CLS Parent Support

  Jonathan Haidt:  Are Smartphones Ruining Childhood?  TED In this episode, Jonathan Haidt discusses his book 'The Anxious Generation' and explores how the rise of smartphones and social media has contributed to a mental health crisis among young people, particularly girls. He argues that the shift from a play-based childhood to a phone-based childhood, combined with overprotective parenting, has led to a lack of face-to-face interaction, reduced independence, and increased anxiety and depression. Haidt highlights the collective effects of social media and the need for collective action to address the issue. He suggests strategies such as implementing phone-free schools, delaying the introduction of smartphones and social media until high school, and promoting more independent, real-world experiences for children. He emphasizes the importance of regaining control over attention and prioritizing quality human connections. Throughout the episode, Haidt addresses criticisms ...

  Social Media and Youth Mental Health:  The U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory A Surgeon General’s Advisory is a public statement that calls the  American people’s attention to an urgent public health issue and provides r ecommendations for how it should be addressed. Advisories are reserved  for significant public health challenges that require the nation’s immediate  awareness and action. This Advisory calls attention to the growing concerns about the effects of social  media on youth mental health. It explores and describes the current evidence on  the positive and negative impacts of social media on children and adolescents,  some of the primary areas for mental health and well-being concerns, and  opportunities for additional research to help understand the full scope and  scale of social media’s impact. This document is not an exhaustive review of the  literature. Rather, it was developed through a substantial review of the avai...

  2023 Constant Companion:   A Week in the Life of a Young Person's Smartphone Use Introduction Smartphones entered the lives of children and adolescents in 2007. Compared to earlier devices (flip phones), smartphones allowed more than just texting and taking photos. Young people could now browse the internet, choose from thousands of mobile applications ("apps") and games, and connect immediately with their communities through social platforms— from anywhere. As internet speeds and computing power increased exponentially over the past 15 years, smartphones have become even more powerful and versatile, allowing livestreaming, multiplayer gaming, and creation and distribution of content. Over a relatively short period of time, these handheld computers have become a disruptive force in the lives of young people, in positive and negative ways that adults who grew up with landlines may not fully grasp. Getting a smartphone is now a rite of passage for most children and adoles...