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Are you struggling to navigate the world of technology as a parent? Many parents find it a challenge to balance wanting their child to have access to educational resources and worrying about the potential negative effects of screen time. Today, Dr. Katie Davis is joining me to discuss how we can help our children use digital media in a meaningful and positive way.

Dr. Katie Davis is an Associate Professor at the University of Washington (UW) and Director of the UW Digital Youth Lab. For nearly twenty years, she has been researching the impact of digital technologies on young people’s learning, development, and well-being. In her latest book, Technology’s Child: Digital Media’s Role in the Ages and Stages of Growing Up, Dr. Davis brings clarity to what we know about technology’s role in child development and provides guidance on how to help children of all ages make the most of their digital experiences.

Join us as we discuss how we as parents can help their children and teens navigate the digital media world, how she makes decisions about what apps her child uses, digital media legislature, and the good enough digital parent.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What research Dr. Katie Davis does and what she hopes to accomplish with her research
• What it means to play with loose parts versus digital play 
• How she selects what digital media and apps her child uses 
• The difference between digital media as a whole and social media
• What she would include in technology designed for children and teens if she was a technology designer
• The Locus app and how it works
• Legislation surrounding digital media specifically as it pertains to children and teens
• What the good enough digital parent is

Resources:

• Dr. Katie Davis’ Website
• Katie’s Book: Technology’s Child: Digital Media’s Role in the Ages and Stages of Growing Up
• How my research group is trying to make social media better for teens – The Locus App
• Should screen-free be the goal for families?
• 5 key ideas from the APA’s new social media health advisory
• Will the U.S. pass legislation to protect children online?
• What’s better for kids’ play, digital or analog loose parts?
• Khan Academy Kids
• Virtual art classes?

Connect with Lynzy:

• Instagram: @motherhoodmeetsmedicine
• Sign up for the weekly newsletter here

Questions answered in this episode: 

Can you share about the research that you do and what you hope it will accomplish?

What does it mean to play with loose parts versus digital play?

What do you personally look for when you are examining a new app for your child?

Do you find that technology is separated into two buckets, digital media as a whole and social media?

If you could be the designer of technology for children and teens, what would you make sure that it encompassed? What would you include? 

Can you explain a little bit about the Locus app and how it works?

What do you hope will happen with legislation surrounding digital media? What are your thoughts on it and what do you hope will be established? Do you think we will see that happen in the next few years? 

Is there any legislation that’s currently in the works that you would love to see go through?

Where did the Detour Act start? And what are the next steps for it just for an example?

What are your go to apps for your son right now at his age? 

What is the “good enough digital parent”?