Jenny Krumdrick’s Post

A Danger We Don't Talk About Enough. Social Media and Technology Don't Give Us Room to Breathe. In an always-on digital world, we lose critical moments to step back, take a breath, and gain real perspective -- which is particularly needed when you're a teen or tween navigating the trial and error of friendships and figuring out who you are. Check out this clip from the newly formed Converlation® book club chat, which will be diving into Jonathan Haidt's "The Anxious Generation" one chapter at a time, with expert facilitation by Kathy Van Benthuysen and a panel of amazing doctors, parents, and educators (including me 🙂). First chat - unpacking Chapter 6, which explores why social media hits girls harder than boys. The discussions are eye-opening, and I hope they spark discussion with your family too. Make sure follow Converlation® if you're concerned about the impact of social media on youth and want to build resilience instead of reliance on tech. #DigitalWellness #MentalHealth #SocialMedia #TheAnxiousGeneration #Leadership #PersonalDevelopment #WorkLifeBalance #TechAndSociety #ProfessionalDevelopment #BookClub

There’s always room at the table for all kinds of discussions when it comes to helping kids thrive as they grow, but some topics seem to get more attention than others. We have an empathy problem right now. As in, there doesn’t seem to be enough of it to go around. Here’s why that’s dangerous: Decreased empathy is associated with increased relational aggression, which can result in increased rates of anxiety and depression. While SmartPhones are taking the fall for everything right now and overparenting makes for catchy headlines, we have to consider the constellation of factors that contribute to low empathy in kids. Only when we source the gaps can we begin to fill them in a meaningful way. How often do you talk to your kids about being inclusive, managing conflict in a healthy way, active listening, and being an upstander? None of these topics are one-and-done conversations. All require check-ins as kids and teens age up. Connection and belonging are essential protective factors - we need to prioritize raising kids who care, not just kids who reach some perceived measuring stick of success. So much hurt can be avoided. ❤️ Dr. Katie

“You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending." C.S. Lewis As parents, carers, and educators, we constantly navigate the challenges of raising children in a digital world. I know this all too well, having three teenage children at home. Nip in the Bud’s latest film, A Stolen Childhood, critically engages in the conversation about the influence of smartphones and social media on children’s mental health. Research indicates that social media and the information children are exposed to during their formative years can shape their beliefs about themselves and the world, potentially negatively impacting their mental well-being. This film explores important questions many of us face, from screen time management to online safety. As a parent, I often ask: Is my child addicted to their smartphone? How can I balance screen time with other activities? What can schools do to support children and parents in this digital age? How can I protect my child from online bullying or exposure to harmful content? A Stolen Childhood is a must-watch for anyone concerned about the impact of technology on young minds. Watch the film and explore the resources here: https://lnkd.in/eRhTaGtg My daughter was born the same year that Apple released the first iPhone. In our house, COVID had a negative impact on the amount of time we all spend on screens. C.S. Lewis's quote above resonates deeply with me as I try to start where we are and look to change the ending. What are your successes in getting your children to spend screen-free time? For us, with our teens, food and the thrills of a theme park are good options. #ChildrensMentalHealth #DigitalWellbeing #ParentingInTheDigitalAge #ExecutiveFunctions #SkillsForLife #MindSpark #WWID Becky Tyler Bettina Hohnen Kitty Nabarro Naheeda Maharasingam Sue Snell Mark Snell NOORZAMAN RASHID Michael Leibe Renee Cullen Rhiannon O'Neill Nancy Paddison Hannah Davies Emma Curtis Nicolette Collingwood Elsa Torres, MSc Childhood and Youth, FRSA, NPQH Dr Anne-Marie McBlain Jonathan Haidt Helen Atkinson Andres Gaviria Damian McBeath Stuart Kibbe Liz Keable Richard Nero

💔 Children and teens are struggling, and this is a widespread issue While it may sound like a generalization, my experience as a former elementary teacher, combined with conversations with friends still in the classroom, makes it clear—things have changed. Kids aren’t the same, and neither are parents. I’m not placing blame on any single person or group—it’s all interconnected. I believe a lot of this starts at home. As a parent of three kids, I know how overwhelming it can be. Some days, just to get through, I allow more screen time than usual. Does it help in the moment? Absolutely. It gives me a much-needed breather. But the aftermath of too much screen time? It’s not pretty. The other day, I decided to try something new. After a long day of hockey and engaging in small talk with parents (which is so draining for me), all I wanted was to come home, put on a movie, or let the older kids play video games. Instead, my husband and I made a deliberate choice to spend just TEN minutes being fully present with our kids. That’s it—just ten minutes! Honestly, I think we can all agree we spend way more than that scrolling our phones. It tugged at my heart to see how shocked and excited my kids were when we made this promise. We had fallen into the habit of coming home and immediately defaulting to screen time. But here’s the thing—when we spent those ten minutes (which ended up lasting much longer) playing board games and genuinely talking with each other, the entire atmosphere in the house felt different. It was so much more connected and joyful. Our time with our children is fleeting, especially in a world where they are often given phones too early (but that’s a topic for another day). ✨ Take just T E N minutes ✨ It can transform the energy in your home. Imagine how both you and your children would feel if this became a regular habit! 💖 To me, this is a form of self-love. Sometimes, giving a little of ourselves creates a ripple effect that brings so much more in return.

In the run up to the holidays I’ve been reflecting on how I want to set the stage in our home now we have 2 teens with mobile phones (and only one member of the house that doesn’t have one). As a mother, Clinical Psychologist and fellow navigator of this challenging terrain, I thought I’d share a reflection a day for the last week of term. Todays being: Connection First, Screens Second As the holidays approach, screen time battles can feel inevitable—but they don’t have to take over your family time. Here’s the truth: what truly shapes how teens use technology isn’t just the rules we set, it is the connection they feel with us. Neuroscience tells us that co-regulation—our ability to stay present, and emotionally attuned—helps their nervous systems feel safe. When teens feel safe, they’re better able to engage in healthy screen habits and make good decisions online and come to us when there are challenges to navigate. This week’s tip: Start with a non-judgmental conversation about screens. Instead of diving into limits, come side by side with your teen and try open-ended questions like: • “What do you like most about being on (snap chat, TikTok etc) • “What’s one thing about social media that stresses you out?” You might be surprised by their answers, and it opens the door for meaningful, ongoing conversations. This holiday season, let’s focus on connection over control—and build trust that goes beyond the screen. What’s one way you connect with your teens about tech? Asking for a friend! 😉

Teenagers are driven to explore the world. One of the big changes which happens during adolescence is that the opinion (and judgement) of their peers becomes much more important. That’s why teens are suddenly self-conscious, and why parents become so embarrassing. It’s also why teens sometimes engage in risky behaviour – but only when with their peers. What others think of them really matters, and they’d rather take risks than be seen to be cautious. This isn’t something that they choose. Their brains change, and it’s part of what will enable them to grow up and leave home. They need to start to look outwards to the wider world. But if they are demand avoidant, this can be hard. The world outside is full of demands, and whilst they are pulled towards it, they are also pulling back. Some of them get stuck, not able to take the steps they want to make towards independence, but needing to start to move outside their home and family. That’s what I’m talking about in this new webinar TOMORROW lunchtime. It’s for parents of demand avoidant adolescents. It’s particularly suitable for those with children aged 9-14, in early adolescence. Yes it’s recorded. Please share if you know parents who might benefit. https://lnkd.in/ezgXFiiN

🔞 Bringing up teens is challenging. The pressure they're under is huge, whether it's school, social media, peer pressure, relationships, friendships - and the need to be pretty, strong, thin, popular etc....depending on the latest trends. We were exposed to media imagery here and there in our youth; we could put magazines down and we only had 3 or 4 TV channels. We spent more time outside, we communicated face to face - we talked! In an era where we've never been more connected, how truly connected are we? Add in hormones, developing teenage brains, the need to be right 100% of the time and you get a melting pot of angst and anxiety. In the meantime we parents wade through treacle trying to help - the guilt is real. Plus we're trying to run businesses, be effective employees, run our homes and stay sane, all whilst the empty nest scenario looms in the not too distant future. So if you're a parent raising teens right now, spinning several plates all at the same time, you're not alone..... (image reposted from Pinterest) #teenagers #workingparents #notalone

Between 2010 and 2015, the social lives of teens moved online, replacing a play-based childhood with a smartphone-based one, causing a rise in depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide among adolescents, hitting girls the hardest. In "The Anxious Generation," Jonathan Haidt insightfully shows how paranoid parenting, safetyism, and social media cause downstream harms for kids and teens. If you’re a parent, teacher, product designer, or citizen-thinker who wants to reclaim purpose, connection, and control in an age of distraction, I strongly recommend reading "The Anxious Generation" and sharing copies with others for face-to-face, shoulder-to-shoulder discussions.

I see so much of this change as a teacher. I’ve seen it coming, we all have. Will do what I can personally to stem the tide of this change, perhaps homework now should include go outside and play, run around, draw with chalk, talk with friends face to face. Climb a tree, ride a bike, skin a knee! I have been discussing with colleagues and friends, Haidt’s four solutions to address the crisis facing our youth: (1) No smartphones before high school; (2) No social media before 16; (3) Phone-free schools; and (4) More independence, free play, and responsibility in the real world. I believe change can occur if we understand how serious this is. Remember how we banned cigarette ads because of their harmful message to kids!? Same thing- harmful!! Time for real change. Of all four solutions, the fourth resonates most with me right now. The principles behind Haidt’s Let Grow, support this solution. It is something we can do and must support as early childhood, elementary educators before these youngsters face this anxious generation reality.

Here's something I've noticed: when a smart teen doesn't like school, and they're struggling, their parents often struggle too. It's pretty darn understandable. How can you help a kid who clearly has SO much to offer, when the school seems inflexible or incomptent, when longstanding family problems rear their head just as you're making progress, or when September comes and the kid who was happily enjoying life becomes withdrawn and anxious? I love helping parents in this situation, because there ARE so many ways to help - so I'm starting an online support group for parents of neurodiverse teens! (It's free this year, as I get it up and running). The idea is to teach some basics - *how to promote autonomy without becoming a limp noodle *how to ensure the teachers and school provide accommodations that actually work *what to do at home to make sure smart kids are getting the brain food they need - while providing a space for parents to talk to other parents, get and share resources, and be less alone in their quest to make life great for their curious, smart kids. If a little parental support would make a difference in your kids life, please get in touch! You can message me here, or fill out the form on the website (which also has more info about the program). https://lnkd.in/gddrX42G