Ep.56 – Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary – Parents & Kids Working Together to be Better Digital Citizens

Podcast

Feb 3

Written By

Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary joined the podcast to share why she advocates for parents having conversations with their kids about what they are getting out of their electronics usage and discussing opportunity costs.

Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcast |Google Podcast | Amazon Music | Spotify

All of us are constantly trying to navigate our digital relationships. What they mean, how we interact with others, the various platforms that we choose to use. But for parents, this is especially hard when trying to navigate the digital relationships between our kids and their devices and platforms.

I first came across Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary by watching a Diane Sawyer report, Letting your phone get between you and your child, which featured Tracy's work. The piece focused on screen time's effect on young children, which is still largely not understood. However, what is clear is distracted parents on their devices can make an impact.

Tracy's story is unique in how she came into the field of psychology, specifically working with kids and digital mental health. Our conversation touches on many of the concerns that parents are faced with today regarding their kids, such as anxiety, screen time usage, and how to have conversations with our kids about technology.

Tracy is quick to point out that her research is not aimed at shaming parents. Just the opposite. Tracy advocates for parents having conversations with their kids about what they are getting out of their electronic usage and discussing opportunity costs.

Adults and kids face a similar issue in that constantly disruptive social communications can damage relationships long-term. Putting constraints around our device usage and demonstrating healthy digital habits are two ways parents and kids can work together to become better digital citizens.

Please enjoy my conversation with Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary.