| # | Title | Subtitle | Author(s) | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | iGen | Why Today's Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy--And Completely Unprepared for Adulthood--And What Th | Jean M Twenge | 2018 | A foundational, data-driven look at how smartphones and social media have reshaped adolescence—from mental health to sleep and social life—reminding us that this isn’t just a new set of habits, but a fundamentally different developmental environment. |
| 2 | The New Childhood | Raising Kids to Thrive in a Connected World | Jordan Shapiro | 2018 | Reframes technology not as something to fear, but as something kids are growing up with, pushing us to think less about restriction and more about how to help kids use it creatively and well. |
| 3 | The Mediatrician's Guide | A Joyful Approach to Raising Healthy, Smart, Kind Kids in a Screen-Saturated World | Michael Rich MD Mph | 2024 | Written by a pediatrician, this book explains how media affects kids’ development at different ages, giving us a clearer sense that what matters isn’t just how much screen time, but when and how it shows up in a child’s life. |
| 4 | The Big Disconnect | Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age | Catherine Steiner-Adair and Teresa H Barker | 2014 | Explores how technology can quietly erode family connection, making us more aware that small, everyday moments of distraction can add up to meaningful disconnection over time. |
| 5 | Good Inside | A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be | Becky Kennedy | 2022 | A compassionate, practical approach to parenting that focuses on connection over control, shifting how we handle tough moments around screens from power struggles to opportunities for relationship-building. |
| 6 | How to Break Up with Your Phone, Revised Edition | The 30-Day Digital Detox Plan | Catherine Price | 2025 | A judgment-free look at our own screen habits with a step-by-step reset, reinforcing that how we use technology ourselves is often more influential than the rules we set for our kids. |
| 7 | Media Moms & Digital Dads | A Fact-Not-Fear Approach to Parenting in the Digital Age | Yalda T Uhls | 2015 | Blends research and real-life stories to show how media shapes kids’ behavior and identity, helping us see that guidance and conversation matter more than simply limiting exposure. |
| 8 | Talk to Your Boys | 16 Conversations to Help Tweens and Teens Grow Into Confident, Caring Young Men | Joanna Schroeder and Christopher Pepper | 2025 | Challenges outdated ideas about masculinity and offers practical ways to build emotional awareness, reminding us that open, ongoing conversation is essential, especially in a world shaped by digital influences. |
| 9 | Permission to Feel | The Power of Emotional Intelligence to Achieve Well-Being and Success | Marc Brackett | 2020 | A powerful guide to emotional intelligence, underscoring that kids need the skills to understand and manage their emotions, especially in an always-on, highly stimulating digital world. |
| 10 | Childhood Unplugged | Practical Advice to Get Kids Off Screens and Find Balance | Katherine Martinko | 2023 | Makes a thoughtful case for protecting unstructured, offline childhood, reinforcing how essential boredom, independence, and real-world play are for development. |
| 11 | Congrats--You're Having a Teen! | Strengthen Your Family and Raise a Good Person | Kenneth R Ginsburg MD Msed | 2022 | A reassuring, research-backed guide to raising teens, shifting the focus toward building resilience, independence, and trust rather than trying to control every outcome. |
| 12 | Where to Start | A Survival Guide to Anxiety, Depression, and Other Mental Health Challenges | Mental Health America | 2023 | A practical, accessible resource for navigating kids’ mental health, reminding us that knowing how to begin conversations and seek support can make all the difference. |