Screenagers: Feeling powerless when it comes to screen time?  

The film that shows us why we all need Tech Talk Tuesday

Do you feel frustrated and powerless about managing your children's apparently never ending obsession with smartphones, screens, social media and everything digital? Do you experience periodic outbursts of anger, only to be immediately followed by pangs of guilt and regret? You are not alone, Dr. Delaney Ruston, a Seattle based GP and mother of two teenagers, found herself in this exact situation. Her response, make a movie. Not only was she worried about her teenage daughter's preoccupation with social media and her teenage son's obsession with video games but as a family physician, she was finding that she was encountering more and more issues around screen time in her professional life with patients. Sensibly she decided that she needed to investigate this further - and so she made a documentary film. “ Screenagers” documents her journey to uncover the impact that the average 6 ½ hours of daily digital usage is having on our children and her attempt to find solutions. It also provides some very interesting insights from kids themselves into adult behaviour around screens, insights which a lot of parents may find uncomfortable and frankly may cause many to squirm as they realise that kids are not the only ones at fault.

The reality:

Screens are not going away. Kids reach for a devise to fill any moment of down time and from the teens’ perspective social media and gaming is how they choose to amuse themselves as well as spend time with their friends. More than 90% of teens go on line daily and the film looks at why screens are so compelling for kids. As Dr. Ruston’s daughter explains in her bid for a smart phone:” I would be cool. I would be able to look busy in awkward situations”. It is not just about the teenagers; adults get caught up in the digital world and we can send contradictory messages to our kids of “do as I say and not as I do”.

The science:

In addition to talking to families, Ruston brings in conversations with scientists, teachers, counsellors and other experts to look at the pull of technology and its effect on kids’ developing brains. The clear message is that it may be too soon to say how screens will affect these developing minds but studies already show a correlation between unlimited access to screens and a decline in attention spans, as well as negative effects on learning and social interaction. The constant, fast paced stream of digital media, from Facebook and Instagram feeds to games and online videos and all that oscillating back and forth seems to tire the brain. This has major implications for children and not just in how they reach their full academic potential.

The brain undergoes considerable physiological changes throughout the teen years , finally reaching full development at the age of around 25 and what it is exposed to during this sensitive time can have a lifelong impact.

Teens are more prone to spikes or sudden increases in the pleasure producing, somewhat addictive, hormone dopamine in their brains than at any other time in their lives. All digital engagement releases dopamine so when they play games or get “likes” or a text message comes in on their devices, they get a dopamine hit or spike. This makes them feel good so they want it again and it is hard for them to stop. At the same time, the area of the brain responsible for things such as planning, decision-making and impulse control (the frontal cortex) grows slowly over the teen years and is not fully developed until our 20s. Their brains are not yet wired to self-regulate. They need our help.

The solutions:

Ruston says that the worst thing a parent can do is hand over a smartphone and hope for the best. Parents often feel that trying to set limits is pointless, that the cat is out of the bag, tech is everywhere. But if kids’ brains aren’t wired to self-regulate we need to support and train them:

·It starts and continues with a conversation. Children need to understand the challenges and our concerns as well as our goals. We need to understand their digital world.

·We need to set and agree boundaries with our teens. They need clear limits but it is futile to impose these without their input as it shows a lack of respect and there will be not be buy in. Ruston recommends writing up a contract in consultation with your children.

·Work with your kids to find alternatives to technology. Support them and take an interest. Teaching balance as a vital life long skill.

·‘Tech Talk Tuesday’: Ruston established one night of the week to have a family discussion to raise issues, frustrations and feelings about tech in a calm and rational place. It has become a catalyst for conversations: http://www.screenagersmovie.com/tech-talk-tuesdays/

·Be a good role model for your children on your own tech usage.

There is no turning back. This film conveys some very powerful messages, that often it is adults that are as much at fault as kids, that there is not necessarily a "right answer", that denial is not a viable response and that ultimately it is all about balance and compromise, not trying to impose our "outdated" world on them and all as part of a process where discussion and communication are vital.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQx2X0BXgZg