All of us here at Screenagers have teens and tweens. Lisa, my co-producer of Screenagers, has a son in college in Pittsburgh, so she got alerts from him right away about the shooting. When her daughter woke up, Lisa immediately told her about the incident. Lisa said, “I wanted to tell her about what was going on before she saw it on social media or got a text from one of her friends concerned for her brother.” The digital age makes it key that we get in front of these conversations quickly.
The president of the American Psychological Association (APA), Jessica Henderson Daniel, Ph.D., says in response to Pittsburgh's shootings that “Hate crimes are the most extreme expression of prejudice. Compared to other crimes, hate crimes have a more destructive impact on victims and communities because they target core aspects of our identity as human beings.”
I find the American Psychological Association’s guide to talking to your kids about the difficult news to be helpful. They, as do I, encourage parents to share their feelings with their children. It is not about burdening them with one’s anxiety or sadness or other emotions. It is about naming feelings and discussing them. This approach has been shown to be highly effective in helping youth develop greater emotional intelligence.
The APA says “It is OK to acknowledge your feelings with your children. They see you are human. They also get a chance to see that even though you are upset, you can pull yourself together and continue on.”
Psychologists generally say that small children, less than 5 years old, do not need to be told about these types of events. But, young kids now have such easy access to information on devices so we need to be mindful that they might be seeing much more than we know.
For older kids, the APA recommends: “Tell the truth. Lay out the facts at a level they can understand. You do not need to give graphic details.”
I believe it is important that we all make sure kids know how rare these tragedies are. In homes where news is on a lot, or where news alerts are readily visible on screens, youth get an inaccurate perspective of the frequency with which tragedies occur. Yes, bad things happen, but the key is letting our children know that for every negative thing, there are thousands of positive things happening. And, be sure at the end of the conversations that you reassure them that they are safe and that you are there for them to talk further.
Thousands of schools around the world have presented Screenagers to their students, staff, and families, and many tell us they are committed to continuing the conversation around supporting screen time balance for their students. Educators can now access the film plus a 3-part Professional Development series developed by Learners Edge and Screenagers to dramatically impact the culture of learning in your school. Request more information about this 6-hour ready-to-use Professional Development module.
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
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
As we’re about to celebrate 10 years of Screenagers, we want to hear what’s been most helpful and what you’d like to see next.
Please click here to share your thoughts with us in our community survey. It only takes 5–10 minutes, and everyone who completes it will be entered to win one of five $50 Amazon vouchers.
All of us here at Screenagers have teens and tweens. Lisa, my co-producer of Screenagers, has a son in college in Pittsburgh, so she got alerts from him right away about the shooting. When her daughter woke up, Lisa immediately told her about the incident. Lisa said, “I wanted to tell her about what was going on before she saw it on social media or got a text from one of her friends concerned for her brother.” The digital age makes it key that we get in front of these conversations quickly.
The president of the American Psychological Association (APA), Jessica Henderson Daniel, Ph.D., says in response to Pittsburgh's shootings that “Hate crimes are the most extreme expression of prejudice. Compared to other crimes, hate crimes have a more destructive impact on victims and communities because they target core aspects of our identity as human beings.”
I find the American Psychological Association’s guide to talking to your kids about the difficult news to be helpful. They, as do I, encourage parents to share their feelings with their children. It is not about burdening them with one’s anxiety or sadness or other emotions. It is about naming feelings and discussing them. This approach has been shown to be highly effective in helping youth develop greater emotional intelligence.
The APA says “It is OK to acknowledge your feelings with your children. They see you are human. They also get a chance to see that even though you are upset, you can pull yourself together and continue on.”
Psychologists generally say that small children, less than 5 years old, do not need to be told about these types of events. But, young kids now have such easy access to information on devices so we need to be mindful that they might be seeing much more than we know.
For older kids, the APA recommends: “Tell the truth. Lay out the facts at a level they can understand. You do not need to give graphic details.”
I believe it is important that we all make sure kids know how rare these tragedies are. In homes where news is on a lot, or where news alerts are readily visible on screens, youth get an inaccurate perspective of the frequency with which tragedies occur. Yes, bad things happen, but the key is letting our children know that for every negative thing, there are thousands of positive things happening. And, be sure at the end of the conversations that you reassure them that they are safe and that you are there for them to talk further.
Thousands of schools around the world have presented Screenagers to their students, staff, and families, and many tell us they are committed to continuing the conversation around supporting screen time balance for their students. Educators can now access the film plus a 3-part Professional Development series developed by Learners Edge and Screenagers to dramatically impact the culture of learning in your school. Request more information about this 6-hour ready-to-use Professional Development module.
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All of us here at Screenagers have teens and tweens. Lisa, my co-producer of Screenagers, has a son in college in Pittsburgh, so she got alerts from him right away about the shooting. When her daughter woke up, Lisa immediately told her about the incident. Lisa said, “I wanted to tell her about what was going on before she saw it on social media or got a text from one of her friends concerned for her brother.” The digital age makes it key that we get in front of these conversations quickly.
The president of the American Psychological Association (APA), Jessica Henderson Daniel, Ph.D., says in response to Pittsburgh's shootings that “Hate crimes are the most extreme expression of prejudice. Compared to other crimes, hate crimes have a more destructive impact on victims and communities because they target core aspects of our identity as human beings.”
I find the American Psychological Association’s guide to talking to your kids about the difficult news to be helpful. They, as do I, encourage parents to share their feelings with their children. It is not about burdening them with one’s anxiety or sadness or other emotions. It is about naming feelings and discussing them. This approach has been shown to be highly effective in helping youth develop greater emotional intelligence.
The APA says “It is OK to acknowledge your feelings with your children. They see you are human. They also get a chance to see that even though you are upset, you can pull yourself together and continue on.”
Psychologists generally say that small children, less than 5 years old, do not need to be told about these types of events. But, young kids now have such easy access to information on devices so we need to be mindful that they might be seeing much more than we know.
For older kids, the APA recommends: “Tell the truth. Lay out the facts at a level they can understand. You do not need to give graphic details.”
I believe it is important that we all make sure kids know how rare these tragedies are. In homes where news is on a lot, or where news alerts are readily visible on screens, youth get an inaccurate perspective of the frequency with which tragedies occur. Yes, bad things happen, but the key is letting our children know that for every negative thing, there are thousands of positive things happening. And, be sure at the end of the conversations that you reassure them that they are safe and that you are there for them to talk further.
Thousands of schools around the world have presented Screenagers to their students, staff, and families, and many tell us they are committed to continuing the conversation around supporting screen time balance for their students. Educators can now access the film plus a 3-part Professional Development series developed by Learners Edge and Screenagers to dramatically impact the culture of learning in your school. Request more information about this 6-hour ready-to-use Professional Development module.
Kids with ADHD benefit most when parents provide support at the exact moment behavior happens, a science-backed approach called "point of performance." Abruptly shifting from high-stimulation screen time to demanding tasks creates a "dopamine cliff," a brain chemistry drop that often shows up as resistance and conflict. Understanding both concepts helps parents smooth those transitions and build real skills and confidence in their kids over time.
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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.
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.
