Talking To Teens: Expert Tips for Parenting Teenagers
Kids & Family
Click for full show notes, exercises, and parenting scripts from this episode
For parents, technology can be quite the headache. We want kids to stay connected to the world, but is their iphone distracting them from school? Is all the time spent on social media making them depressed or anxious? Should we be limiting their screen time, blocking websites or supervising them while they’re scrolling through Tik Tok? At this point, it’s tempting to just throw their phones in the trash and forbid them from going on the computer at all!
But if we try to set rules or even just tell them to put the phone down, they’re suddenly slamming the door in our faces or rolling their eyes. Even when we have the best intentions, trying to monitor teen’s tech use can turn into a cycle of nagging and arguing. If we’re going to escape all the bickering, we’ve got to convince teens to make the change for themselves, instead of trying to force them to budge.
Our guest this week is not only an expert on how screens are affecting budding minds, but also has some seriously smart tips for talking to teens about it all. Alex J. Packer spent 14 years as President and CEO of FCD Educational Services, the leading nonprofit providing drug education and substance abuse prevention services for schools across the world. His new book, Slaying Digital Dragons: Tips and Tools for Protecting Your Body, Brain, Psyche, and Thumbs from the Digital Dark Side, touches on a new kind of addiction–the compulsive use of screens in our society, particularly amongst young adults.
In our interview, we’re diving deep into the harmful effects of tech on teens, and getting into how to help kids cleanse themselves of toxic tech habits.
Click for full show notes, exercises, and parenting scripts from this episode
Ep 253: How to Clean Up a Mental Mess
Ep 252: Feeling Blah? Recapture Life's Highs
Ep 251: Shaping Identity with Values
Ep 250: Homeschool vs Traditional School
Ep 249: The Keys to Instilling Confidence
Ep 248: What Would Gen-Z Do?
Ep 247: The Surprising Benefits of an Idle Summer
Ep 246: What to Say to Get Your Way
Ep 245: The Dyslexic Advantage
Ep 244: Financial Habits for Savvy Teens
Ep 243: Raising Brave Teens
Ep 242: What Kind of Parent Do You Want to Be?
Ep 241: Lonely? Master the Art of Social Gatherings
Ep 240: The Perfectionist’s Guide to Parenting
Ep 239: How to Be A Drama Free Family
Ep 238: The Advantages of Being a Beginner
Ep 237: Visible and Invisible Differences
Ep 236: Navigating the Tween Years
Ep 235: The Hidden Power of High Sensitivity
Ep 234: The Emotional Lives of Teenagers
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