What is the cause of the spike in anxiety, unhappiness, and mental illness among teenagers? Jonathan Haidt’s new book argues there is only one plausible answer: smart phones and social media. Warning about the dangers of ‘screen time’ has become a cliché, but even if we all agree phones are a problem, individual solutions can seem daunting. So what can we do about it together? Join this in-person seminar for parents of teenagers to talk about Haidt’s new book and figure out how to provide a better life for our children.
For most of the parents I talk to, their stories don’t center on any diagnosed mental illness. Instead, there is an underlying worry that something unnatural is going on, and that their children are missing something—really, almost everything—as their online hours accumulate. But sometimes the stories parents tell me are darker. Parents feel that they have lost their child.
from Chapter One of Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation
Seminar Schedule:
Part 1: A Tidal Wave (Pages 1-48) – May 6th, 5-6:30 p.m.
Part 2: The Backstory (Pages 49-112) – May 13th, 5-6:30 p.m.
Part 3: The Great Rewiring (Pages 113-220) – May 20th, 5-6:30 p.m.
Part 4: Collective Action for Healthier Childhood (Pages 221-296) – June 3rd, 5-6:30 p.m.
Each meeting will take place at the Fairhaven Program: 1106 Harris Ave., Suite 307. The cost of the seminar is ‘pay what you can’, and no one will be turned away due to lack of funds. There is limited space, however, so please register below. If the seminar fills up, we will offer it again this summer. We encourage you to buy your copy of the book at Village Books.
Any questions? Email donald@fairhavenprogram.org.