Dr. Devorah Heitner's research into the challenges of raising children in the digital age is a tremendous resource for parents and teachers. She has gone right to the source, learning about children's experiences with technology, and listening to their creative solutions to challenges they face. We can all learn through her from the children themselves. First and foremost, they want the people in their lives to be accessible to them when they need them, not to be texting someone else. Rather than monitoring children's use of technology she puts the emphasis on mentoring them, modeling for them how to navigate the digital world. She suggests co-creating solutions with children, based on their creativity and the wisdom of the adults in their lives.

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  • Joe

    We can be more attuned or empathetic to our children’s needs in that they are having a hard time in the digital world and need to understand how to navigate. So as parents it’s not about policing and worrying but more about how can I help my child? And how can we do it together and make it fun?!

  • Cindy

    How very very sad that not one word was mentioned here about the negative health effects of EMFs on kids’brains and thin skulls. Though the telecom industry has indeed spent millions on suppressing the research, medical literature abounds on the vulnerabilityof children and invisible EMF technology... so a researcher into kids digital health SHOULD be talking first and foremost about limiting the technology itself, THEN about how to behave online

  • Kathryn

    Being a former educator, parental "modeling" is the key and discipline! As with the old adage, " monkey see monkey do," our children what we do and copy our behaviors. As parents we must model good behavior, like empathy, good manners, respect of others and disciplining ourselves. Also good modeling would be exhibiting other interests as in art, music or reading a book and setting limits, but most of all being consistent in our limiting. We really shouldn't need an app for common sense, but I suppose, unfortunately, this is where we are. I sometimes wonder if many parents have the wisdom, if they too, are addicted to an inanimate object. I ask, why are there so many insecure people who need validation constantly from texts or social media? Why is it difficult to sit quietly with oneself and explore your thoughts and dreams, be creative and act upon a dream you might want to pursue? She makes some good points, but technology is not the end all be all in our lives. We are creating the problems that a bit of common sense could effectively alleviate.

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