Breaking the Cycle of an Anxious Generation

By D. Liu

For the last few months, three GIS parents and I, along with our librarian Anna Barlow, met once a week to organize a school-wide conversation inspired by Jonathan Haidt’s groundbreaking book The Anxious Generation. The goal was to empower our community as we explore how to best support our children in their relationship with technology and smartphones.

We are excited to announce that, on May 7th, GIS will host Kevin Ashworth, Co-Founder and Director of NW Anxiety Institute. Kevin will lead our discussion on childhood mental health vis-a-vis screen and smartphone addiction and our roles as a community. Many of you have signed up, and we anticipate a full house!

I am thrilled by your enthusiasm, and I understand it. It is the reason I got involved.

In the last few years, I have witnessed a troubling pattern. The joyful, dynamic kids I once knew are now facing extraordinary crises as teens. They are anxious, depressed, and several have self harmed or even discussed suicide. These kids are raised in different family structures, different school environments, and different parts of the country. The one commonality they share besides age is their near-constant use of their smartphones. No matter where they are, what they’re doing, or whom they’re with, these teens never “log off.”

Late last year, another mom introduced me to the research of NYU social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, including his bestselling book The Anxious Generation. His work helps make sense of our shared observations:

• Family life has become a fight over screen time.
• Touch screens are designed to be addictive through its infinite loop of stimulus, response, reward, and repeat.
• Kids who are heavy users report lower focus as well as higher loneliness.
• Since 2010, suicide rates are up 50% for adolescents and up 140% for young teen girls.
• 40% of two year olds in America already have their own iPad.
• On average, American teens spend 5 hours a day on social media.

I can’t help but wonder…

What if those five hours a day were devoted to something else – a new sport, instrument, language? They would become fluent. What if they spent those five hours laughing with friends in person, instead of typing LOL? What would that do for these teens’ physical health, mental health, confidence, and their overall understanding of what it means to be alive?

Most parents I talk to say they feel trapped. Their kids need a smartphone and social media accounts because their friends all have it. But what if we break the cycle by working together? What if we parents hear each other out? What if we as a community design a new paradigm?

I often tell my kids that democracy, like love, is a verb. It requires active engagement and nurturing. It requires consensus and working together.

We look forward to seeing you on May 7!