GDLC Audio

Most parents experience a feeling of being trapped or powerless when it comes to technology, cell phones, social media, and the digital age. What role do these things play in the vicious circle of social disconnection, loneliness, anxiety, and depression? Explore this question and more in Chapter One.

What does it mean to be living in an "attention economy"? Is social media safe to use, harmless, should be used in moderation, dangerous, or should be illegal? Should we encourage phone-free schools? Can and should the government incentivize more and better real-world experience? Explore these questions and more in Chapter Ten.

Modern technology makes it easy to track our children's whereabouts, grades, and even behavior electronically. This can become "the world's longest umbilical cord." Could you cut down on the ways in which you electronically track or watch your child in the real world? What were the impacts of the studies of two schools that went phone-free? Explore these questions and more in Chapter Eleven.

How can our own phone habits teach our children the importance of cell phones? How can we, as parents, keep a lid on total screen-based activities and be mindful of our behaviors and what they're modeling? Explore these questions and more in Chapter Twelve.

How does the 24/7 nature of the smartphone impact relationships? What caused the spike in mental health issues for teens? What does it mean for a child to practice attunement? Explore these questions and more in Chapter Two.

This chapter discusses the overprotection and under protection of children/adolescents in the real world versus the digital world. What is your parenting style? How does a digital childhood deprive our children from key experiences necessary for full development? Explore these questions and more in Chapter Three.

What actions can you take to lessen your child's time spent in the virtual world and increase their opportunities for fun and responsibility in the physical world? How can we help guide our children from adolescence into adulthood? Explore these questions and more in Chapter Four.

What "rules" do you have regarding technology in your home? How does an increase in social media platforms correlate with increased social deprivation? As a parent, has your phone gotten in the way of the presence and socialization your child needs from you? Explore these questions and more in Chapter Five.

Is it safe to allow teenagers to participate in social media platforms? How does social media affect the individual and the social lives of groups? Why are girls more vulnerable to the effects of social media than boys? What steps could you take toward adding more quality time for your family? Explore these questions and more in Chapter Six.

The rise of the digital age has impacted boys just as much as girls but in different ways. How is the digital world enabling boys (and men) to flounder? Why are boys more drawn to video games and the fantasy world more than girls? What boundaries do we need to instill in boys from getting lost in the virtual world? How are the addictions different when it comes to men versus women in their online behavior and what they are drawn to? Explore these questions and more in Chapter Seven.