The Screenagers Blog

tech talk tuesdays

Reflecting on a year filled with meaningful conversations and valuable insights, we’re excited to share a roundup of our most popular Tech Talk Tuesday Blogs, Screenagers Podcasts, and YouTube bites. This list includes the top 10 blog posts that sparked discussion, the podcast episodes that resonated most with our audience, and the five most-watched YouTube videos of the year.

tech talk tuesdays

I listen to a lot of podcast episodes, looking for ones that will be great for sparking conversation with younger people. I look for themes related to our digital age and themes around what it means to be a good person in this world. In addition, I think of things kids like, such as stories that involve animals, adventure, and so on.

tech talk tuesdays

Today i'm sharing some of my favorite recent reads. They're not light reads, but they're really engaging and cover truly important themes. I also have recommendations for children and teens. I love including books in my holiday gifting. My list includes the book I’m giving to my son for Christmas!

tech talk tuesdays

As the gift-giving season approaches, many parents consider buying their kids their first phones or connected watches. Before diving into this decision, I want to share my perspective: delaying this purchase as long as possible is often the best approach. If you have decided to move forward, my team and I have worked hard to compile a detailed chart of simple phone and watch recommendations to help you choose the best option.

tech talk tuesdays

Have you nagged at your kids to get off a screen? I sure have. In fact, who hasn’t? In today’s blog, I share an excerpt from The Screenagers Podcast that will surprise your kids when you share it with them. It is a beautifully done study looking at MRI brain scans of teens when they hear their actual moms nagging at them. Why share this with your child? Because you are saying that you see how YOU (and all of us adults) sometimes use ineffective communication approaches.

tech talk tuesdays

Today I offer over 30 tech-free gift ideas for kids of all ages, including my #1 favorite gift I will be giving my kids. You will notice an absence of book recommendations, but that is because I am working on a full list of suggestions, so for now I hope this list gives you inspiration for creative, tech-free gifts for the holidays!

tech talk tuesdays

Should Students Use Phones During School Lockdowns? This emotional and critical question is explored in depth, featuring insights from a superintendent, police officer, principal, and safety expert. Discover why they advocate for phone bans, real-world consequences of phone use during emergencies, and survey results that might surprise you.

tech talk tuesdays

For a long time, people have been talking about how video games might be linked to extreme acts of violence, such as school shootings. The fact is millions of youth have played violent video games, and far less than 1% will ever do any such acts of violence. Today I look at two studies that shed more light on the ACTUAL effects that violent games can have on youth behaviors.

tech talk tuesdays

In today’s blog post, I've created a 5-step guide to help parents initiate open conversations with their children about kids and teens using AI chatbots. I help you lead a discussion in your family to figure out guidelines for using AI chatbots and encourage ongoing conversations about the complex ethical issues they present.

tech talk tuesdays

I try to write things from a calm tone, but today I am pissed and scared. I read a report from a wonderful organization called Voicebox, called Coded Companions, about what young people were experiencing when engaging with Snapchat’s built-in AI chatbot, My AI, and another character chatbot called Replika. The market for AI-based companion platforms, which allow users to build personal, interactive relationships with virtual characters, is growing rapidly, and there are currently around 40 applications available. Let me break this all down for you today — and be prepared to be sad, scared, and mad.

tech talk tuesdays

Have you ever read a magazine in a dentist's chair, and it made you want to jump out of the chair? That is what happened to me when I saw an ad, which is the photo of today’s blog. I was completely shocked that people in the industry would have the nerve to imply that taking a drug is how a small child “sleeps naturally.”

tech talk tuesdays

Today, I offer teachings about personality disorders. As a parent, I strongly believe that talking with our teens about mental health is important, and one such area is the topic of personality disorders (PDs). Also, you might be co-parenting with a person who has some degree of a personality disorder, which can be very challenging.

tech talk tuesdays

Many young people are overwhelmed by constant social media use, which can displace important activities like sleep, schoolwork, and friendships. Over 200 school districts are suing platforms like Meta for harms related to social media addiction. The blog covers what problematic social media use is from a clinical perspective and how our kids can talk with a friend (or family member) if they are worried their friend might have some level of problematic use.

tech talk tuesdays

Can parents really come together as communities to delay social media and smartphones? You bet! It’s happening more and more across the country. In today's blog, I share excerpts from my latest podcast episode. It features my interview with Brooke Shannon, the founder of the “Wait Until 8th movement,” which helps parents delay smartphones until the end of 8th grade or later while also encouraging delaying social media.

tech talk tuesdays

A week ago, Instagram announced changes to its rules for “Teen Accounts.” All new teen users will be defaulted into these accounts, and current teen users will transition over the next two months. Instagram’s head of Products, discussed these changes, and one comment surprised me. She mentioned that teens aged 13 to 16 will need parental permission to have a public account, hoping this would encourage dialogue between teens and parents about social media use. However, I feel this still puts too much responsibility on parents when we need broader societal solutions. I discuss this and the rest of the changes in today's blog.

tech talk tuesdays

We all want good news — contrary to mainstream news, which focuses on all that is going wrong, we humans want and need a healthy dose of daily good news, right? I bet you agree, and thank you for reading this blog, which is focused on good news (including news about love). A week ago, I was on a stage, on a panel, in front of many Attorney General at their yearly national conference, and I said these words: “I am optimistic.”

tech talk tuesdays

I am over the moon jazzed to introduce the trailer for our new film, Screenagers: Elementary School Edition. So much work has gone into this film. My team and I wanted it to be attention-worthy and, above all, exceedingly useful. Screen time seeps into the lives of younger and younger kids. Parents struggle with what to do. How much time is okay for entertainment screen time? How to set limits? How to handle meltdowns? What does science tell us about why and how to safeguard sleep in our digital age? And so much more.

tech talk tuesdays

For many across the country, if not back already, today marks the start of another school year! Educators, I hope you had a restful summer and your preparations for the new school year have gone well. Parents and guardians, likewise I hope you’ve enjoyed a wonderful summer with family and rousing your kids for school this morning was relatively stress free :) It’s a busy day for everyone so I’ll keep it simple. Today's blog includes summaries and links to some of my previous writings around the subject of back-to-school and related topics.