All you parents out there looking for some insights and tips on how to help free your troubled teens from screen addiction – read the brilliant new guide from Teen Connect Adventures!
Can chatting or meeting people online truly replace face-to-face contact and connection? While digital technology has brought good in many ways, it's also depriving us of the very thing we need the most – human connection. If you're concerned about your teenage kids and their mental health struggles or you're finding it hard to police screen time, read this latest guide to the teen screen epidemic! "Unplugging the Stress: A Parent's Guide to Raising Confident Teens in A Digital Age." Download Guide
Teen Connect Adventures hosts adventure camps for teenagers in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico so they know a thing or two about helping teens find that all important reset switch and encouraging connection with their peers and the outdoors.
The guide – written by Teen Connect Adventures founder Kirsten McCormick - can be downloaded for free. Click Here
Kirsten explains how today's teenagers, despite having almost unlimited opportunities for connection within the digital space, still find themselves more stressed, anxious, and isolated than previous generations. The guide shares Kirsten's vision, based on her years of experience working with teenagers and the latest research into child psychology, of transforming young lives by restoring a healthy balance of digital and real-world connections.
According to the guide, the average teenager in North America spends around seven to nine hours in front of a screen every day. Kirsten points to data from the US health survey which reveals a 145% increase in major depression among girls since 2010 – the year in which smartphones became virtually ubiquitous in American households. Statistics follow a similar pattern among young males.
Kirsten suggests these statistics can be explained both by the quantity of teenagers' screen time and how the digital world is altering their life experiences and stymying development in other areas. Does this ring true for you?
Author Jonathan Haidt, in his book 'The Anxious Generation', suggests that approaches to child development have changed greatly since the 1980s and 90s. Do you find yourself going greater lengths to protect your children from physical risks but ignoring the arguably greater dangers of the digital space? You're not alone.
Today's teens, the guide explains, are swapping real-world experiences for the supposed safety and comfort of life in front of a screen, leading to anxiety when they have to participate in normal everyday activities – from attending school to going to the store.
Kirsten highlights how real-world connections help your kids build emotional intelligence, empathy, emotional self-regulation, and conflict-resolution skills. She suggests prioritizing screen-free family time, suggesting extracurricular activities such as clubs and camps, setting and following boundaries for screen use, and taking the time to engage fully with your children as things you can do to help.
Teen Connect's adventure camps provide a tech-free environment for children, helping them forge meaningful connections and relationships with their peers, develop their leadership qualities, learn new skills, face and overcome challenges, and spend time in nature.
Kirsten says, “They offer a powerful counterbalance to the digital world, reminding teens of their capabilities and the joy of genuine, face-to-face connections. The transformation is remarkable. Teens who take risks and overcome challenges return home more grounded and confident in their ability to handle whatever life throws at them.”
Help your kids break free from the tyranny of screens and find a happier, healthier version of themselves with Teen Connect Adventures!
For more info, go tohttps://teenconnectadventures.com/
