Catherine Price, author of How to Break Up With Your Phone and founder of Screen/Life Balance, about children, smartphones, and social media:
"We are in the middle of a youth mental health crisis... there has been something happening between 2010 and 2015... we shifted from what [Jonathan Haidt] calls a play-based childhood to a phone-based childhood and that there were dramatic changes in Social patterns, Role Models, emotions, physical activity and even sleep patterns."
Price makes a compelling case for proactive management of these technologies. She advocates for limiting smartphone use during school hours to encourage face-to-face interactions and reduce distractions. She emphasizes the importance of integrating comprehensive digital literacy into the curriculum to educate students on the risks of social media, the importance of privacy, and how to use technology productively. Additionally, she stresses the need for schools to work closely with parents to align policies with home practices, encourage activities that promote physical, social, and emotional development, and provide robust mental health support services. Training staff to recognize signs of digital addiction and cyberbullying is crucial to ensuring students have the support they need.
This is a recommended watch for educators and parents.