Lucy Jo Palladino's book, Parenting in the Age of Attention Snatchers: A Step-by-Step Guide to Balancing Your Child's Use of Technology is a timely contribution to parenting in the 21st Century. An update version of the classical Marshmallow Experiment, the technology devices of today are magnets to the Involuntary Attention of kids and teens (and adults).
Palladino complements the traditional research about willpower with modern results in neuroscience. The limbic (primitive) system arm wrestling with the modern man's prefrontal cortex that develops during puberty and adolescence.
As a parent struggling with two kids of this age Palladino's work seems like a great tool (yet to put into practice). It gives perspective and ideas on how to help the children learn how to get the advantage of technology while they learn to self control, to use their Voluntary Attention. As Palladino says "Your child's ability to use an off button is quite possibly the most important technological competency she can learn".
For parents the book has two gifts. First it emphasizes the importance of the relationship between parents and children. Nothing is more important than a good relationship among them and many times our effort to reduce the abuse of electronics ends up deteriorating the relationship. Second it puts the finger on the responsibility of the parents. Often we feel offended by the responses from our kids without acknowledging our contribution to the problem. Beginning with using e-nannies to giving a bad example with our own habits and not being able to separate the action from the agent.
The seven step guide begins with an parent autoevaluation and as it goes helps us focus on priorities, changes of midsets, challenges, and results. Even though Palladino takes the parent back in the arena, it reduces the stress of the job by clearing expectations and giving tools to kindly cope with the frustration of setbacks while patiently celebrate the results.
As adults we have a great deal to offer our kids. Since our mental abilities are fully developed Palladino suggest for instance asking the right questions and providing the metacognition necessary to understand the big picture and long term implications of our actions.
Additional resources like the American Academy of Pediatrics Media Life Plan recommendations and references to more in depth studies enhance the toolkit provided by the book.
Technology is part of our lives, having the tools to focus and use them wisely is a challenge for all, but specially for kids who are learning to use their prefrontal cortex. In the past attention snatchers were less exuberant but the plain mind-wondering has always existed. Our evolutionary drag is a challenge for modern world, and electronics are just a new struggle field. Parenting in the Age of Attention Snatchers is a workbook to help our kids be successful adults and us happy parents.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars.
