Every day, news headlines scream daily about the mental-health crisis especially among youth. Anxiety, depression, and suicide are at record levels, and parents are desperate to seek treatment for their children. In two-plus decades of working as a child therapist, author Nicole Runyon, LMSW, has seen the devastating effect technology is having on today's young people. From social media and gaming addiction to pornography and sextortion, children's innocence and health are being demolished by their virtual realities. In Free to Fly, Nicole will show you where we've gone wrong and how to get back on track, by sharing essential info such as: the four parts of child development, and how technology use impacts each stage; the ways children have become disconnected from other people, and from themselves; the reasons discomfort is critical to resilience, in both parents and children; strategies for creating boundaries around your child's technology use; why therapy isn't always the answer. Yes, technology is here to stay. But so are you! No one has greater influence on children than their parents. And this book will equip you to determine when and how technology is part of your child's life, empowering you to make informed decisions. It's never too late to make choices that will benefit not only your child but also your entire family.
