Is social media ruining our kids? How much internet activity is too much? What do FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), sexting, and selfies mean for teens? Are you curious about what research says about how media and technology are impacting childhood? Supported by academic research focused on technology, Media Moms & Digital Dads breaks down complex issues in a friendly, accessible fashion, making it a highly useful and, ultimately, reassuring read for anyone worries about the impact that media might be having on young minds. Dr. Uhls ends each chapter with summaries of the science, bottom lines for quick takeaways, and tips and guidance for parents. Each chapter delves into a different issue, so parents can easily turn to their own particular needs and skip what doesn't concern them.
Dr Uhls expertise as former Hollywood executive and current expert on child development and media gives her a unique and important perspective. As a trained scientist she understands the fascinating studies conducted by researchers, and as a mom of digital teens, she knows what actually works and can relate to the reality of being a parent in the 21st century. Dr. Uhls also describes the research she conducted at UCLA (extensively reported on in news outlets such as the NY Times, NPR and Time Magazine) including her studies about fame and social media and about whether the extensive time we stare at screens impacts non verbal emotional understanding.
Chapters (with descriptions of research, bottom lines and guidance for parents) include:

Overview of parenting in the digital age
Screen time for babies and toddlers
The Mobile Era
The Digital Brain
Social Media and Social Lives
Fame, FOMO and selfies
The Digital Brain
Learning in the Digital Age
Education in the Digital Age
Videogames

There are few hotter parenting issues today than helping our children safely navigate they digital world in which we live. It provides both immense opportunity for learning and connecting and yet great opportunity for making mistakes and harm. Knowing what the facts are and when and how to get involved is perhaps one of the most challenging aspects of parenting. Media Moms & Digital Dads offers parents reassuring and fact based guidance on how best to manage screens and media for their children.

Cyndee Maxwell