How long can you go without checking your mobile device? Are you on top of all the latest trends and safety measures when it comes to tech and your kids? We explore these topics, plus point you to the Rogers Hand-Me-Down program for mobile devices – all in this week’s edition of Weekend Reading.

How often are you checking your phone?

By now we’re no strangers to the term “nomophobia” and have seen numerous studies done indicating how dependent we’ve become on our mobile devices. Collins Dictionary defines nomophobia as “a state of stress caused by having no access to or being unable to use one’s mobile phone,” something Canadians are no stranger to. In one of our Rogers Innovation Reports, 65% say you’d feel naked without your smartphone and internet access, and 51% sleep with their smartphone in bed or on the nightstand.

It should come as no surprise then that The Daily Telegraph recently found that people are checking their mobile phones every six and a half minutes, which means we’re checking our smartphones 150 times a day on average! How do we find the time to do anything else? The report also narrows down how many phone calls and text messages people are receiving, and even how often we’re checking the clocks on them.

My own mother says my smartphone is “practically growing out of my arm;” I guess this would make me nomophobic! You’re only half way through this post, how many times have you checked your device?

Keeping up with kids and tech

If you don’t have nomophobia, with today’s mobile tech advancements, chances are your kids will! So how do you keep up with it all?

As Monica Vila (co-founder of TheOnlineMom and guest blogger for Mashable) recently discovered, keeping up with tech trends no longer means just being aware of parental controls and allotting a certain amount of time to gaming. These days it’s staying on top of the latest social networks and apps for their mobile devices too. To get parents on the right track, Monica compiled a list of best practices to enforce in the household, including tips such as monitoring your child’s behavior and installing filters and protection on the devices. More great advice in the full post here.

Tired of the device you have?

With technology changing so quickly, perfectly good devices sometimes get tossed to the wayside to make room for a newer one. Or perhaps your phone is great, it’s just not suited to your personal needs.

That’s where Rogers Hand-Me-Down program comes in. Instead of letting your old device sit and collect dust in a drawer, you can pass it on to a friend or family member. Connected Rogers  breaks the process down into 3 easy steps for you this month – just in time for Family Day on Monday for those of us celebrating it! You can also get more details at rogers.com/newstart.

Kelly is a regular Redboard contributor.