Is social media ruining our kids? How much Internet activity is too much? What do FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), sexting, and selfies mean for teens? Are you curious about what research says about how media and technology are affecting childhood? Supported by academic research focused on technology, Media Moms & Digital Dads breaks down complex issues in a friendly, accessible fashion, making it a highly useful and, ultimately, reassuring read for anyone who worries about the impact that media might be having on young minds. Each chapter delves into a different issue related to kids and media so parents can easily find their particular issue of concern. Dr. Uhls ends each chapter with quick takeaways, in the form of tips and guidance for parents. Dr. Uhls' expertise as a former Hollywood film executive and as a current expert on child development and the media gives her a unique and important perspective. As a trained scientist she understands the myriad studies conducted by researchers, and as a mom of digital teens, she knows what actually works and can relate to the reality of being a parent in the 21st century. Dr. Uhls also describes the primary research she conducted at UCLA, including whether extensive screen time impacts non-verbal emotional understanding, which has been covered in the New York Times, Time magazine, and on National Public Radio. There are few more important issues for parents today than helping children safely navigate the digital world in which we live, a world that provides immense opportunity for learning and connecting yet also puts kids in a position to make mistakes and even cause harm. Knowing what the facts are and when and how to get involved is perhaps one of the most challenging aspects of modern parenting. Media Moms & Digital Dads offers parents reassuring and fact-based guidance on how best to manage screens and media for their children.

"A new media was unleashed upon the world and children took to it like ducks to water. Young people everywhere devoured its content, spending hours upon end immersed in it, while simultaneously ignoring the adults in their lives. Parents were understandably alarmed and worried that this new media was ruining young minds. It may surprise you to know that this new media was not the Internet, radio, or television but rather the 19th-century novel. Yes, parents were concerned that reading too much Jane Austin was going to ruin their children. Fast forward to today and we are still having the same conversation. Will digital media, in its various forms, ruin our children? In Media Moms & Digital Dads, former film producer turned child psychologist Yalda Uhls cautions parents not to be afraid of the changing state of media but to deal with the realities of how our kids engage with it. The truth is children today spend more time with media than they do with parents or in schools. And as parents, many of us did not have early exposure to the Internet, mobile phones, and gaming, making the world of our children somewhat foreign to us. The key, says Uhls, is to understand the pros and cons of media so that parents can make informed decisions about cause and effect, boundaries and exposure. Uhls debunks the myths around media by delving into the extensive body of social science research, proving that our kids are all right, and that parents can and must adapt to help their children thrive in the digital age. The author explores critical questions: Do kids learn better from paper versus screens? Why do tween girls post videos of themselves online asking if they are ugly? Do children really learn from video games? Is the era of the selfie creating self-obsessed children? Does the endless stream of information and multitasking lead to distraction? Do kids learn the same things about the world when they look at faces on screens versus in real life? Is the brain changing? This ground-breaking book will draw back the curtain and reveal the truth - often surprising and counterintuitive, and other times reassuring - in order to help guide the conversation about our digital age and the future of childhood"--

A young boys revels in learning to read and describes how everyone else around him enjoys reading too.

Cognitive Development in Digital Contexts investigates the impact of screen media on key aspects of children and adolescents' cognitive development. Highlighting how screen media impact cognitive development, the book addresses a topic often neglected amid societal concerns about pathological media use and vulnerability to media effects, such as aggression, cyber-bullying and Internet addiction. It addresses children and adolescents' cognitive development involving their interactions with parents, early language development, imaginary play, attention, memory, and executive control, literacy and academic performance. - Covers the impact of digital from both theoretical and practical perspectives - Investigates effects of digital media on attention, memory, language and executive functioning - Examines video games, texting, and virtual reality as contexts for learning - Explores parent-child interactions around media - Considers the development of effective educational media - Addresses media literacy and critical thinking about media - Considers social policy for increasing access to high quality education media and the Internet - Provides guidance for parents on navigating children's technology usage

Bullying is one of the most difficult areas of violence against children to eliminate, especially with the ubiquitous role that internet and mobile technology plays in their life today and the capacity this gives for bullying to continue night and day. Bullying seems to be part of human nature and has been with us since ancient times, but that is no reason to accept it fatalistically as “natural“ and, for children, part of growing up. Only in the 1970s was research first undertaken to explore the phenomenon and to attempt to understand why it takes place and its impact on individuals and societies. With the emergence of the internet and social media, bullying has taken a more sinister turn, becoming more relentless, constant and inescapable for victims. This book aims to explain to both experts and the interested layperson what is known about bullying, its causes, effects and, crucially, how it can be reduced, in particular by fostering social and emotional skills in young people. Authors from more than a dozen countries have contributed to this publication, presenting widely differing perspectives, practice and insights on how they are tackling or think we should be tackling modern societal issues such as bullying and hate speech. While some chapters focus more specifically on case studies and what the research tells us, others look at issues related to bringing up and educating children for the world we live in. This publication also provides information on the work of the ENABLE network and aims to introduce readers to the psychologists and researchers, teachers, parents and social media innovators that have helped to shape it.

This second, thoroughly updated edition of The Routledge International Handbook of Children, Adolescents, and Media analyzes a broad range of complementary areas of study, including children as media consumers, children as active participants in media making, and representations of children in the media. The roles that media play in the lives of children and adolescents, as well as their potential implications for their cognitive, emotional, social, and behavioral development, have attracted growing research attention in a variety of disciplines. This handbook presents a collection that spans a variety of disciplines including developmental psychology, media studies, public health, education, feminist studies, and the sociology of childhood. Chapters provide a unique intellectual mapping of current knowledge, exploring the relationship between children and media in local, national, and global contexts. Divided into five parts, each with an introduction explaining the themes and topics covered, the Handbook features over 50 contributions from leading and upcoming academics from around the globe. The revised and new chapters consider vital questions by analyzing texts, audience, and institutions, including: media and its effects on children’s mental health children and the internet of toys media and digital inequalities news and citizenship in the aftermath of COVID-19 The Handbook’s interdisciplinary approach and comprehensive, current, and international scope make it an authoritative, state-of-the-art guide to the field of children’s media studies. It will be indispensable for media scholars and professionals, policy makers, educators, and parents.

"Apprison" offers a profound and comprehensive exploration of digital addiction and well-being in today’s hyperconnected world. This insightful work examines the psychological, social, and neurological effects of excessive digital consumption, combining expert research with personal stories and practical strategies. It addresses a broad spectrum of topics, including the neuroscience behind digital dependence and the complex challenges of raising a generation immersed in technology. The book critically analyzes the addictive nature of social media and gaming, uncovers the mechanisms behind the attention economy shaping app design, and provides thoughtful guidance on digital detoxification and mindful technology use. In addition to its focus on personal digital habits, "Apprison" explores the impact of digital culture on workplace wellness and reflects on the deeper, spiritual dimensions of our interaction with technology. The book concludes with a visionary outlook on the future of our digital world, equipping readers with tools to create personalized strategies for balanced digital well-being. Ultimately, it empowers individuals to engage with technology thoughtfully, maximizing its benefits while safeguarding essential human experiences and values.

Sex in college has never been simple. And with modern technology, the rising rates of sexual assault and STDs, and an increasingly ambiguous hookup culture, it is getting ever more complex. Sex, College, and Social Media: A Commonsense Guide to Navigating the Hookup Culture is a compassionate, funny, and well-researched primer for the modern college student, both male and female. It covers a range of topics, including: * How improved communication can make sex better for everyone * Ways that porn and the media have warped our expectations * Trustworthy information about STDs and contraception * How to have a healthy relationship with alcohol and drugs * What terminology is appropriate and respectful to use for all things LGBTQ * The facts about sexual assault on campus, and what to do if you or someone you know is assaulted * Consent * and much more Based on author Cindy Pierce's experience talking to college students and on extensive social and medical research, Sex, College, and Social Media provides trustworthy answers for pressing questions about all aspects of the college social scene. It will prepare entering freshmen for their new environment and continue to provide helpful and supportive guidance through senior year and beyond.

Finally: an evidence-based, reassuring guide to what to do about kids and screens, from video games to social media. Today's babies often make their debut on social media with the very first sonogram. They begin interacting with screens at around four months old. But is this good news or bad news? A wonderful opportunity to connect around the world? Or the first step in creating a generation of addled screen zombies? Many have been quick to declare this the dawn of a neurological and emotional crisis, but solid science on the subject is surprisingly hard to come by. In The Art of Screen Time, Anya Kamenetz -- an expert on education and technology, as well as a mother of two young children -- takes a refreshingly practical look at the subject. Surveying hundreds of fellow parents on their practices and ideas, and cutting through a thicket of inconclusive studies and overblown claims, she hones a simple message, a riff on Michael Pollan's well-known "food rules": Enjoy Screens. Not too much. Mostly with others. This brief but powerful dictum forms the backbone of a philosophy that will help parents moderate technology in their children's lives, curb their own anxiety, and create room for a happy, healthy family life with and without screens.

SPECIAL PREVIEW! A debut novel about one girl’s discovery of family secrets, first love, the limits of forgiveness, and finding one’s way in the world, written with wisdom and sympathy by the bestselling memoirist, actor, and director. When fifteen-year-old Lucy Willows discovers that her father has a child from a brief affair, an eight-year-old boy named Thomas who lives in her own suburban New Jersey town, she begins to question everything she thinks she knows about her family and her life. Lucy can’t believe her father betrayed the whole family, or that her mother forgave him, or that her sister isn’t rocked by the news the way Lucy is. Worse, Lucy’s father’s secret is now her own, one that isolates her from her friends, family, and even her boyfriend, Simon, the one person she expected would truly understand. When Lucy escapes to Maine, the home of her mysteriously estranged grandfather, she finally begins to get to the bottom of her family’s secrets and lies. Fans of the rebels and antiheroes in the novels of Rainbow Rowell, A. S. King, and Meg Wolitzer will welcome this sharp, observant new voice in young adult fiction.