Readings for parents about kids' healthy/responsible use of technology
December 7, 2013 12:10 PM   Subscribe

Some friends and I would like to create (and work through) a reading list of current, thoughtful, thought provoking, but non-alarmist articles and/or books on helping kids create a healthy relationship with technology. The immediate focus is on elementary and middle school kids, but we'd expand it for general thought-provoking material on topic.

(I understand "healthy" is exactly the squidgy concept up for discussion, but essentially we're not interested in being either reactionary Luddites or laissez faire 24/7-immersionists).

We're a tech-astute group already, so mostly we're interested in improving our awareness of various norms and challenges that school-aged kids may swim in and face that we don't, technologies and implications that may be coming down the pike, and how to encourage our kids to have a broad and critical point of view. Big questions for both parents and kids to consider, without easy or readily apparent answers, are welcome. I'm considering the following books but would greatly prefer recommendations, as well as suggestions for articles that may generate faster/looser discussion.
+ Born Digital - seems focused on young adults
+ You Are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto by Jaron Lanier
+ The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr

Note this question is not seeking tech solutions for how to monitor or govern our kids' personal data or online activities, etc.
posted by cocoagirl to Technology (3 answers total) 16 users marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: All the works of Neil Postman, especially his parvum opus, Amusing Ourselves to Death.

The Media Equation. Reeves and Nass are two interesting authors on the topic.
posted by curuinor at 12:13 PM on December 7, 2013


Common Sense Media is a fantastic, go-to resource for thinking through these kinds of issues.

Articles:
Radical Reform: Dutch iPad Schools Seek to Transform Education by Marco Evers

The Touch-Screen Generation by Hanna Rosin

Rosalind Wiseman's latest book Masterminds and Wingmen (aka the long-awaited Mean Girls book for boys) deals with tech etiquette and anti-bullying education for junior high and high schoolers. I seriously loved this book, and think Wiseman is one of the few experts who truly gets it about the importance of gaming and social media in the lives of children.
posted by hush at 12:46 PM on December 7, 2013


Dad & Mom's Internet Safety Do's and Don'ts was a surprisingly sane and common-sense book by someone who uses & enjoys technology and doesn't appear to have an axe to grind.
posted by selfmedicating at 1:42 PM on December 7, 2013


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