I first want to say thank you — thank you for being a part of the Screenagers movement, which is about finding ways we can best support kids’ healthy development in our tech revolution.
The Screenagers movement continues to be all about using share-tactics rather than scare-tactics. We understand that kids often just tune us out when we rely on scare tactics, such as talking in the extremes or presenting issues as black and white. Instead, by using what I call share-tactics which is where we share stories and science that are more nuanced, we can engage kids more effectively. In turn, that engagement helps our kids be more insightful about our digital age and prone to make healthier choices over the long term.
This is my 304th blog since I began writing my Tech Talk Tuesday in 2016. Of the 51 posts in 2021, today, I share the 14 most popular of the year. Meanwhile, I hope you know that at the top of any page on www.ScreenagersMovie.com, you will find a search box where you can put in keywords to find MANY topics around screen time issues and mental health topics.
In addition, I am sharing 5 of the most popular episodes of the Screenagers Podcast of 2021. I have immense gratitude to the thought leaders, scientists, adults, and youth who have come on the show, AND I have immense gratitude to all you listeners. Getting your emails of appreciation has been such fun, and hearing how you have shared them with others always makes us so happy.
Two parents decided to reverse course two years ago and let their two teen boys know that their Xbox was getting put away indefinitely. Why did they do this, and how did it go?
In this TTT, I write about what the Facebook Files tells us about what Facebook and Instagram know about “Likes” and what they are not telling us, and solutions on how we can help our youth with “Likes.”
In this TTT, I explore what Discord and Twitch are, some of the risks of the platforms, some ways to mitigate risks, and some ideas for helping your youth make sound decisions when using these platforms.
Many schools around the country are doing a 180-degree shift regarding suicide prevention education — and this is good! It was practically unheard of just five years ago. That said, it is not yet everywhere, and that is why reading this blog and talking with your children is so important.
Parenting is inherently anxiety-provoking. But feeling anxious at times is different than letting anxiety control the way we parent. In this TTT, I share some true stories that demonstrate this and offer ideas on preventing anxiety from taking hold of our parenting steering wheels.
When my friend Jamie started Screen-Free Sundays, she planned to try it out just for a month so she wouldn’t feel overwhelmed by the experiment. Hear how this went for Jamie and her family. I also write about a mom in Alaska who prioritizes reading in her family in all sorts of ways — and keeping screens at bay when they read.
Since COVID began, many children have been struggling when it comes to in-person social activities. This can be tricky for us parents — especially when our kids are teens. The last thing we want to do is helicopter parenting, but there is a role for our social engineering at times. In this TTT, I examine the fine art of social engineering.
Every one of us parents has experienced episodes of pain because of our child’s pain. Our pain becomes exponentially worse when our kids face things such as serious mood challenges, drug challenges, etc. Add to that, parents often feel judged by others for what is happening with their child. Moms have traditionally been the brunt of judgment. In this TTT, I share a story about what happened with three sisters and me and one of their daughters who has battled anxiety and depression.
In this TTT, I speak with a psychologist and researcher who has been working for decades to understand and prevent bullying. The word cyberbullying gets used A LOT by young people, and sometimes it's misused. There are many surprising and useful insights in this TTT.
Pre, during, or post COVID, it’s equally challenging for us when our kids and teens resist what we know will help them. How do external rewards fit into all of this? Don’t rewards just crush internal motivation? And while we might “win” in the short term, aren’t we messing them up in the long run? And how does some clever social engineering as a parent fit into all this?
Cam Adair‘s video gaming habit took over his life as a teenager. After several years and the help of counselors and family, he was able to quit. He’s now devoted his life to helping others quit and/or reduce their video gaming. He shares helpful insights for kids, teens, and parents in this TTT.
It is important to think and talk about this difficult subject with our kids this month. In this TTT, I present ideas about having such a conversation along with a link to a section of Screenagers NEXT CHAPTER that is dear to my heart and touches those adults and youth who see it.
In this TTT, learn about findings on the effects on our youth of violence in video games and shows, the upsides and downsides of being desensitized to violence and aggression, and learn about hostile attribution bias.
A new year is always a good time to look at our habits and consider goals. Some readers had asked me about my tech habits, which prompted me to write this TTT at the start of 2021.
In this episode, I talk with an 11-year-old girl, Mira, regarding what she likes about the popular gaming platform Roblox and the video game Minecraft. Mira also shares experiences she’s had with strangers while gaming. Mira discusses specific encounters and how she has handled such situations. Mira’s mom joins for part of the episode. If you have kids who do online gaming, listening to this episode with them can help spark important conversations.
Cam Adair wrote a post about his struggles that went viral. This led to his starting a movement that has brought together thousands to work to create a balanced life at Gamequitters.com. Cam is an international speaker to youth and their parents about video gaming. Today he shares his powerful personal story along with his wealth of insights for any youth who enjoys video gaming and any parent working to ensure a balanced life for their child.
Everyone knows that many young people play video games based on violent themes, and that shows have far more violence than when adults were kids. When COVID hit, many parents started to allow their kids to play games that they wouldn't have before COVID just because it has been such a source of connection and whatnot. In today’s episode, I seek to understand how violence impacts our youth. We hear from one of my favorite researchers in this area, Douglas Gentile, Ph.D., a child psychologist who has been doing groundbreaking research in this field for over 25 years.
This show is with Tiffany Shlain, the founder of the Webby Awards, a filmmaker, and the author of the book 24/6, and her daughter, Odessa. The podcast explores her family’s weekly ritual of unplugging Friday night to Saturday evening for “Tech Shabbat.” Tiffany and Odessa explain the what, why, and how of their weekly practice.
With Covid, teens’ absence from school has contributed to a rise in more emotional challenges than ever before. Providing our teens with tools to address such challenges is crucial. Studies show that Social and Emotional Learning, called SEL, can help improve emotional wellbeing, academics, and more. In this podcast, In this episode, I talk with Jordan Posamentier, Director of Policy and Advocacy for Committee for Children, about what constitutes effective SEL programs and how specifically all of us can advocate for getting SEL into all schools.
I first want to say thank you — thank you for being a part of the Screenagers movement, which is about finding ways we can best support kids’ healthy development in our tech revolution.
The Screenagers movement continues to be all about using share-tactics rather than scare-tactics. We understand that kids often just tune us out when we rely on scare tactics, such as talking in the extremes or presenting issues as black and white. Instead, by using what I call share-tactics which is where we share stories and science that are more nuanced, we can engage kids more effectively. In turn, that engagement helps our kids be more insightful about our digital age and prone to make healthier choices over the long term.
This is my 304th blog since I began writing my Tech Talk Tuesday in 2016. Of the 51 posts in 2021, today, I share the 14 most popular of the year. Meanwhile, I hope you know that at the top of any page on www.ScreenagersMovie.com, you will find a search box where you can put in keywords to find MANY topics around screen time issues and mental health topics.
In addition, I am sharing 5 of the most popular episodes of the Screenagers Podcast of 2021. I have immense gratitude to the thought leaders, scientists, adults, and youth who have come on the show, AND I have immense gratitude to all you listeners. Getting your emails of appreciation has been such fun, and hearing how you have shared them with others always makes us so happy.
Two parents decided to reverse course two years ago and let their two teen boys know that their Xbox was getting put away indefinitely. Why did they do this, and how did it go?
In this TTT, I write about what the Facebook Files tells us about what Facebook and Instagram know about “Likes” and what they are not telling us, and solutions on how we can help our youth with “Likes.”
In this TTT, I explore what Discord and Twitch are, some of the risks of the platforms, some ways to mitigate risks, and some ideas for helping your youth make sound decisions when using these platforms.
Many schools around the country are doing a 180-degree shift regarding suicide prevention education — and this is good! It was practically unheard of just five years ago. That said, it is not yet everywhere, and that is why reading this blog and talking with your children is so important.
With summer in full swing, it's the perfect opportunity to catch up on any of my Screenagers’ Tech Talk Tuesdays you may have missed (I know today is Wednesday, not Tuesday, but I wanted to respect the holiday). During the school year, there are scores of obligations to attend to. Hopefully, things have slowed a bit, and you can grab a glass of iced tea and read from this curated list of my most-read blog posts from the last 12 months.
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In today’s blogcast, I share recommendations for podcasts that you can listen to with your family this summer. So why these recommendations? Well, one of the objectives of the screenagers movement is finding ways to connect youth and adults for meaningful conversations, not just about tech in our lives, but ways to help build in our kids' critical thinking, empathy, communication skills, and I’m just a strong believer that listening to podcasts together and then discussing them can be a really terrific way to do that. It's also a way to celebrate one of the pearls of our tech revolution: the ability of people to become podcasters and to share science, stories, advice, and more. Read today’s blog for a list of podcasts I recommend.
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This week I’m pouring all my creative energy into finishing our new film. Much more to come very soon, but this one is called "Screenagers Under The Influence" and is all about vaping, drugs, and alcohol in the digital age. If you are interested in learning more about how to host it this spring or fall, you can fill out a quick form on the blog page, and we’ll reach out shortly. In the meantime, I encourage you to check out "The Screenagers Podcast," where I explore strategies for raising screen-wise and tech-balanced youth.
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.
