Movie Review: Screenagers - Growing Up in the Digital Age

screenagersmovie.com 

“Why don’t you get off your (device) and go outside and play?”

“If you don’t get (chore) done, then you can’t play on your (device).”

“But Mom, I need my (device) to get my homework done.”

"I'm tired of competing with your devices."

"These video games are ruining your brain".

Can you relate?

This is part of the daily struggle in many homes with teens and tweens. Technology has given us the ability to connect, multitask, be productive, be entertained, gain knowledge and more. But how much is too much?

Screen time and the effects of digital media are at the forefront of many people’s minds in today’s culture, and a new film takes the topic head on.

We had the opportunity to screen “Screenagers,” a film produced by Dr. Delaney Ruston that explores how excessive screen time is affecting our kids and today’s families.

A medical doctor from Seattle, WA, and a parent navigating her own journey with her children in the constant struggle over the balance between screen time and real life, Dr. Ruston decided to make Screenagers because “she believes deeply in the importance of helping kids find balance in our tech-filled world.” Her film has been featured at film festivals across the country.

The fact that she’s still figuring out the screen/life balance herself as a parent immediately creates a connection between the film’s parent audience and her “character,” the narrator. In the film, college professors, bloggers, researchers and others weigh in on how overuse is truly damaging this generation. Studies show excessive screen time stunts brain development, creates an inability to focus, and reduces cognitive and communication skills.  

We get a glimpse into the filmmaker’s own life and the lives of everyday people who share personal stories about the impact of technology and screen usage within their homes, and the turbulence it creates. From one girl’s experience of her “bra selfie” gone viral to another boy’s excessive video game playing that landed him in rehab for his “addiction,” something hits home to all of us: this is real. It is what is happening in families, at school, after school and in societies across the world today. The question is, what are we going to do about it?

Experts showcased in the film offer constructive advice to parents about the action that needs to take place within our communities, our classrooms, and most importantly, in our homes. They advise it starts by examining ourselves as parents and our own screen addictions. To shift screen usage to a healthy place and minimize its harmful impact on our personalities and habits, we must realize it truly takes a village, but the first step is at home, empowering our kids.

Our overall takeaway from the movie is the message it drives home about the importance of families establishing rules and boundaries on tech usage in and away from the house. The most significant tip all parents can tackle is teaching children from the start how to self-regulate their screen time.

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Here are some other suggestions from Screenagers:

1. Set up a tech contract for EVERYONE in the family, parents included! Have your kids help set the rules.

2. Make “screen-free” time. One day a week, certain hours of the day, or even better, set up a tech-free vacation.

3. Set time limits - give the brain a chance to rest

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In an interview with the NY Times, director Dr. Delaney Ruston stated, “I want to spark a movement to get everyone, from parents to policymakers, to watch the movie, then have a “town hall” style conversation afterward about how we can best help kids lead more balanced lives.”

Screenagers is a must see for parents and kids. It offers the right combination of relatable characters and light-hearted humor to captivate the audience and allow us to do some silent self-evaluating of our own screen habits. A bit ironic to encourage more screen time, we know, but the film is eye-opening for parents who’ll discover they are not alone in the challenge of raising the first all-digital generation.  

Check out the Screenagers website to see if there’s a screening near you or to inquire about bringing it to your community or school.  

Are today’s youth really THAT bad?

by Cindy Kerber Spellman

Nearly anywhere you turn, it’s easy to stumble upon articles and discussions questioning our culture and analyzing generations. Especially debate about today’s youth. They’re overweight. They’re sedentary. They’re entitled. They’re rude. A similar conversation was overheard between two parents in the bleachers at a soccer game recently.

But is this new generation really that bad? Am I really raising two heartless, selfish monsters? If you believe everything you read, I am. And so is everyone else.

The Miami Herald recently ran a story reporting on a book by family physician and psychologist Dr. Leonard Sax. In it, he “urges parents to reorder life for the sake of kids.” The article headline , “Why kids today are out of shape, disrespectful, and in charge,” makes a broad sweeping statement that would lead you to believe we have a major problem on our hands.

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Yet before you dismiss it or go to the extreme and worry that the sky is falling, give thought to its message - do we have our priorities (and maybe our habits) aligned and in order to properly raise our children and set them up for independence and success?

In his book, "The Collapse of Parenting: How We Hurt Our Kids When We Treat Them Like Grown-Ups," Dr. Sax makes compelling arguments that prompt us as parents to look inward at how we parent, the things we say, and how those actions shape the behavior we see from our children.

“Families are facing a crisis of authority,” the article recounts.

Headlines today have a fascinating impact on shaping reality and sentiment. Today’s narrative may be that kids are disrespectful and arrogant; tomorrow’s headlines could make us believe the compassion of today’s youth are saving the world. It’s easy to cast stones and make sweeping statements about a generation, but I’d like to believe people really aren’t that bad and that our world is filled with incredible kids -- and parents. In fact, I know first hand it is.

No one is truly ‘taught’ how to parent. We’re thrown into it when our children are born, and what we know about parenting we learn from our own parents, our own childhoods, trial and error, talking with friends, chats with pediatricians, workshops at places of worship, or reading up on our own. It’s safe to say we all want good things for our children and do the very best we can. At end of the day, knowledge is power, and the more informed we are, the better position we’re in to make choices - especially as parents. Dr. Sax’s book may be a worthy read so that parents have a better sense of self awareness about how our habits and actions affect our children.

Some of the biggest differences in generations between our grandparents, our parents, ourselves, and our children, are the distractions and time demands in our connected worlds at home and at work. With this “noise,” parents are often multitasking and expect kids to entertain themselves alone or with friends for short or long periods of time -- often from a very young age --  while we’re on our iPads, on a call, wrapping up work, driving carpools or taking care of housework. This habit creates independence in our children. A good thing, right? Yet, how many times have onlookers or we, as parents, been surprised when that child, no matter how young or old, expresses themselves, shows confidence or voices their wants? It’s often interpreted as strong-headed, bossy, or disrespectful, when in fact, the child is simply exhibiting the independence we’ve imposed on them from a very young age.

It made me think about my little monsters. They’re young, deliberate with their actions and words, and not afraid to speak their minds. Maybe as a working mom, our schedules and the things we do have made them that way. They’re also incredibly compassionate, sensitive, silly and bright. I’d like to think my husband and I have played a role in that, too.

Headlines should no longer define a generation - parents should. That job is on us. Perhaps Maya Angelou said it best when she said, “Do the best you can. And when you know better, do better.”