When I was a kid, screen and phone time existed, and kids and parents had conflicts over them. We played games, got our entertainment, gossiped with friends, and relied on technology and devices to do it. So how different was it?
Back then I met friends at the video game arcade down on Durant in Berkeley. For a home movie night, we could meet up at the local video rental store and browse the choices together. Parents would run into other parents and get movie recommendations from the people they knew. At home, only one person could be on the phone at a time. Some families had a favorite T.V. show that aired once a week on one of the four tv networks, and the whole family would gather at that same night every week to be together to watch it. To do research for a school project, I would go to the local library.
So how has the technology evolution altered the way we connect and have fun?
At my house today we can each watch our own YouTube video, indie film or Hollywood blockbuster on our own personal screen whenever we feel like it. My daughter can FaceTime with my Screenager producer’s daughter to catch up long-distance. We moved from Seattle all the way to NY and everyone in my family can have conversations with anyone “back home” easily. Research for school or work can happen regardless of library hours.
As well as our weekly blog, we publish videos like this one every week on the Screenagers YouTube channel
When I was a kid, screen and phone time existed, and kids and parents had conflicts over them. We played games, got our entertainment, gossiped with friends, and relied on technology and devices to do it. So how different was it?
Back then I met friends at the video game arcade down on Durant in Berkeley. For a home movie night, we could meet up at the local video rental store and browse the choices together. Parents would run into other parents and get movie recommendations from the people they knew. At home, only one person could be on the phone at a time. Some families had a favorite T.V. show that aired once a week on one of the four tv networks, and the whole family would gather at that same night every week to be together to watch it. To do research for a school project, I would go to the local library.
So how has the technology evolution altered the way we connect and have fun?
At my house today we can each watch our own YouTube video, indie film or Hollywood blockbuster on our own personal screen whenever we feel like it. My daughter can FaceTime with my Screenager producer’s daughter to catch up long-distance. We moved from Seattle all the way to NY and everyone in my family can have conversations with anyone “back home” easily. Research for school or work can happen regardless of library hours.
As well as our weekly blog, we publish videos like this one every week on the Screenagers YouTube channel
In the latest episode of The Screenagers Podcast, New York Times best-selling author and adolescent psychologist Lisa Damour, Ph.D., discusses how to have healthier conflicts with our kids. For this blog, I share some of the highlights of the podcast. These are just the tip of the iceberg because, in the episode, you will hear fascinating science, issues around phones and school, Lisa’s parenting rules, and many more tips on having productive and calmer conflicts around social media, video games, and more.
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With Thanksgiving week upon us, today’s blog is about the nuanced world of family gatherings, where warmth and tension often intermingle. Moving beyond the picture-perfect imagery of Hallmark cards, I have some strategies to cope with family dynamics that can escalate holiday stress. I also share 4 joy-enhancing activity ideas.
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Today, I am concentrating on 3 steps to help protect our kids from the downsides of social media and overall screen time, especially given the prevalence of violence, misinformation, and distressing content right now.
READ MORE >for more like this, DR. DELANEY RUSTON'S NEW BOOK, PARENTING IN THE SCREEN AGE, IS THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE FOR TODAY’S PARENTS. WITH INSIGHTS ON SCREEN TIME FROM RESEARCHERS, INPUT FROM KIDS & TEENS, THIS BOOK IS PACKED WITH SOLUTIONS FOR HOW TO START AND SUSTAIN PRODUCTIVE FAMILY TALKS ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND IT’S IMPACT ON OUR MENTAL WELLBEING.
