo players that recreates some scenes from the films, such as the cabin invasion from the original flick. It's a nice addition to the game, and the devs already have plans to add more characters and content with a season pass. While the game so far will mostly encompass the original trilogy and the TV series, the devs of the game did have some appreciation for the 2013 Evil Dead remake.
"There's so many more characters, demons and weapons that we can add to the game, and we've teased some content on the season pass already," Willits says. "But not to give too much away, we do have ways to tweak the game itself in the future, so maybe we'll see some interesting stuff come up ... we know Jane Levy, who played Mia [in the Evil Dead remake] pretty well. That's all I'm going to say."
When playing as the antagonist, you can choose to take on the role of the Necromancer, aka Evil Ash from Army of Darkness.
Saber Interactive
I'll admit, I initially had some apprehension about a new Evil Dead game. While there have been some in the past, particularly on the original PlayStation and PS2, they felt more like exercises in retreading ground from the iconic Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn. This new game so far branches out into some ambitious territory, and I was impressed with how it came together to form a multiplayer experience that pays tribute to the goofy nature of Evil Dead, but also offers some genuine scares.
It can be a tough thing to balance, but I felt that Evil Dead: The Game is so far looking to be an interesting take on horror-comedy in a game, which is quite rare. This latest adaptation of the Evil Dead just might be the game that long-time fans have been waiting for.
Evil Dead: The Game will be released on May 13 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Nintendo Switch.
IronX by DXG 5G9V HD action cam review: Good bang-for-your-buck action cam
IronX by DXG 5G9V HD action cam review: Good bang-for-your-buck action cam
DXG might not have the name recognition of GoPro or Sony, but it's no stranger to camcorders. The manufacturer has been around for more than 20 years as a camera OEM/ODM and basically specializes in making inexpensive camcorders with attention-grabbing specs for the money. And that's pretty much what it delivers with its first action cam, the IronX 5G9V HD.
For $250 (and you can actually find it for less than $200) you get a nice action cam setup that shoots at resolutions up to 1080p at 30 frames per second as well as 720p at 60fps, has built-in Wi-Fi, and comes with just about every accessory you'd need to start shooting out of the box.
Now, specs aren't everything, and its video, like that of other DXG camcorders we've tested in the past, won't blow you away. But if you're looking for a way to capture your adventures without investing a lot of money up front, this is a good way to go.
In the box Accessories are an easy way to add value with action cams, and DXG didn't skimp. For starters, you get a waterproof housing that's good down to nearly 200 feet (60 meters) with both closed and vented backs, so audio isn't always muffled when you're shooting out of the water. The housing's bottom has a T-tip adapter on it that slides onto the included T-tip swivel plate. This plate can be slid into the curved or flat adhesive mounts that are included for mounting and dismounting the camera (see the slideshow below to take a closer look).
Joshua Goldman/CNET
The T-tip adapter also has slots that you can feed a Velcro strap (included as well) through for attaching the camera to a vented helmet. There are antifog strips to help prevent, um, fogging when sealed up in the housing; Micro-USB and Micro-HDMI cables; a USB power adapter for charging the camera; a security tether; and a lens cap. And to top it all off, DXG includes a simple RF wrist remote that lets you start and stop recordings and take pictures.
If you're worried that because this isn't a GoPro there will be a shortage of mounts, don't be. DXG has several mounts that use the T-tip adapter (head, chest, handbar, rollbar, rail, and suction cup) as well as a 1/4-20-threaded adapter for tripod mounts and a T-tip connector that works with mounts for GoPro's housings.
Design and features The IronX is similar in design to a GoPro camera: a small box with a lens that requires a housing of some sort for mounting. It has an f2.6 15mm lens (35mm equivalent), which gives you an ultrawide 170 degree angle of view. The camera alone is fairly lightweight, with most of its heft coming from its removable rechargeable battery pack. The plastic body doesn't feel like it can take much abuse on its own, though, so you'll want to be careful handling it outside of its housing.
On the left side you'll find a Micro-USB port that's used for charging as well as transferring videos and photos off the camera. There's also a mic jack for use with an external mic (not included) for better audio than you'll get with the built-in mono mic. However, the included housing doesn't allow access to the jack, but DXG does sell a simple camera holder that gives you access while mounting the camera.
The camera's right side has a Mini-HDMI port for direct playback on an external display and a microSDHC card slot that supports cards up to 32GB. Given all that the camera does come with, it's a bit of a surprise that no memory card is included, which is really the only thing preventing the IronX from being ready to go out of the box.
The waterproof housing seems like it can take some abuse and stood up to me dropping it a couple times, including a short fall from a moving bike onto pavement. The neon yellow and orange accents make it look a bit like a toy, but at least it didn't perform like one.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
A highlight of the camera is its onboard OLED display. It's very bright and easy to read even in direct sun. The menu system is relatively simple to navigate, too, with only the two buttons on top of the camera. There's also a setting that lets you flip the display, so it's easier to read regardless of how the camera is mounted.
Diving further into the settings, you can set the camera to record at three resolutions: 1080p at 30fps, 960p at 30fps, and 720p at 60fps. Also, the camera supports dual-stream recording, which simultaneously saves your full-resolution video along with a low-res thumbnail version for playback on mobile devices and faster uploads.
Photos are shot at 5-megapixel resolution and can be taken one at a time, in a burst of 10, or as a time-lapse video, snapping shots at 1, 3, 5, 10, 30, or 60 seconds.
Joshua Goldman/CNET
The IronX also has built-in Wi-Fi. Download the free iOS or Android app and you can use it to connect directly to the camera so you can see just what you're shooting. It can be used to control the camera, too, including changing resolution settings. And, if you shoot something you want on your mobile device for viewing and sharing, you can use it to transfer them as well. The app works well, although switching between recording and playback required me to reconnect to the camera in between. (That's likely a bug that can be fixed, though.)
TikTok Parents Are Taking Advantage of Their Kids. It Needs to Stop
TikTok Parents Are Taking Advantage of Their Kids. It Needs to Stop
Rachel Barkman's son started accurately identifying different species of mushroom at the age of 2. Together they'd go out into the mossy woods near her home in Vancouver and forage. When it came to occasionally sharing in her TikTok videos her son's enthusiasm and skill for picking mushrooms, she didn't think twice about it -- they captured a few cute moments, and many of her 350,000-plus followers seemed to like it.
That was until last winter, when a female stranger approached them in the forest, bent down and addressed her son, then 3, by name and asked if he could show her some mushrooms.
"I immediately went cold at the realization that I had equipped complete strangers with knowledge of my son that puts him at risk," Barkman said in an interview this past June.
This incident, combined with research into the dangers of sharing too much, made her reevaluate her son's presence online. Starting at the beginning of this year, she vowed not to feature his face in future content.
"My decision was fueled by a desire to protect my son, but also to protect and respect his identity and privacy, because he has a right to choose the way he is shown to the world," she said.
These kinds of dangers have cropped up alongside the rise in child influencers, such as 10-year-old Ryan Kaji of Ryan's World, who has almost 33 million subscribers, with various estimates putting his net worth in the multiple tens of millions of dollars. Increasingly, brands are looking to use smaller, more niche, micro- and nano-influencers, developing popular accounts on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube to reach their audiences. And amid this influencer gold rush there's a strong incentive for parents, many of whom are sharing photos and videos of their kids online anyway, to get in on the action.
The increase in the number of parents who manage accounts for their kids -- child influencers' parents are often referred to as "sharents" -- opens the door to exploitation or other dangers. With almost no industry guardrails in place, these parents find themselves in an unregulated wild west. They're the only arbiters of how much exposure their children get, how much work their kids do, and what happens to money earned through any content they feature in.
Instagram didn't respond to multiple requests for comment about whether it takes any steps to safeguard child influencers. A representative for TikTok said the company has a zero-tolerance approach to sexual exploitation and pointed to policies to protect accounts of users under the age of 16. But these policies don't apply to parents posting with or on behalf of their children. YouTube didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
"When parents share about their children online, they act as both the gatekeeper -- the one tasked with protecting a child's personal information -- and as the gate opener," said Stacey Steinberg, a professor of law at the University of Florida and author of the book Growing Up Shared. As the gate opener, "they benefit, gaining both social and possibly financial capital by their online disclosures."
The reality is that some parents neglect the gatekeeping and leave the gate wide open for any internet stranger to walk through unchecked. And walk through they do.
Meet the sharents
Mollie is an aspiring dancer and model with an Instagram following of 122,000 people. Her age is ambiguous but she could be anywhere from 11-13, meaning it's unlikely she's old enough to meet the social media platform's minimum age requirement. Her account is managed by her father, Chris, whose own account is linked in her bio, bringing things in line with Instagram's policy. (Chris didn't respond to a request for comment.)
You don't have to travel far on Instagram to discover accounts such as Mollie's, where grown men openly leer at preteen girls. Public-facing, parent-run accounts dedicated to dancers and gymnasts -- who are under the age of 13 and too young to have accounts of their own -- number in the thousands. (To protect privacy, we've chosen not to identify Mollie, which isn't her real name, or any other minors who haven't already appeared in the media.)
Parents use these accounts, which can have tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of followers, to raise their daughters' profiles by posting photos of them posing and demonstrating their flexibility in bikinis and leotards. The comment sections are often flooded with sexualized remarks. A single, ugly word appeared under one group shot of several young girls in bikinis: "orgy."
Some parents try to contain the damage by limiting comments on posts that attract too much attention. The parent running one dancer account took a break from regular scheduling to post a pastel-hued graphic reminding other parents to review their followers regularly. "After seeing multiple stories and posts from dance photographers we admire about cleaning up followers, I decided to spend time cleaning," read the caption. "I was shocked at how many creeps got through as followers."
But "cleaning up" means engaging in a never-ending game of whack-a-mole to keep unwanted followers at bay, and it ignores the fact that you don't need to be following a public account to view the posts. Photos of children are regularly reposted on fan or aggregator accounts, over which parents have no control, and they can also be served up through hashtags or through Instagram's discovery algorithms.
The simple truth is that publicly posted content is anyone's for the taking. "Once public engagement happens, it is very hard, if not impossible, to really put meaningful boundaries around it," said Leah Plunkett, author of the book Sharenthood and a member of the faculty at Harvard Law School.
This concern is at the heart of the current drama concerning the TikTok account @wren.eleanor. Wren is an adorable blonde 3-year-old girl, and the account, which has 17.3 million followers, is managed by her mother, Jacquelyn, who posts videos almost exclusively of her child.
Concerned onlookers have pointed Jacquelyn toward comments that appear to be predatory, and have warned her that videos in which Wren is in a bathing suit, pretending to insert a tampon, or eating various foodstuffs have more watches, likes and saves than other content. They claim her reluctance to stop posting in spite of their warnings demonstrates she's prioritizing the income from her account over Wren's safety. Jacquelyn didn't respond to several requests for comment.
Last year, the FBI ran a campaign in which it estimated that there were 500,000 predators online every day -- and that's just in the US. Right now, across social platforms, we're seeing the growth of digital marketplaces that hinge on child exploitation, said Plunkett. She doesn't want to tell other parents what to do, she added, but she wants them to be aware that there's "a very real, very pressing threat that even innocent content that they put up about their children is very likely to be repurposed and find its way into those marketplaces."
Naivete vs. exploitation
When parent influencers started out in the world of blogging over a decade ago, the industry wasn't exploitative in the same way it is today, said Crystal Abidin, an academic from Curtin University who specializes in internet cultures. When you trace the child influencer industry back to its roots, what you find is parents, usually mothers, reaching out to one another to connect. "It first came from a place of care among these parent influencers," she said.
Over time, the industry shifted, centering on children more and more as advertising dollars flowed in and new marketplaces formed.
Education about the risks hasn't caught up, which is why people like Sarah Adams, a Vancouver mom who runs the TikTok account @mom.uncharted, have taken it upon themselves to raise the flag on those risks. "My ultimate goal is just have parents pause and reflect on the state of sharenting right now," she said.
But as Mom Uncharted, Adams is also part of a wider unofficial and informal watchdog group of internet moms and child safety experts shedding light on the often disturbing way in which some parents are, sometimes knowingly, exploiting their children online.
The troubling behavior uncovered by Adams and others suggests there's more than naivete at play -- specifically when parents sign up for and advertise services that let people buy "exclusive" or "VIP" access to content featuring their children.
Some parent-run social media accounts that Adams has found linked out to a site called SelectSets, which lets the parents sell photo sets of their children. One account offered sets with titles such as "2 little princesses." SelectSets has described the service as "a classy and professional" option for influencers to monetize content, allowing them to "avoid the stigma often associated with other platforms."
Over the last few weeks, SelectSets has gone offline and no owner could be traced for comment.
In addition to selling photos, many parent-run dancer accounts, Mollie's included, allow strangers to send the dancers swimwear and underwear from the dancers' Amazon wish lists, or money to "sponsor" them to "realize their dream" or support them on their "journeys."
While there's nothing technically illegal about anything these parents are doing, they're placing their children in a gray area that's not explicitly sexual but that many people would consider to be sexualized. The business model of using an Amazon wish list is one commonly embraced by online sugar babies who accept money and gifts from older men.
"Our Conditions of Use and Sale make clear that users of Amazon Services must be 18 or older or accompanied by a parent or guardian," said an Amazon spokesperson in a statement. "In rare cases where we are made aware that an account has been opened by a minor without permission, we close the account."
Adams says it's unlikely to be other 11-year-olds sending their pocket money to these girls so they attend their next bikini modeling shoot. "Who the fuck do you think is tipping these kids?" she said. "It's predators who are liking the way you exploit your child and giving them all the content they need."
Turning points
Plunkett distinguishes between parents who are casually sharing content that features their kids and parents who are sharing for profit, an activity she describes as "commercial sharenting."
"You are taking your child, or in some cases, your broader family's private or intimate moments, and sharing them digitally, in the hope of having some kind of current or future financial benefit," she said.
No matter the parent's hopes or intentions, any time children appear in public-facing social media content, that content has the potential to go viral, and when it does, parents have a choice to either lean in and monetize it or try to rein it in.
During Abidin's research -- in which she follows the changing activities of the same influencers over time -- she's found that many influencer parents reach a turning point. It can be triggered by something as simple as other children at school being aware of their child's celebrity or their child not enjoying it anymore, or as serious as being involved in a car chase while trying to escape fans (an occurrence recounted to Abidin by one of her research subjects).
One influencer, Katy Rose Pritchard, who has almost 92,000 Instagram followers, decided to stop showing her children's faces on social media this year after she discovered they were being used to create role-playing accounts. People had taken photos of her children that she'd posted and used them to create fictional profiles of children for personal gratification, which she said in a post made her feel "violated."
All these examples highlight the different kinds of threats sharents are exposing their children to. Plunkett describes three "buckets" of risk tied to publicly sharing content online. The first and perhaps most obvious are risks involving criminal and/or dangerous behavior, posing a direct threat to the child.
The second are indirect risks, where content posted featuring children can be taken, reused, analyzed or repurposed by people with nefarious motives. Consequences include anything from bullying to harming future job prospects to millions of people having access to children's medical information -- a common trope on YouTube is a video with a melodramatic title and thumbnail involving a child's trip to the hospital, in which influencer parents with sick kids will document their health journeys in blow-by-blow detail.
The third set of risks are probably the least talked about, but they involve potential harm to a child's sense of self. If you're a child influencer, how you see yourself as a person and your ability to develop into an adult is "going to be shaped and in some instances impeded by the fact that your parents are creating this public performance persona for you," said Plunkett.
Often children won't be aware of what this public persona looks like to the audience and how it's being interpreted. They may not even be aware it exists. But at some point, as happened with Barkman, the private world in which content is created and the public world in which it's consumed will inevitably collide. At that point, the child will be thrust into the position of confronting the persona that's been created for them.
"As kids get older, they naturally want to define themselves on their own terms, and if parents have overshared about them in public spaces, that can be difficult, as many will already have notions about who that child is or what that child may like," said Steinberg. "These notions, of course, may be incorrect. And some children may value privacy and wish their life stories were theirs -- not their parents -- to tell."
Savannah and Cole LaBrant have documented nearly everything about their children's lives.
Jim Spellman/WireImage
This aspect of having their real-life stories made public is a key factor distinguishing children working in social media from children working in the professional entertainment industry, who usually play fictional roles. Many children who will become teens and adults in the next couple of decades will have to reckon with the fact that their parents put their most vulnerable moments on the internet for the world to see -- their meltdowns, their humiliation, their most personal moments.
One influencer family, the LaBrants, were forced to issue a public apology in 2019 after they played an April Fools' Day Joke on their 6-year-old daughter Everleigh. The family pretended they were giving her dog away, eliciting tears throughout the video. As a result, many viewers felt that her parents, Sav and Cole, had inflicted unnecessary distress on her.
In the past few months, parents who film their children during meltdowns to demonstrate how to calm them down have found themselves the subject of ire on parenting Subreddits. Their critics argue that it's unfair to post content of children when they're at their most vulnerable, as it shows a lack of respect for a child's right to privacy.
Privacy-centric parenting
Even the staunchest advocates of child privacy know and understand the parental instinct of wanting to share their children's cuteness and talent with the world. "Our kids are the things usually we're the most proud of, the most excited about," said Adams. "It is normal to want to show them off and be proud of them."
When Adams started her account two years ago, she said her views were seen as more polarizing. But increasingly people seem to relate and share her concerns. Most of these are "average parents," naive to the risks they're exposing their kids to, but some are "commercial sharents" too.
Even though they don't always see eye to eye, the private conversations she's had with parents of children (she doesn't publicly call out anyone) with massive social media presences have been civil and productive. "I hope it opens more parents' eyes to the reality of the situation, because frankly this is all just a large social experiment," she said. "And it's being done on our kids. And that just doesn't seem like a good idea."
For Barkman, it's been "surprisingly easy, and hugely beneficial" to stop sharing content about her son. She's more present, and focuses only on capturing memories she wants to keep for herself.
"When motherhood is all consuming, it sometimes feels like that's all you have to offer, so I completely understand how we have slid into oversharing our children," she said. "It's a huge chunk of our identity and our hearts."
But Barkman recognizes the reality of the situation, which is that she doesn't know who's viewing her content and that she can't rely on tech platforms to protect her son. "We are raising a generation of children who have their entire lives broadcast online, and the newness of social media means we don't have much data on the impacts of that reality on children," she said. "I feel better acting with caution and letting my son have his privacy so that he can decide how he wants to be perceived by the world when he's ready and able."
