An award-winning film that probes into the vulnerable corners of family life and depicts messy struggles over social media, video games, and academics. The film offers solutions on how we can help our kids navigate the digital world.
Screenagers: Elementary School Age Edition updates the original movie with the latest research, expert insights and advice, specifically tailored for the students, parents and educators of elementary schools to help them better navigate this digital age.
Millions of young people experience high stress, anxiety, and depression. We follow physician and filmmaker Delaney Ruston as she discovers solutions for improved adolescent well-being in the digital age.
Join Screenagers’ filmmaker, Delaney Ruston, as she picks up her camera once more to examine the impact of our digital age on teens' decision-making in relation to substances such as vaping, drugs, and alcohol.
Our campaign to stop phone use in schools.
Research shows that kids and teens do better with phones away during school hours. This movement is giving you — parents, teachers, school leaders, and concerned individuals — tools so that you can go to your school and help institute policies where phones and smartwatches are put away all day at school.
Wow! I just finished watching Under the Influence. The final line had me in tears - "we are here for them, not to shame them but to help them figure out their best and safest road forward."
“The timing of this movie could not be better or more urgent as we are facing a national youth mental health crisis"
The film really shakes up long-held beliefs about what is normal, acceptable, and safe.
“As the mother of three kids… we’re all worried about how much is too much. For any of you wrestling with this issue, I loved the documentary. It combines smart insights and practical tips for raising happy, healthy, technologically empowered teens.”
“Screenagers is a very balanced, sympathetic and sane look at the way millions of teens are struggling with phones and games and technology in general.”
“It’s a MUST SEE for anyone with kids in their lives!”
“Amazing documentary… very relevant for parents, teachers and students. Many parents left asking when we were going to show it again because they wanted to bring their friends.”
“We are considering showing it again in the spring… one of the best events we have hosted.”
“I can’t imagine what school counsellor would not be eager to share this with their families.”
“I found it to be VERY POWERFUL and VALIDATING for both teens and parents.”
Screenings are available only through community events. ANYONE can host a screening at a school, community group, places of worship, workplace, theater or more.
IT'S EASY >Boosting Bravery is our peer-to-peer or peer-to-near peer skill-building mental wellness program that aims to provide students with knowledge and practical skills to better thrive in their online and offline lives.
Students meet weekly and using the program modules, lead each other through discussions and activities across the various topics. Learn more about the program and sign up for access to the program on the Boosting Bravery website.
On our online membership platform designed for K-12 schools, members enjoy unlimited on-demand access to our movies for their institutional use - e.g. In-Classroom, along with the option to run school screenings of the movies at their school location for the student and parents of their one school - e.g. Parents Nights.
Members also have access to an extensive new curriculum with lesson plans related to the themes in our movies, along with a range of other content and resources.
Check out the Screenagers YouTube channel where we post new videos twice a week, including podcasts, resources, parental guidance, previously unseen advice from the experts in our movies and much more!
OUR FILMMAKER, DR. RUSTON, SHARES HER FAMILY’S WEEKLY TOPICS TO HELP YOU MANAGE AND DECREASE STRUGGLES AROUND SCREEN TIME.
Today, I’m sharing an excerpt from the podcast we released yesterday because it really captures all the points I want to make in this blog. It covers the introduction to a conversation I had with a high school principal who made the bold decision, mid-year, to start locking away all smartphones, smartwatches and other devices during the school day, eliminating them from the learning environment. Learn how this went (spoiler: really well) in today’s blog and the full podcast episode.
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Sometimes, I sit down to write this blog with a huge smile on my face — this is one of those times! 😊 When COVID hit, I worried about young people feeling isolated. I knew peer-to-peer programs could be powerful, but I realized there were almost none focused on navigating online challenges. So, over two and a half years, with the help of some brilliant peers, professionals, and teens we developed Boosting Bravery — a free mental wellness club that aims to provide students with knowledge and practical skills to thrive in their online and offline lives. Now, I’m thrilled to publicly launch this program that schools can access for free.
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‘Hookup Culture’—it’s a phrase that gets tossed around all the time, but what does it really mean? More importantly, how does it shape young people’s relationships, self-worth, and social expectations? The term makes it seem like all teens and young adults are participating, comfortable with it, and accepting of it as just the way things are. But wait—not so fast. Today, I’m sharing insights from teens I spoke to in my recent podcast on this topic, along with myth-busting information from Dr. Lisa Wade who offered advice for parents.
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DR. DELANEY RUSTON'S BOOK, PARENTING IN THE SCREEN AGE, CONVERSATIONS, 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.
ORDER HEREdocumentary filmmaker, author, primary care physician and mother of teenagers
About the Filmmaker
Dr. Ruston about her own family’s messy struggles with digital distractions, and the surprising insights she learned making this film.
Teenagers today have never known a world without the internet, which all ...
‘Screenagers’ Documentary Examines Impact of Screens and New Tech on Kids’ Development
Dr. Delaney Ruston discusses the effects ... Guests: Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Dr. Delaney Ruston, Simon Sinek, Jason Silva
Dr. Delaney Ruston discusses the effects ... Guests: Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Dr. Delaney Ruston, Simon Sinek, Jason Silva
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