Yesterday I was talking to a mom in San Francisco who saw Screenagers this fall and she told me that she was dissapointed that I gave Tessa a phone in the end. She had seen my struggle with the issue through the movie but was really hoping I wouldn't cave. This mom has a 14-year old and has been very resolute about not giving her daughter a phone. Her daughter takes the public bus around the city and walks all over town by herself but she doesn't have a phone. She asked me, "Why not just say 'no'?"
I've had this question from other parents and thought about this issue while I was making the film. This mom has seen the benefits of holding out on giving her daughter a phone. She told me she looks out the window on bus rides and she engages directly with her friends when she wants to connect. Her daughter recently was at a cafe and noticed everyone was looking down and then she told her mom that she was so happy that she had not given her a phone yet. However, the mom does wonder about the effects this rule has on her daughter’s social life. She knows she is missing out on group chats with the volleyball team and that she is left out of some social functions. The mom has had a lot of backlash from her daughter's friends parents who feel judged by her because they gave their children a phone.
My feeling is that it is great to hold off as long as possible, but the key is when, or if, you do decide to hand them their own device that you have successfully practiced setting limits. The other thing is that you have to weigh in on what the impact is of this battle -- how is it affecting your relationship with your child? During the tween and teen years it is developmentally appropriate for our kids to connect to a new tribe and many are deepening these relationships online.
I was fascinated by a new study that looked at kids from 0 to age 4 that found 75% of them own their own device such as an iPad, but 7% already own a cellphone.
This week for Tech Talk Tuesday let’s talk about what we think is a good age for kids to get a device. Even if they have a device this is a great conversation to help get them thinking about these issues.
As well as our weekly blog, we publish videos like this one every week on the Screenagers YouTube channel
Yesterday I was talking to a mom in San Francisco who saw Screenagers this fall and she told me that she was dissapointed that I gave Tessa a phone in the end. She had seen my struggle with the issue through the movie but was really hoping I wouldn't cave. This mom has a 14-year old and has been very resolute about not giving her daughter a phone. Her daughter takes the public bus around the city and walks all over town by herself but she doesn't have a phone. She asked me, "Why not just say 'no'?"
I've had this question from other parents and thought about this issue while I was making the film. This mom has seen the benefits of holding out on giving her daughter a phone. She told me she looks out the window on bus rides and she engages directly with her friends when she wants to connect. Her daughter recently was at a cafe and noticed everyone was looking down and then she told her mom that she was so happy that she had not given her a phone yet. However, the mom does wonder about the effects this rule has on her daughter’s social life. She knows she is missing out on group chats with the volleyball team and that she is left out of some social functions. The mom has had a lot of backlash from her daughter's friends parents who feel judged by her because they gave their children a phone.
My feeling is that it is great to hold off as long as possible, but the key is when, or if, you do decide to hand them their own device that you have successfully practiced setting limits. The other thing is that you have to weigh in on what the impact is of this battle -- how is it affecting your relationship with your child? During the tween and teen years it is developmentally appropriate for our kids to connect to a new tribe and many are deepening these relationships online.
I was fascinated by a new study that looked at kids from 0 to age 4 that found 75% of them own their own device such as an iPad, but 7% already own a cellphone.
This week for Tech Talk Tuesday let’s talk about what we think is a good age for kids to get a device. Even if they have a device this is a great conversation to help get them thinking about these issues.
As well as our weekly blog, we publish videos like this one every week on the Screenagers YouTube channel
Wow! Summer really goes by fast, doesn’t it? Back-to-school is already here for some and not far away for others. Ahead of this school year, I’ve hand-picked four of our most useful blogs. Practical, timely guides to help you set your family up for a healthier, more balanced relationship with technology in the months ahead.
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Today I’m rounding up six of the most-read blogs from 2025 so far. Stories and interviews that struck a chord with readers and offered real tools for parenting in the screen age. Whether you missed a few or want a quick refresher, I hope you’ll find something here that inspires a new conversation in your home, school, or community.
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Last week in clinic, I met with a teen and her mom. The mom voiced concern about her daughter using over-the-ear headphones for hours on end, worried it could be harming her hearing. Headphones and earbuds have become the norm, and for many of us, volume tends to creep up. I’ve caught myself lately at the gym, blasting music louder than I probably should. Today I talk more about this and highlight one thing you can do right now for yourself and with your family to check in on your hearing.
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.
