Category: Parenting Books

How Do I Get My Kids Off Screens Without A Fight?

This my friends, is the sixty-four million dollar question. And despite writing about this subject for two years, and interviewing screentime experts for another year…I had yet to hear anyone give a truly actionable answer.

Many experts suggest going cold turkey. Some therapists and teachers suggest moderation. But nobody had ever told me how to successfully redirect my elementary-aged children away from Minecraft and Mr. Beast without all hell breaking loose.

Until now. (Imagine angels singing as the heavens open up.)

Read More

Are you looking for a way to get your kids unplugged, but you’re afraid that you’ll go unhinged? You’re not alone.

You have probably found, like many, that limiting gaming and social media in your home just makes for constant battles. If you say 30 minutes, they want an hour. If you say three hours, they want five. Luckily, Clare Morell wrote “The Tech Exit: A Practical Guide to Freeing Kids and Teens from Smartphones” and has a better way for us.

Read More

The author of my favorite parenting book “Hunt, Gather, Parent” has a new book? And it’s about screen time and kids? YES, PLEASE!

The Anxious Generation alerted you to the danger of screens, however, it’s almost impossible to live modern lives without them.

“Dopamine Kids” is your handbook for solving that fundamental problem of our times—and teaching your kids to have a healthy relationship with technology and food.

As it turns out, nearly everything you’ve heard about dopamine is wrong. No, it’s not the molecule of happiness. And no, it doesn’t give us pleasure—it gives us motivation…

Read More
Take Back The Game, Why should kids play sports? Linda Flanagan, Screen Less Play More Podcast, soccer, baseball, basketball

“Somewhere along the way, kids’ sports stopped being for kids,” says author and guest of the Screen Less Play More Podcast, Linda Flanagan.

“Much of what we love about youth sports- and why we want our children to play- has been eroded.”

Linda answers our burning questions:

Is it important for kids to do sports? 

At what age should a child choose a sport? 

What percentage of kids get athletic scholarships?

Should I let my child quit a sport?

Read More
best parenting books about screen time, digital detox, screen addiction, children, children and technology

Your son just attacked you like a rabid werewolf when you asked him to turn off “Minecraft.” Yup, I’ve been there. Here are the books that are ready to help.

These are the 6 best parenting books about screen time. (More to come as I make my way through a large stack!) Each book has a different take, but they all have great info and advice on how we all got here, and how to get back to a balanced life without screen addiction or tantrums.

Read More
The Awesome Generation, The Anxious Generation, sequel to The Anxious Generation

Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller The Anxious Generation, and written for tweens, The Amazing Generation is a handbook for living a happy and exciting life that isn’t hijacked by a smartphone.

Written By Jonathan Haidt & Catherine Price, The Awesome Generation “isn’t just a book about what not to do. It’s a bold, optimistic, and practical guide to growing into your most authentic, confident, and adventurous self.”

Who wouldn’t want that for their kids? Read more about the book and where to find it here…

Read More
Hunt Gather Parent by Michaleen Doucleff is a game changer.

So you’re telling me that I’m supposed to parent like “Mister Rogers, stoned.”??? Go on…..

Author Michaleen Doucleff studied three ancient cultures whose children are still happy and helpful, and boiled it down to two important things:

Let your children help.

Don’t yell at your children.

And yes, she says you need to transform all of that bedtime rage into your best impression of our favorite PBS host, on weed…

Read More
The Anxious Generation

Jonathan Haidt’s excellent book “The Anxious Generation” argues that the play-based childhood of our youth has been replaced with the phone-based childhood of now, and it’s not good. No bueno. Negatory, good buddy.

But there’s hope!

Haidt puts forth 4 things we can all do to get our children back (and get them some bonna fide childhoods instead of the hot garbage they’re living on TicTok.)

No smartphones before high school.

No social media before 16.

Phone-free schools.

Far more unsupervised play and childhood independence…

Read More