We, as a culture, are not only engaged in screens most of the day, but we are also often using multiple screens at the same time.
In Screenagers, Dr. Dimitri Christakis, Director of Child Development at Seattle Children’s Hospital, says:
"The brain isn’t actually capable of multitasking. In fact, your brain oscillates attention from task 1 to task 2. The young nimble adolescent brain can oscillate back and forth very quickly, but it comes at a cost. One study looked at children and had them watch either a very rapidly-sequenced tv program or a slowly sequenced program or play with crayons and then tested right afterward their cognitive ability and found that the kids who watched the rapidly-paced program performed more poorly than the other two. Overstimulation tires the brain and it tends to function not as well."
Our kids are very accustomed to having several screens out at once. I notice when my family watches a movie at home that they have their phones out and go will go back and forth between screens.
Photo by casenbina/iStock / Getty Images
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Our movie made for parents and educators of younger kids
Learn more about showing our movies in your school or community!
Learn more about showing our movies in your school or community!
Join Screenagers filmmaker Delaney Ruston MD for our latest Podcast
Learn more about our Screen-Free Sleep campaign at the website!
Our movie made for parents and educators of younger kids
Join Screenagers filmmaker Delaney Ruston MD for our latest Podcast
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We, as a culture, are not only engaged in screens most of the day, but we are also often using multiple screens at the same time.
In Screenagers, Dr. Dimitri Christakis, Director of Child Development at Seattle Children’s Hospital, says:
"The brain isn’t actually capable of multitasking. In fact, your brain oscillates attention from task 1 to task 2. The young nimble adolescent brain can oscillate back and forth very quickly, but it comes at a cost. One study looked at children and had them watch either a very rapidly-sequenced tv program or a slowly sequenced program or play with crayons and then tested right afterward their cognitive ability and found that the kids who watched the rapidly-paced program performed more poorly than the other two. Overstimulation tires the brain and it tends to function not as well."
Our kids are very accustomed to having several screens out at once. I notice when my family watches a movie at home that they have their phones out and go will go back and forth between screens.
Photo by casenbina/iStock / Getty Images
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We, as a culture, are not only engaged in screens most of the day, but we are also often using multiple screens at the same time.
In Screenagers, Dr. Dimitri Christakis, Director of Child Development at Seattle Children’s Hospital, says:
"The brain isn’t actually capable of multitasking. In fact, your brain oscillates attention from task 1 to task 2. The young nimble adolescent brain can oscillate back and forth very quickly, but it comes at a cost. One study looked at children and had them watch either a very rapidly-sequenced tv program or a slowly sequenced program or play with crayons and then tested right afterward their cognitive ability and found that the kids who watched the rapidly-paced program performed more poorly than the other two. Overstimulation tires the brain and it tends to function not as well."
Our kids are very accustomed to having several screens out at once. I notice when my family watches a movie at home that they have their phones out and go will go back and forth between screens.
Photo by casenbina/iStock / Getty Images
A new Louis Theroux documentary on Netflix exposes the growing network of online influencers pushing sexism, misogyny, and a narrow vision of masculinity on boys and young men. Combined with last year's hit series Adolescence, it is a wake-up call for parents. The good news: there is a lot we can do. This week, I round up our most relevant blogs and podcast episodes from recent months, covering everything from the "interrupter" technique to boys' mental health, phones in schools, online sports betting, pornography, and the manosphere's exploitation of boys' loneliness. The research is clear that parents who show up with curiosity, honesty, and consistency have more influence than they realize.
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When kids struggle with big emotions, many parents reach for a screen to keep the peace — but this can get in the way of children developing real coping skills. Drawing on research from Dr. Jenny Radesky, this post shares two practical strategies: using the Zones of Regulation color system to help kids name and process their feelings, and doing a toy swap with another parent to build your "vulnerable village" of support. Both approaches turn difficult screen-time moments into opportunities for emotional growth.
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When teens say they hate you, it often feels personal, but it may not truly be about you. Teens sometimes direct their overwhelming feelings toward the safest person in their life. Instead of responding with logic or backing down out of fear, check that your limits are fair, practice self-compassion, and focus on validation rather than correction. If conflict feels stuck, family counseling can help both sides feel heard and understood.
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.
