Families in the Digital Age

Book excerpt: “One of the most-needed and grab-you-by-the throat convincing books around today” - Steve Biddulph, author of Raising Boys “For parents who feel defeated by the powerful influence of social media in their children’s lives, this book will sympathise, illuminate, inspire and encourage us to believe there is another, better way to live.” - Hugh Mackay, social researcher and bestselling author Smartphones and other interactive devices have turned up the volume on stress and are harming our mental and physical health. They have shrunk the capacity of families to spend time together, and when together, they have increased conflicts. Two-thirds of Australian families experience tension or disagreement about screens at least three times a week. In this confronting yet constructive guide on parenting in the digital age, award-winning journalist Toni Hassan catalogues the impacts of interactive devices on children and young people and offers ways out. “Rather than freeing us, screens have made us dependent,” she says. “They have thinned relationships and thinned time for the things that ultimately nourish us. Almost no part of children’s lives are free from the anxiety created by commercial forces curating their moment to moment experiences.” Moving beyond the gloom, Hassan offers lots of practical hope with ideas and tips for families to manage the digital age so that, despite the challenges, children and young people can thrive.