The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age

Most of us can’t imagine life without smart phones, social media, tablets, GPS, and gaming systems.   Unfortunately, these tools have also created major obstacles to the development of healthy family relationships and have wreaked havoc in the lives of many youth.  According to the author, many parents feel overwhelmed and powerless in their ability to regulate and protect their children from the negative aspects of digital technology such as addiction, cyber-bullying, online pranks, access to age-inappropriate material, sexting, and reputation management.

Although parents have a lot to deal with in raising this new generation of digital natives, all is not lost.  Whether you are currently raising toddlers, tweens or teens, Steiner-Adair highlights tech-related pitfalls that parents must navigate for each stage of child development.  She also provides parents with sensible tips on how to develop what she calls a “sustainable family” – one in which its members can establish healthy, nurturing, and respectful relationships and are equipped to find balance in the digital age.