The use of screens, whether in the form of phones, tablets, television, or whatever new permutation is next in the endless quest to be ever-more connected, is not remotely unproblematic--especially when the people interacting with the screens are children. In The Screentime Solution: A Judgment-Free Guide to Becoming a Tech-Intentional Family, Emily Cherkin (who also answers to the professional moniker of the Screentime Consultant) explains in empathetic detail the dilemmas that parents face in trying to stem the tide of screens surrounding their children and to model healthy use of technology themselves.
Cherkin makes clear that these issues surrounding media are not the same ones that today's parents and teachers faced when they were growing up. The addictive qualities of technology now are intentionally present, a product of what is euphemistically called persuasive design. Cherkin describes the anxiety of the families she's helped and debunks arguments that demand that children be very connected at all times. Instead, she advocates for what she calls tech-intentional lives--having guidelines and rules around allowing screens and social media to be a part of a day, instead of assuming that being online is a default setting or that people are powerless in the face of its prevalence.
At the end of each chapter, she distills her insights into actionable approaches toward integrating technology into families in a way that supports their values and children's mental health. The Screentime Solution is an invaluable resource for parents, teachers, and anyone interested in the ways in which technology has become increasingly pervasive. --Elizabeth DeNoma, executive editor, DeNoma Literary Services, Seattle, Wash.