The Anxious Generation

Pick it up: If you're considering getting your child a smartphone or considering allowing them to have their own social media accounts. 

The Anxious Generation is a critical examination of how digital technology is reshaping childhood and is a call for urgent action to protect the mental well-being of young people. Jonathan Haidt delves into the alarming rise of mental health issues among adolescents, particularly since the early 2010s, and argues that this epidemic is largely due to the shift from a "play-based childhood" to a "phone-based childhood."

Haidt presents evidence that the widespread adoption of smartphones and social media has significantly disrupted children's social and neurological development.

While the data presented is mostly from North America and Europe given the availability of robust data and research in these regions, the widespread adoption of smartphones and social media is a global phenomenon, and therefore, it's reasonable to expect that similar effects are occurring in other parts of the world.

He contrasts the decline of free play and independent exploration with the rise of constant online engagement. The book explores how this "great rewiring of childhood" contributes to problems like sleep deprivation, social anxiety, attention fragmentation, and addiction. Haidt also discusses the differing impacts on girls and boys.

He proposes practical solutions for parents, educators, and policymakers to address this crisis and restore a healthier childhood. An important read for parents.