A number of years ago a parent, Eleanor, contacted me after a talk to ask me a question about digital distractions. Eleanor had recently attended her son Jeremy’s school conferences and was surprised to learn that he was having a very difficult time focusing in class. “Dr. Walsh,” she exclaimed, “It doesn’t make any sense!… Read More →
Are you worried about your child’s video game habits? Take a look at this video game addiction symptoms checklist I created to see if you have cause for alarm. While this is not a diagnostic tool, it can help you assess whether or not games are an unhealthy part of your child’s life and if… Read More →
Is this scene familiar to you? You think your child is diligently doing homework. You knock and hear a cheery “Come on in.” As you enter, your daughter is holding the telephone in one hand, a message is popping up on her Facebook page, and the latest song from her favorite group is blaring from her… Read More →
I just wrote a post about the brains of the multitasking generation and the cognitive costs of juggling too much at the same time. Here are some tips for parents to make sure your children have multitasking under control. Their brains will thank you! Explain to your child that his or her brain is like… Read More →
Teenage sexting dominates media headlines, but like any hot issue making a big splash in the news, is sexting really happening and is it really a big deal? There is a huge range in the research because the data depends upon how you define and measure sexting. In one recent study, about 12% of teens… Read More →
I took away my teenager’s phone last weekend and she made it seem like I had destroyed her social life. She seems obsessed. What is the deal with teenagers and cell phones? Maria, New Mexico Think you can live for a week without your cell phone or the Internet? It’s might be tough. But for… Read More →
Each child is walking around with a miracle perched on top of their shoulders. For a long time, the brain was a very difficult thing to study. Now powerful machines allow us to peer into the inner workings of the brain. We have a better sense of how the brain works and how it grows… Read More →
I saw Dr. Dave Walsh present a couple of weeks ago and loved the video he showed of the marshmallow experiment. What a fun way to learn about impulse control and delay of gratification! Where can I find this video? Marjorie, Huron County, Michigan Marjorie, I am glad you liked the video of the marshmallow… Read More →
Preparing our children for kindness online and offline is part of raising kids in the 21st century. It can be tempting to wait until there is an incident to have serious conversations about cyberbullying, cruelty and online drama with your kids. Yet our kids need us to talk early and talk often. As soon as… Read More →
How many hours do teenagers listen to music, a day? Including all music devices? Amanda, Nevada Amanda, Thanks for the question. We spend a lot of time focusing on cell phones, video games, and TV – but certainly listening to music continues to be one of teens’ favorite digital activities. Music has been central to… Read More →
