What We’re Reading in September: Cultivating a Healthier Digital Mind
As we continue our conversation on nurturing the developing mind in a digital age, our clinical team is exploring resources that offer both groundbreaking research and practical solutions. This month, we’re focusing on two essential reads that illuminate the profound impact of technology on attention and mental health, and what we can do to foster resilience and balance. These books powerfully complement last month’s article and inform the supportive work we do every day with families.
1. The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt
Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt delivers an urgent and compelling investigation into the tidal wave of adolescent mental illness that began in the early 2010s. He makes a convincing case that the fundamental shift from a “play-based childhood” to a “phone-based childhood” is the primary culprit, eroding the foundations of healthy development. This book is more than an alarm bell; it is a clear-eyed diagnosis of a collective problem and a practical manifesto for parents, educators, and policymakers to reverse the damage by giving children back the real-world play and independence they need to thrive. It is an essential, if sobering, read for anyone invested in the well-being of the next generation.
Why it matters for parents: This book provides the “big picture” context, helping parents understand the powerful cultural forces at play and empowering them to make informed, collective choices about technology use at home and in their communities.
2. Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity by Gloria Mark, PhD
Have you ever felt like you can’t focus on one thing for more than a minute? You’re not alone. Drawing on decades of pioneering research, Dr. Gloria Mark reveals the stunning science behind how our attention truly works in the digital era—including her key finding that we switch tasks every 47 seconds on average. Attention Span moves beyond the guilt to explain the real costs of this constant switching on our stress and cognitive performance. Most importantly, Dr. Mark provides a hopeful and practical guide to managing our attention, rather than letting our devices manage it for us. This book offers the evidence-based strategies we need to reclaim our focus and restore cognitive calm.
Why it matters for parents: This book offers the micro-level tools. It helps parents understand their own attention patterns and equips them with strategies to model and teach healthy focus, creating a home environment that protects everyone’s capacity for deep thought.
We hope these resources empower you. Remember, the goal isn’t to eliminate technology, but to build a healthier relationship with it. If you have questions about how these themes impact your family, we are here to help.