SPEAKER INTERVIEW: Michele McGraw

This is a series of interviews with the speakers of Digital Family Summit, June 29-July 1.
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Michele McGraw is a mom of 4 who blogs & vlogs at Scraps of My Geek Life,a blog offering daily commentary, advice, reviews and shared experiences of how her real life and the digital domain connect. Michele shows families how to use technology to enhance their lives. Her 16 year old son, Nathan, is a budding filmmaker who has written and produced several Lego movies and starred in 6 drama productions in the past 2 years. Sami, 13, dances her way through life and enjoys creating videos with her friends and younger sister and brother.

twitter: @scrappinmichele 
website: Scraps of My Geek Life

How did you get involved with blogging?

I started a blog to keep my family up-to-date with my kids and it blossomed into much much more. I have always included digital media because it is much more interesting than just words.

What’s your favorite technology that helps you do your work?

Skitch is a web app that I use to capture screen prints & to mark up a photo and I can upload it directly to Flickr or drag and drop into WordPress.

What blogs do you read regularly?

Mashable – They have the latest news in technology, social media and more. They cover the topics I am passionate about.
The Verge – They cover technology and the site is graphically pleasing.
HeidiCohen.com Heidi has the most informative posts about blogging, social media and marketing.

If you could travel back in time and send your teen self a message, what would it be?

Not to worry so much about what others think. Be yourself and you really can be anything you want to be if you put your mind to it. You don’t have to decide what you want to be right away. Take time and figure it out. It’s never too late!

Any advice for young bloggers?

Just go do it. Experiment with video and photos. The best way to learn is to try it out. Practice being in front of the camera and behind the camera. The more you do it, the more natural it will feel.

What do you think are the biggest opportunities/dangers for digital teens & their families today?

We have access to so much more information and we can learn about anything we want. This can be good and bad. It can be overwhelming, but it can also open up so many doors. Navigating the digital world can be scary if you do not know anything about it. Parents need to be sure they know what their teens are using online and talk to your kids. Knowing what you are up against is important. Research the tools that are available to protect your kids online and be sure to keep the lines of communication open.

What are you going to talk about at the conference?

A panel of bloggers and their tweens/teens about family vlogging.

What’s next for you after the Digital Family Summit?

I am working on several ebooks that will be available on my blog (http://scrapsofmygeeklife.com)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 Adam Gertsacov is the co-founder and co-organizer of Digital Family Summit.  He wears many hats, including those of a professional clown, an author and publisher, an artist/educator, a non-profit administrator, a P.T. Barnum impersonator, a flea circus impresario, and the esteemed hat of the Clown Laureate of Greenbelt, Maryland.