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Educar en la era de la dispersión digital: Una Guía Práctica Para Que Los Niños Hagan Un Uso Equilibrado De La Tecnología
Lucy Jo Palladino, ganadora de varios premios, es psicóloga clínica, investigadora y escritora. Ha escrito Dreamers, Discoverers, and Dynamos: How to Help the Child Who is Bright, Bored, and Having Problerns in School y Find Your Focus Zone: An Effective New Plan to Defeat Distraction and Overload, éste último traducido a siete idiomas. Ha aparecido en medios como la NPR, la CNN, la Fox, Family Circle, Cosmopolitan, The Washington Post y The Wall Street Journal, y tiene una amplia presencia en Internet. Da conferencias sobre problemas relacionados con la atención y forma a educadores y padres para combatir la distracción infantil.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2015
22 people are currently reading
198 people want to read
About the author
Lucy Jo Palladino
12 books14 followersI'm a psychologist, author, educator, and blogger with a special interest in attention and neuroscience, My newest book is Parenting in the Age of Attention Snatchers (2015). Before that, I wrote Find Your Focus Zone (2007). My first book, Dreamers, Discoverers and Dynamos, was published in 1997 as a hardcover titled The Edison Trait. I'm grateful to my readers for supporting my work through the years.
As a child, I constantly had my nose in a book. After graduating from Fordham, I taught school in NYC, then moved West to Arizona State University for my PhD. I completed my internship in psychology at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Texas, joined the clinical faculty at the University of Arizona, and served as principal investigator for a federal research grant in Tucson, AZ. In 1986, I moved to San Diego, CA.
I've had a clinical practice for 35 years. Currently, I counsel parents and families in Encinitas, CA, teach professional development, give talks and workshops, and blog at http://lucyjopalladino.com.
I look forward to being part of the GoodReads community, to listen and learn and share the joy of reading.
As a child, I constantly had my nose in a book. After graduating from Fordham, I taught school in NYC, then moved West to Arizona State University for my PhD. I completed my internship in psychology at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Texas, joined the clinical faculty at the University of Arizona, and served as principal investigator for a federal research grant in Tucson, AZ. In 1986, I moved to San Diego, CA.
I've had a clinical practice for 35 years. Currently, I counsel parents and families in Encinitas, CA, teach professional development, give talks and workshops, and blog at http://lucyjopalladino.com.
I look forward to being part of the GoodReads community, to listen and learn and share the joy of reading.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
June 11, 2015
Buy this book!
Okay, if you don't have kids, work with them, or care for them, you can probably skip this one. But, if you have children living with you or you work with children, then you need to read this book. Technology, gaming, and social media are here and we can't realistically avoid them. But it's hard to know the benefits and pitfalls and if it's hard for adults, imagine the difficulty for children, and that includes teens, whose brains are quite literally still developing.
This book is not my usual fare for the blog but I saw it at NetGalley and had to have it. I hoped that, despite its emphasis on the family, I would find it useful as a teacher. Happily, I did.
What I loved:
1) The advice and information is firmly grounded in science and research. Numerous studies are cited as are YouTube videos (apropos, no?) but we also get anecdotes from the author's work with children of all ages as well as visits to classrooms.
2) Palladino, the author, has a calm, sane, reasonable approach. There's no 'the sky is falling' nonsense. She accepts that computers, gaming, social media, etc. are here and it's the job of adults to help children learn how to manage their time and to make responsible decisions concerning technology.
3) I learned, a lot. Any book that teaches me something is a good one and this had a lot. The information about voluntary and involuntary attention alone was a mix of new and familiar. Add in the information about how computers affect the brain and its development and I have a lot to think about.
4) The advice and suggestions, while definitely aimed at families as the title says, are easily adaptable to classrooms, camps, and other environments where children of all ages spend time.
5) She respects the children. That alone is huge. Too many of the books I read, aimed at parents, show a distinct lack of respect for children. They try to 'fix' the child or address the child's issues only from the parental perspective. Palladino neatly navigates the tricky balance between the child's needs and the family's needs. While most of the advice given is to help the child, some of the advice she presents is aimed at the parents, to help them cope.
6) This is related to number one. Palladino clearly understands child development and it underpins her advice. Suggestions given are not one size fits all but each one is broken down by age, how to make it applicable and relevant to the different ages and stages.
7) A nice bonus for me is that I can count reading this book towards my required annual training for my teaching certificate. :)
A few minor complaints:
1) A few statements and examples lacked context. For instance, she talks about a father trying to engage his son in interests other than gaming but disregards, initially, the son's interest in drumming. He, the father, stated that he'd noticed his son tapping along to music but thought it was a nervous habit. That confused the heck out of me because tapping along to music is both normal and common. Palladino provided no context as to why the father though this was abnormal behavior. I read it and thought the problem lay with the father and not the son; context was seriously needed.
2) Occasionally the text was dry but that had more to do with the science than Palladino's style. Overall, her style was easy, clear, and witty.
Verdict:
Buy it, read it, use it. I'm encouraging my school to buy this book and use it. I think it would not only be educational for the other staff but a good foundation for developing an official technology policy. If you're a parent, teacher, guidance counselor, etc. I can not recommend this book enough.
Okay, if you don't have kids, work with them, or care for them, you can probably skip this one. But, if you have children living with you or you work with children, then you need to read this book. Technology, gaming, and social media are here and we can't realistically avoid them. But it's hard to know the benefits and pitfalls and if it's hard for adults, imagine the difficulty for children, and that includes teens, whose brains are quite literally still developing.
This book is not my usual fare for the blog but I saw it at NetGalley and had to have it. I hoped that, despite its emphasis on the family, I would find it useful as a teacher. Happily, I did.
What I loved:
1) The advice and information is firmly grounded in science and research. Numerous studies are cited as are YouTube videos (apropos, no?) but we also get anecdotes from the author's work with children of all ages as well as visits to classrooms.
2) Palladino, the author, has a calm, sane, reasonable approach. There's no 'the sky is falling' nonsense. She accepts that computers, gaming, social media, etc. are here and it's the job of adults to help children learn how to manage their time and to make responsible decisions concerning technology.
3) I learned, a lot. Any book that teaches me something is a good one and this had a lot. The information about voluntary and involuntary attention alone was a mix of new and familiar. Add in the information about how computers affect the brain and its development and I have a lot to think about.
4) The advice and suggestions, while definitely aimed at families as the title says, are easily adaptable to classrooms, camps, and other environments where children of all ages spend time.
5) She respects the children. That alone is huge. Too many of the books I read, aimed at parents, show a distinct lack of respect for children. They try to 'fix' the child or address the child's issues only from the parental perspective. Palladino neatly navigates the tricky balance between the child's needs and the family's needs. While most of the advice given is to help the child, some of the advice she presents is aimed at the parents, to help them cope.
6) This is related to number one. Palladino clearly understands child development and it underpins her advice. Suggestions given are not one size fits all but each one is broken down by age, how to make it applicable and relevant to the different ages and stages.
7) A nice bonus for me is that I can count reading this book towards my required annual training for my teaching certificate. :)
A few minor complaints:
1) A few statements and examples lacked context. For instance, she talks about a father trying to engage his son in interests other than gaming but disregards, initially, the son's interest in drumming. He, the father, stated that he'd noticed his son tapping along to music but thought it was a nervous habit. That confused the heck out of me because tapping along to music is both normal and common. Palladino provided no context as to why the father though this was abnormal behavior. I read it and thought the problem lay with the father and not the son; context was seriously needed.
2) Occasionally the text was dry but that had more to do with the science than Palladino's style. Overall, her style was easy, clear, and witty.
Verdict:
Buy it, read it, use it. I'm encouraging my school to buy this book and use it. I think it would not only be educational for the other staff but a good foundation for developing an official technology policy. If you're a parent, teacher, guidance counselor, etc. I can not recommend this book enough.
March 21, 2015
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.
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.
June 26, 2015
This book is the first and only evidence-based approach I have seen that helps parents decide how to balance to use of technology with the reality of how a child’s brain develops. Technology is here to stay – but how do we make sure our kids still develop the important skill of deliberate, sustained attention? They need our help to learn to use technology effectively, rather than be victims of it. Thank goodness for Dr. Palladino’s real-life examples and tools for parents, based on the most cutting edge understanding of the brain that science has to offer, written in readable, engaging style. Her balanced approach gives me hope, and also gives me something solid to recommend to my patients.
-OB/GYN physician in Chicago, IL
-OB/GYN physician in Chicago, IL
October 11, 2022
What a great book. This supports all the stuff I understood from reading about brain science 20 years ago and since. Brains haven’t changed (yet), nor has the best ways to help young brains develop. Additionally, jt is an excellent application of that knowledge and an update in how to apply it all to today’s challenges. The title is spot on.
However, I do not agree that children need to be on social media at all until after they graduate high school. As well as several other points of disagreement. Overall, however, an excellent resource.
When my kids got their communication devices, we told them upfront that we would monitor their text conversations. It’s our job as parents to let them know we are monitoring them—it’s not sneaky.
Goal: to help my kids to develop the ability to control their own attention
Voluntary=nutritious(focusing) vs. involuntary=not nutritious attention Voluntary is hard and takes effort until habits are formed. Involuntary is easy, automatic, and effortless
Ch. 2 “Purpose of education is to prepare children for adulthood, and the most successful adults are NOT controlled by the hottest stimulus in the room. “
Habits/Plasticity of brain during child and teen hood
“As the neuron fires, the brain rewires”
P. 49 “you feel like your brain is fried” but that’s not exactly true. Your prefrontal cortex was fried but your
sensory cortex is ready to be entertained especially now that the pesky prefrontal dietetics out of commission to decide against it.”
P. 54 expect resistance to effortful attention as a fact of life
P. 56 ! Involuntary attention actually plugs into an older part of the brain, making emotional control more difficult. This is one reason for cyber rage and rudeness as well as why kids often react so strongly when asked to get off their devices.
P. 112 insightful and a great approach. Online activity is a way of filling an emptiness—a scaffold that provides something—replace it with reality meaning and the need for the scaffold disappears.
P. 160 I don’t agree. We play board games or card games, not video games.
And the kitchen table is a no-phone zone, as are social situations. Phubbing is real and kids need to be taught to not do it and expected to not do it.
P. 163 Attention Restorative Therapy (ART), nature gently attracts your attention= restful, replenished
P. 170 difference between taking a break and avoidance
However, I do not agree that children need to be on social media at all until after they graduate high school. As well as several other points of disagreement. Overall, however, an excellent resource.
When my kids got their communication devices, we told them upfront that we would monitor their text conversations. It’s our job as parents to let them know we are monitoring them—it’s not sneaky.
Goal: to help my kids to develop the ability to control their own attention
Voluntary=nutritious(focusing) vs. involuntary=not nutritious attention Voluntary is hard and takes effort until habits are formed. Involuntary is easy, automatic, and effortless
Ch. 2 “Purpose of education is to prepare children for adulthood, and the most successful adults are NOT controlled by the hottest stimulus in the room. “
Habits/Plasticity of brain during child and teen hood
“As the neuron fires, the brain rewires”
P. 49 “you feel like your brain is fried” but that’s not exactly true. Your prefrontal cortex was fried but your
sensory cortex is ready to be entertained especially now that the pesky prefrontal dietetics out of commission to decide against it.”
P. 54 expect resistance to effortful attention as a fact of life
P. 56 ! Involuntary attention actually plugs into an older part of the brain, making emotional control more difficult. This is one reason for cyber rage and rudeness as well as why kids often react so strongly when asked to get off their devices.
P. 112 insightful and a great approach. Online activity is a way of filling an emptiness—a scaffold that provides something—replace it with reality meaning and the need for the scaffold disappears.
P. 160 I don’t agree. We play board games or card games, not video games.
And the kitchen table is a no-phone zone, as are social situations. Phubbing is real and kids need to be taught to not do it and expected to not do it.
P. 163 Attention Restorative Therapy (ART), nature gently attracts your attention= restful, replenished
P. 170 difference between taking a break and avoidance
July 16, 2018
جميل جداً يجعلنا نتفهم إدمان أطفالنا (وإدماننا نحن) على الأجهزة الذكية
ويسلحنا بالطرق اللازمة لتقنين استخدامها بذكاء وطرق التعامل مع الأولاد
شرحت هذا الكتاب في حلقات باليوتيوب باللغة العربية بعنوان
"التربية في زمن سارقي الانتباه"
قناتي Duaa AlDrees
ويسلحنا بالطرق اللازمة لتقنين استخدامها بذكاء وطرق التعامل مع الأولاد
شرحت هذا الكتاب في حلقات باليوتيوب باللغة العربية بعنوان
"التربية في زمن سارقي الانتباه"
قناتي Duaa AlDrees
January 13, 2020
Como padre de un niño de cuatro años, y al mismo tiempo profesor de secundaria, el uso de la tecnología por las nuevas generaciones es un tema que preocupa, sobre el que reflexiono y en el que siento que necesito toda la información posible para afrontarlo con visos de éxito. Veo con recelo cómo los dispositivos electrónicos que nos tienen conectados a todas horas están creando una nueva necesidad de estar permanentemente estimulados, llevándonos a sufir un miedo a perdernos algo. Observo cómo se va reduciendo progresivamente el tiempo para reflexionar, la capacidad para estar solos y, por qué no decirlo, para que un niño se aburra y sepa gestionarlo. Y todo eso me inquieta.
Me gusta el tono de la autora, calmado, sosegado y razonable. No demoniza nada, no pretende ofrecer recetas milagrosas. En ese sentido, me quedo con su frase «A largo plazo, la única estrategia que da resultado es que los niños crezcan queriendo limitar su propia utilización de los medios digitales, a fin de que se sienta motivado a ejercer la atención voluntaria incluso cuando nadie mira». Pero eso es muy difícil, claro.
He dicho que no ofrece recetas milagrosas, pero sí realiza apuntes de lo que ella considera un uso saludable y sano de la tecnología. Incide mucho en la necesidad de sopesar pros y contras de su uso, de buscar salidas beneficiosas, realistas y sostenidas, de no negarse en redondo ante el uso de unos dispositivos con los que necesariamente tenemos que convivir. Incluye a toda la familia en sus indicaciones, apuntando también hacia los adultos, que deberían servir de ejemplo en el uso de los dispositivos durante sus relaciones familiares.
Por encima de todo, creo que hace un llamamiento a la reflexión y al análisis del tema. No recaer en la tecnología como "niñera", sino potenciar sus ventajas y trabajar con el niño en considerar sus desventajas. Para ello, insiste en explicar una y otra vez (quizás demasiado, incluso, se hace algo repetitiva) en la diferencia entre atención voluntaria e involuntaria.
El libro, además, cubre todas las edades hasta la adolescencia. Como de unos a otros hay muchas diferencias de madurez, capacidad y uso de la tecnología, en varias ocasiones desglosa sus argumentos en tres bloques, que corresponden más o menos con la etapa preescolar, la etapa de primaria y la etapa de secundaria.
En el lado negativo podría mencionar cómo en ocasiones no se acaba de explicar bien en cuanto a correlación vs causalidad, incluso en algún momento establece algún ejemplo de relación causa-efecto bastante dudoso. O cómo en otras situaciones algunas conclusiones parece sacárselas de la manga sin una base sólida. Incluso, y ya es más personal mío que cuestión de la autora, por momentos me fallaba el contexto al vivir en un país diferente al suyo.
Y me sobran también las continuas referencias a casos concretos que ha conocido la autora, ya que un caso particular no significa nada de nada. Si bien añadir uno aquí y otro allá puede permitir ejemplificar alguno de sus argumentos, el haber utilizado tantos parece querer indicar que son parte del análisis, y no deberían serlo ya que las teorías científicas no se construyen así.
Me gusta el tono de la autora, calmado, sosegado y razonable. No demoniza nada, no pretende ofrecer recetas milagrosas. En ese sentido, me quedo con su frase «A largo plazo, la única estrategia que da resultado es que los niños crezcan queriendo limitar su propia utilización de los medios digitales, a fin de que se sienta motivado a ejercer la atención voluntaria incluso cuando nadie mira». Pero eso es muy difícil, claro.
He dicho que no ofrece recetas milagrosas, pero sí realiza apuntes de lo que ella considera un uso saludable y sano de la tecnología. Incide mucho en la necesidad de sopesar pros y contras de su uso, de buscar salidas beneficiosas, realistas y sostenidas, de no negarse en redondo ante el uso de unos dispositivos con los que necesariamente tenemos que convivir. Incluye a toda la familia en sus indicaciones, apuntando también hacia los adultos, que deberían servir de ejemplo en el uso de los dispositivos durante sus relaciones familiares.
Por encima de todo, creo que hace un llamamiento a la reflexión y al análisis del tema. No recaer en la tecnología como "niñera", sino potenciar sus ventajas y trabajar con el niño en considerar sus desventajas. Para ello, insiste en explicar una y otra vez (quizás demasiado, incluso, se hace algo repetitiva) en la diferencia entre atención voluntaria e involuntaria.
El libro, además, cubre todas las edades hasta la adolescencia. Como de unos a otros hay muchas diferencias de madurez, capacidad y uso de la tecnología, en varias ocasiones desglosa sus argumentos en tres bloques, que corresponden más o menos con la etapa preescolar, la etapa de primaria y la etapa de secundaria.
En el lado negativo podría mencionar cómo en ocasiones no se acaba de explicar bien en cuanto a correlación vs causalidad, incluso en algún momento establece algún ejemplo de relación causa-efecto bastante dudoso. O cómo en otras situaciones algunas conclusiones parece sacárselas de la manga sin una base sólida. Incluso, y ya es más personal mío que cuestión de la autora, por momentos me fallaba el contexto al vivir en un país diferente al suyo.
Y me sobran también las continuas referencias a casos concretos que ha conocido la autora, ya que un caso particular no significa nada de nada. Si bien añadir uno aquí y otro allá puede permitir ejemplificar alguno de sus argumentos, el haber utilizado tantos parece querer indicar que son parte del análisis, y no deberían serlo ya que las teorías científicas no se construyen así.
September 30, 2019
This book was really useful. Palladino starts by differentiating between involuntary attention and voluntary attention:
Involuntary attention is captured by strong sensory stimuli, passive, and receptive. Because it originates in the brain stem & sensory cortex, it's also known as “bottom-up” attention. We’re used to using this pathway. It’s easy ("the path of least resistance") and it’s kept our species alive.
Voluntary attention, on the other hand, is intentional and takes active effort. It originates in the prefrontal cortex and so is known as "top-down attention" or "cognitive control." Initiating the executive functions requires this kind of effortful attention.
During most tasks, the two types of attention work together, although most screen time captures kids' attention INvoluntarily. Palladino recommends helping kids to develop an awareness of when they’re using each kind of attention. Practicing voluntary attention, she notes, can strengthen the PFC. If kids are only ever using involuntary attention, their capacity to focus on less stimulating activities can diminish--or more accurately, never develop properly in the first place.
Some interesting specifics:
*Reading is EXTREMELY important in allowing kids to form “deep reading” brains rather than just “quick scanning” brains.
*“The biggest influence on how much kids read is how much their parents read. Nothing else has as much impact, not even household income.”
*Using voluntary attention requires the right amount of stimulus. You need a little to get started, but if you have too much, then you lose the ability to concentrate. Not getting started on homework may actually mean a kid is overstimulated--for example, she may not know how to start or be afraid of failing.
*According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “...studies have shown that excessive media use can lead to attention problems… Children and teens should engage with entertainment media for no more than one to two hours per day, and that should be high-quality content.”
*Habitual gaming has been linked with low performance in school, but it’s only a correlation at this point; causation hasn’t been proven. In kids who already have ADHD, more than an hour of gaming per day can worsen symptoms significantly.
Palladino doesn't dispute that "screen time" of various kinds can be beneficial for children. She does suggest determining, as a parent, if a child's media use is interfering with physical exercise or homework, or if it might be causing him to lose patience for activities with less sensory stimulation.
Among other recommendations, Palladino suggests
*gaming with your child and acting as a sort of media mentor
*instituting a family media-use plan
*instituting a media curfew and media "holidays"
I own this book and would be happy to lend locally.
Involuntary attention is captured by strong sensory stimuli, passive, and receptive. Because it originates in the brain stem & sensory cortex, it's also known as “bottom-up” attention. We’re used to using this pathway. It’s easy ("the path of least resistance") and it’s kept our species alive.
Voluntary attention, on the other hand, is intentional and takes active effort. It originates in the prefrontal cortex and so is known as "top-down attention" or "cognitive control." Initiating the executive functions requires this kind of effortful attention.
During most tasks, the two types of attention work together, although most screen time captures kids' attention INvoluntarily. Palladino recommends helping kids to develop an awareness of when they’re using each kind of attention. Practicing voluntary attention, she notes, can strengthen the PFC. If kids are only ever using involuntary attention, their capacity to focus on less stimulating activities can diminish--or more accurately, never develop properly in the first place.
Some interesting specifics:
*Reading is EXTREMELY important in allowing kids to form “deep reading” brains rather than just “quick scanning” brains.
*“The biggest influence on how much kids read is how much their parents read. Nothing else has as much impact, not even household income.”
*Using voluntary attention requires the right amount of stimulus. You need a little to get started, but if you have too much, then you lose the ability to concentrate. Not getting started on homework may actually mean a kid is overstimulated--for example, she may not know how to start or be afraid of failing.
*According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “...studies have shown that excessive media use can lead to attention problems… Children and teens should engage with entertainment media for no more than one to two hours per day, and that should be high-quality content.”
*Habitual gaming has been linked with low performance in school, but it’s only a correlation at this point; causation hasn’t been proven. In kids who already have ADHD, more than an hour of gaming per day can worsen symptoms significantly.
Palladino doesn't dispute that "screen time" of various kinds can be beneficial for children. She does suggest determining, as a parent, if a child's media use is interfering with physical exercise or homework, or if it might be causing him to lose patience for activities with less sensory stimulation.
Among other recommendations, Palladino suggests
*gaming with your child and acting as a sort of media mentor
*instituting a family media-use plan
*instituting a media curfew and media "holidays"
I own this book and would be happy to lend locally.
August 8, 2017
Important info to consider in this age of technology, screens, and constant distractions. I not only found this book helpful in parenting but also in my own use of technology.
March 15, 2020
Well worth a read to understand the difference between voluntary (purposeful, e.g. working on an assignment) and involuntary (aimless, e.g. watching TV) attention, and how that impacts on children’s learning. The tone of writing is informative without being judgemental and there are some handy tips for helping kids learn to use screen time mindfully and effectively rather than obsessively. There are no instant fixes but the framework is set out logically to guide parents through from the toddler stage to teens. I’ve started using some of the simpler suggestions, like installing a time locking app on our iPad, and can see the value in longer-term planning for things like avoiding having screens in the kids’ bedrooms.
I did think there was perhaps a touch too much reliance on the model of the marshmallow test, in the context of kids being able to resist an immediate smaller reward in favour of receiving a larger reward later on. A key finding was that there was a positive correlation between being able to resist for longer and better achievement in school in the long term. However, if you go beyond this initial study to resist replications of the classic experiment it’s been shown there are mitigating factors like the family’s socioeconomic status (SES) that also need to be taken into account. A child from a family with a low SES may not always have enough food so on a test like the marshmallow experiment they’re set up to fail because food is a scarce resource they don’t know they can count on, and so they’ll obviously take the immediate reward. Then - projecting to the future - kids from families with a low SES often have greater barriers to accessing education, so their long-term school achievement will be lower than that of kids from high-income families (who know they can rely on food always being available, so are less tempted by immediate rewards. Some context about this would have been useful given the heavy reliance on this framework in the book.
I did think there was perhaps a touch too much reliance on the model of the marshmallow test, in the context of kids being able to resist an immediate smaller reward in favour of receiving a larger reward later on. A key finding was that there was a positive correlation between being able to resist for longer and better achievement in school in the long term. However, if you go beyond this initial study to resist replications of the classic experiment it’s been shown there are mitigating factors like the family’s socioeconomic status (SES) that also need to be taken into account. A child from a family with a low SES may not always have enough food so on a test like the marshmallow experiment they’re set up to fail because food is a scarce resource they don’t know they can count on, and so they’ll obviously take the immediate reward. Then - projecting to the future - kids from families with a low SES often have greater barriers to accessing education, so their long-term school achievement will be lower than that of kids from high-income families (who know they can rely on food always being available, so are less tempted by immediate rewards. Some context about this would have been useful given the heavy reliance on this framework in the book.
August 31, 2017
2) Give clear and simple instructions
3) Do not play with your iphone when you are with your child
4) Practice active listening your child
5) Teach them how to concentrate - Voluntary action
5.1) Method 1: Do physical activity with them. Sports are the best type of voluntary action
5.2) Method 2: While they are working, stay with them and work as well. If they see you working, they also will understand that they need to work and do not let the attention snatchers
6) AAP recommends 1-2 hours of entertainment media per day
7) watch Tv with your kids to tell them the content and go online with them. Watch some YouTube videos with them
8) popular video game: just dance, mario kart
9) choose outdoor holidays and vacations
10) celebrate success and appreciate your child's efforts
3) Do not play with your iphone when you are with your child
4) Practice active listening your child
5) Teach them how to concentrate - Voluntary action
5.1) Method 1: Do physical activity with them. Sports are the best type of voluntary action
5.2) Method 2: While they are working, stay with them and work as well. If they see you working, they also will understand that they need to work and do not let the attention snatchers
6) AAP recommends 1-2 hours of entertainment media per day
7) watch Tv with your kids to tell them the content and go online with them. Watch some YouTube videos with them
8) popular video game: just dance, mario kart
9) choose outdoor holidays and vacations
10) celebrate success and appreciate your child's efforts
May 21, 2019
Probably more information than parents need to address their particular family's issues, but the practical answers they seek are in there. Also, the advice cover kids from toddlers to teens so parents may find themselves rereading sections of this book years from now.
July 9, 2019
reasonable advice in here. mostly feels like common sense, but nice to reinforce that people agree with what I'm doing. and it doesn't make it any easier.
July 24, 2020
Foarte informativa. Probabil informatiile nu ar trebui luate literalmente dar cu siguranta contine sfaturi utile si indeamna la o abordare destinsa si decenta.
April 16, 2025
VOLUNTARY ATTENTION. The main point of the book is the exceptional importance of voluntary attention compared to other traits, like IQ, in determining success. Instant gratification, like taking one marshmallow instead of waiting for two later, reflects involuntary attention and damages long-term potential. Similarly, a child choosing an iPad right now over three times the reward later reflects the same issue. Voluntary attention is the key to growth; for instance, even doing slow tasks like homework releases dopamine, just more gradually. If children can’t develop the patience to wait for greater rewards, they’re at risk of missing life’s most important opportunities. Developmental differences in children’s brains often lie in their level of voluntary attention – as seen when one child can handle responsibilities at 7 that another cannot even attempt. Without nurturing this ability, even funding for a great university won’t help a child succeed academically or professionally.
PARENTING STRATEGIES. When parenting, avoid offering rewards like devices for completing tasks, as it reinforces the child’s love for the reward rather than the task itself. Instead, focus on intrinsic involvement – for example, frame it as, "Once you start writing, you might not want to stop, and we can later send it to grandma." Transitions are crucial – don’t just take away an iPad abruptly; instead, redirect the child to another activity for a smoother shift. Offer choices to empower them, like, “It’s time to ____, so put your iPad away,” or present three options to shift their focus. Help them start tasks, as that’s often the hardest part. Time locks on technology can help encourage healthy boundaries and attention management.
REINFORCEMENT AND PRAISE. Attention is a reward. Parents and teachers often mistakenly focus their attention on kids breaking rules or failing to focus, instead of praising those who are concentrating and staying on task. Celebrate and reinforce focused behavior. Subtly reward voluntary attention – for instance, when your child is reading or focusing, slip them a kind note, bring them a cup of tea or juice, and let them know their effort is noticed and valued. Quiet excellence deserves recognition. Appreciation builds confidence and encourages deep focus.
BUILDING FAMILY CONNECTION. Establish family routines that enhance attention and connection. For example, try having family lunches or dinners with no devices present. Use this time to ask about everyone’s day, focusing on the best parts. Set the mood with a lit candle or soft music to signal togetherness. For quieter family members, gently ask about their interests or opinions. Learning about your child’s favorite computer games is also a way to connect with them meaningfully.
TEACHING FOCUS AND BREAKS. Teach the difference between avoidance and intentional breaks. Avoidance is involuntary and harmful, while taking deliberate breaks strengthens focus and resilience. Encourage children to use breaks purposefully, helping them return stronger to their tasks.
PARENTING STRATEGIES. When parenting, avoid offering rewards like devices for completing tasks, as it reinforces the child’s love for the reward rather than the task itself. Instead, focus on intrinsic involvement – for example, frame it as, "Once you start writing, you might not want to stop, and we can later send it to grandma." Transitions are crucial – don’t just take away an iPad abruptly; instead, redirect the child to another activity for a smoother shift. Offer choices to empower them, like, “It’s time to ____, so put your iPad away,” or present three options to shift their focus. Help them start tasks, as that’s often the hardest part. Time locks on technology can help encourage healthy boundaries and attention management.
REINFORCEMENT AND PRAISE. Attention is a reward. Parents and teachers often mistakenly focus their attention on kids breaking rules or failing to focus, instead of praising those who are concentrating and staying on task. Celebrate and reinforce focused behavior. Subtly reward voluntary attention – for instance, when your child is reading or focusing, slip them a kind note, bring them a cup of tea or juice, and let them know their effort is noticed and valued. Quiet excellence deserves recognition. Appreciation builds confidence and encourages deep focus.
BUILDING FAMILY CONNECTION. Establish family routines that enhance attention and connection. For example, try having family lunches or dinners with no devices present. Use this time to ask about everyone’s day, focusing on the best parts. Set the mood with a lit candle or soft music to signal togetherness. For quieter family members, gently ask about their interests or opinions. Learning about your child’s favorite computer games is also a way to connect with them meaningfully.
TEACHING FOCUS AND BREAKS. Teach the difference between avoidance and intentional breaks. Avoidance is involuntary and harmful, while taking deliberate breaks strengthens focus and resilience. Encourage children to use breaks purposefully, helping them return stronger to their tasks.
July 7, 2020
Re-read because it is such an important topic and I didn't catch as many of the key messages the first time around (guilty of attempting to multitask myself and thus in need of some of this books lessons on setting a good example). In particular I like this books messages concerning voluntary and involuntary attention and how some of those lessons apply not just to screens but also in general to the need to strengthen our voluntary attention (what seems to also correlate with focus) at every age but especially in childhood. The key here is *voluntary* and some of the messages here especially highlight the way to set our kids up to make their own successful decisions especially concerning planning and determining their values where it concerns choosing to build this attention muscle as is appropriate to the individual kid in front of us. Highly recommend to other parents.
June 22, 2016
I thought this book was a great simple approach to working with kiddos who have a dependency on their technology. The writing was easily digestible, the language was fun, and the advice seemed reasonable.
June 16, 2015
This was insightful and offered many good tips but did not give me the specific guidelines that I was looking for.
December 5, 2015
Take your time and pay attention to this book. Helpful information presented in a straight forward way. I recommend this book for parents.
December 29, 2015
very insightful thoughts on the role of distractions in modern life. I appreciated that these were not demonized but that they need to be understood to be managed.
April 16, 2017
This is a very helpful book for all parents. Palladino outlines relevant research into brain development and then connects it to vignettes of daily life to exemplify the ways technology use can become problematic. I don't have a scientific background, or a particularly strong interest in either science or psychology, but I found the book both readable and informative.
I received a free ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received a free ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 28, 2018
This was an interesting and very challenging way to live. I am not sure I could do this and certainly the struggle all teachers have in the classroom would deny any student could either. Very brave. Very wise. Worth reading for those of us more aware and determined to live as a family not dominated by technology.
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