DISCUSSION GUIDE
#KidsOnTech
Advanced Film Premiere: May 20-30, 2021
Genre: Documentary
Director: Paul Zehrer
Featured: Dr. Gordon Neufeld, Thomas Hubl, Matt Richtel, Dr. Manfred Spitzer, Dr. Kennith Wesson, Dr. Edwin Hubner, Dr. Paula Bleckman
Length: 56:00
Synopsis: #KidsOnTech is about kids and technology. The Covid pandemic has left parents and educators struggling to navigate children's increased use of digital devices. While innovations like Zoom and Google Classroom proved to be helpful during this time, they also proved to be not enough for children to develop healthy bodies and brains. Our 56-minute documentary explores this critical juncture and the emerging issues we all face today. Voices in this film include moms, dads, teachers, scientists, and writers -- all struggling to better understand how we can help our kids become masters of technology, not servants.
Parents and teachers are desperate for answers. Our mission in this film is to step beyond the media coverage spelling doom and gloom and ask: How can we support our children so that they are not as vulnerable to the negative impact heavy use of tech can lead to, such as addiction, ADHD, bullying, sleep deprivation, social anxiety and alienation? The film explores alternative ways technology can be introduced at schools and at home to better align with the developmental needs of children.
What parents can do: There are no silver bullets to this complex issue. However, #KidsOnTech invites viewers to reflect and discuss, empowering parents that, at the end of the day, they have more power and influence than tech to make a difference in their children’s lives. Managing healthy screen time is not about setting a general time ban on digital devices; it is about creating a healthy routine, ensuring the individual is eating well, getting enough exercise, sleep, and social interaction. With an established healthy routine, the negative impacts associated with excessive screen time should not be an issue.
Critical questions to help parents reflect and discover answers and solutions:
What are the primary ways your child engages with tech?
Do you feel that tech has changed your relationship with your child?
Do you feel you have adequate “parental control” around your child’s use of tech?
How do you tolerate your child’s reactions when you set limits or boundaries around their use of tech?
Has tech directly or indirectly increased conflict or other behavior issues in your family?
If you co-parent, does tech cause conflict with your partner?
Do you feel your child’s physical, emotional, or cognitive development has changed as a result of their use of tech?
Do you feel your child spends adequate time playing outdoors and/or with other children without the use of tech?
Do you feel tech has created more “separation” between you and your child?
Has tech-led your child to be more focused on their friends or peers?
Do you feel that your own use of tech influences your child’s use of tech?
Has tech influenced your ability to be present or available to your child’s needs?
What is one change you could make to help balance the impact tech may be having on your family today?
What could you do to feel more connected to your child?
Ways to reconnect with your child when devices get in the way:
Talk to your children about what they are looking at on their screens
Encourage screen-free meals together
Play together - pull out a board game or cards
Take a walk together
Try to make eye contact
Leave phones and devices outside bedrooms at night
Read a book to young children
Rediscover a hobby you might share that doesn't require tech
Show interest in your child’s interests
Most importantly, just try to be present! Often you don’t have to do anything more than that!
Download Gordon Neufeld’s ' Hold on to you kids (extract: Postscript for a digital age)
RESOURCES FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING
“Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers” By Dr. Gordon Neufeld Available here
Thomas Hübl Internet, Technological Development and Trauma
Thomas Hubl in our film speaks at TEDx on technology
Matt Richtel Children’s Screen Time Has Soared in the Pandemic, Alarming Parents and Researchers- New York Times
Books by Dr. Manfred Spitzer: Available here
Dr. Kenneth Wesson: The Science of Learning