GMS Parents and Guardians,
Does your child have a consistent and decent bedtime, limits on their video games, and time away from Snapchat and TikTok? During car rides, at a doctors office, or at the dinner table, do you all pause, take time to be bored, or take part in a healthy debate, or is everyone head down, staring at a screen? A huge challenge for parents of Gen’s Z and Alpha is the incredible distractions that are everywhere. This leads to significant struggles listening and engaging others, arguments and quick tempers, challenges paying attention, learning deficits in school, even higher levels of anxiety and unhealthy stress. This article is one that hits home on electronic device time, and the dangers it brings to the young brain. Read the article and work to set some family expectations from the ‘Train Their Brain’ pointers at the end. Why are kids so impatient?
Also, if you didn’t see the podcast from last month’s newsletter on “The Anxious Generation,” please make time to watch this today. What you see will shock you, challenge your mindset on your teen’s use of, and limits on, social media and smartphones, and help you bring about more free play and independence as a family. Learn more at LetGrow.org.
Nathan O’Dell
Principal, Geneseo Middle School