The Mediatrician's Guide: A Joyful Approach to Raising Healthy, Smart, and Kind Kids in a Screen-Saturated World

by Dr. Michael Ogden Rich, Teresa Barker (Primary Contributor)

Dr. Michael Rich, dubbed the “Mediatrician” thanks to his acclaimed work as a pediatrician, child health researcher, and children’s media specialist, offers a science-backed approach to give parents the confidence they need to raise a child well (and to raise a well child) in the digital age. Children are growing up in a world of screens. They move seamlessly back and forth in a physical-digital environment. But parents are both worried and confused about when and how to introduce tablets, smartphones, even television. When it comes to navigating kids' use of media, all-or-nothing approaches are doomed to fail. Giving children free reign over their screen use carries potential risks to their physical and mental health and their emotional and social development. Yet rejecting digital media is undesirable (and probably impossible), since today's kids must navigate that realm to succeed in school and the world in which, as adults, they'll be expected to function well in a technology-rich environment. So how do we help young people establish mastery of screens and harness them for healthy development and social engagement?  Features Backed by evidence as well as decades of professional and personal practice, The Mediatrican's Guide will give parents peace of mind and kids much-needed tools to navigate digital media for the rest of their lives.  

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction

256 pages, Hardcover

Published January 9, 2024

Reviews

[Whitney Reid Drebot · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️ | 🍎

Honestly this was a pretty good parenting book. Applicable to parents with kids of all ages. The audiobook was read by the author and it was really well done.

I liked that it didn’t teach that all media is bad but rather ways we can teach our kids how to make healthy choices within their media saturated world.

I think my favorite take away is that instead of enforcing “screen time maximums” such as a maximum number of hours our kids can watch TV, we should instead enforce “non-screen minimums” such as a minimum number of minutes they should read everyday, or a minimum number of time spent outside, or playing an instrument, or playing pretend, or doing art, etc.

But overall I’m honestly just happy to be done with another school book because it means I’m that much closer to the end of the semester because then I can finally get back to exclusively reading books where people kiss. 🤪

[Natalie Tufte · Rating 4 out of 5]

GREAT information and not presented as “all media is bad”. This doctor has embraced that media is a part of the present and future and resisting it is not healthy or conducive for our kids. It is ALL about proper coaching. Introducing media together. Proving questions to help kids think about content they see, setting personal boundaries at proper ages to help them navigate technology in healthy ways. I did a lot of skimming some of the chapters. It wasn’t the most interesting read but it was very important information- especially that last chapter

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this to be clear, concise, and direct. The reasoning is grounded in the real world (no pretending or recommending that all kids stay away from all screens), and each section has very specific action steps but also recognizes the variability in family situations and individual circumstances. I think this will be a win for families figuring out how to navigate all kinds of media with children of all ages.

[Kim Samuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a precious gift to kids, parents, and modern society as a whole. It's full of compassion, practical solutions, and impressive empirical evidence. I believe that children’s screen time is one of the most consequential—yet misunderstood—challenges facing our collective future. Dr. Rich has given us the definitive guide to raising balanced and happy human beings in this age of ubiquitous distraction.

[Amanda Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great information and perspective on the extreme scenarios with digital media and what to look out for. This is more suited for parents with older kids but for someone with toddlers I still found it useful and interesting.