Thank goodness for practical advice from Dr. Jean Twenge, a mom of three Gen Z kids and a researcher studying digital technology’s impact on young people. I’ve needed a resource like this since the school lockdowns. In 2020, I repeatedly called my daughter’s school and district, concerned about teachers requiring students to watch YouTube videos on school Chromebooks without limits on total screen time or non-school videos watched while claiming to be doing homework. The shift to online-only reading also diminished my daughter’s love for physical books. The school was pulling my child into excessive screen time without guardrails. Meanwhile, Discord, texting, and gaming became the acceptable ways to socialize during California’s lockdowns.
Dr. Twenge’s book provides succinct, actionable advice supported by real-world examples of parenting and resistance from the child/teen. I appreciate how she explains the scientific and experiential reasons for each rule or limit, while empowering parents to adapt them based on their values, child, and circumstances. Instead of floundering in a confusing, rapidly changing digital world, parents can use her suggested boundaries as a springboard for action. The book also deepened my understanding of social media risks, like social comparison and bad actors.
Within a few days of cracking open this book, I have been talking with my daughter, citing Twenge, and aiming for a healthier, more balanced use of screens...not just for her, since this book has also prompted me to reflect on my own digital engagement.
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