321: What is actually helpful for little kids when it comes to learning and technology? – My conversation with parents, teachers and authors Matt Miles and Joe Clement

Today's guests have written a book, called Screen Schooled, which has had a huge impact on how I think about my teenagers and their educations. I found Matt Miles' and Joe Clement's book so compelling, and so full of great ideas for helping teens navigate the modern technical world, that I knew I wanted their take on young kids and tech. (They are both parents, each raising young children in their families.) I knew I wanted to bring that perspective to you! We discuss: – How 21st-century skills are the same skills that human beings have needed throughout history – What those most important skills are (hint: they are not tapping/swiping/navigating in our devices) – How to incorporate technology into your life and family, for the biggest benefits and least amount of frustration and worry – Matt and Joe's responses to some fantastic We Turned Out Okay Facebook group questions: "Any advice on what is actually helpful for preschoolers when it comes to learning and technology? There are a million apps and games billed as "educational" but what's actually beneficial?" "Often I hear the advice to "talk to your children about what they're watching/playing"… So far the only times I've used this technique is to help them see why a certain game is questionable. I don't otherwise ENJOY talking about the inane stuff they choose to do on their devices, so talking to them about it positively is really hard. What advice do these teachers have?" "Will our children fall behind if they are not introduced to much technology at young ages?" "I'm interested to hear how things have changed during [Matt and Joe's] careers, and how they anticipate things evolving in the future… Since most of us have little kids and it's hard to conceive of the world they'll be living in 10 to 15 years from now." Hope you enjoy this conversation! (Here is the link to this post : ) PS One place where you can get help with your challenges while raising little kids is the online community that I run, NPC. During January 2020 you can spend your whole first month in the community for just $1! Click here for details.) Sign up for my Weekly Parenting Newsletter Each Wednesday I send out a Parenting Newsletter, to help you stay sane while raising your kiddos. I've written newsletters on everything from remaining calm when they are throwing dirt at each other, to what to do when you feel like a failure. Useful stuff. Click weturnedoutokay.com/weekly so it zooms right into your inbox each week!