Screenagers Blog

One of my goals in writing weekly Tech Talk Tuesdays has been to help young people, through conversations, get more exposure to science in ways that are relatable and interesting to them — whether that’s about screen time, mental health, or other topics.

What are the potential costs of loads of certain screen time activities on our kids’ brain health and mood? Today we talk about ways to changes tech time that might help them feel better — even while keeping the same total amount of screen time?

Anxious feelings are understandably very high right now in youth given COVID-19. In today’s Tech Talk Tuesday I give you lots of ideas and resources to help your kids and teens with anxiety.

Today I am writing about ways that youth can safely help others via tech, and tech-free, during our world's intense COVID-19 crisis.

I believe that talking skillfully with the youth in our life about our emotions — past and present — and the ways we navigate such feelings, is one of the best resiliency teachings we can do as parents.

The intensity of all that is happening right now is so often overwhelming. Through all of this, I am continually moved by the kindness, love, and tenacity of young people. And it is about them that I write this right now.

I find myself at the frontlines of both the medical pandemic and the challenges of parenting. I will be working hard to connect with all of you and to help all of you connect as we move forward about COVID-19, loss of school and screen time issues.

When people get asked to rank their level of perceived stress, teens on average report higher levels than adults. Screen time and stress can be intertwined.

Four days from now, it is National Day of Unplugging. Now is a perfect opportunity to talk with youth about how they (and you) would feel about putting tech away for 24 hours for this National Day of Unplugging.

Recently I was with a teen who was jumping up and down as she exclaimed how she now had 10,000 followers and some 400,000 views on a video she had posted on TikTok. What does this increased chance of quickly getting a massive number of followers and views mean for our youth?

Why are a higher percentage of tweens and teens reporting depression symptoms than in the past? Today I want to talk about all the reasons why we might be seeing this rise, and I hope you will discuss these ideas with kids and students in your lives.

One of the central goals I have in my work is to help parents find ways to better give health knowledge and science literacy skills to their kids and teens. Today I share what medical providers use to help identify symptoms of depression.