Time:  Aug 23, 2023
Location:  12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Location:  Virtual

How should families determine whether a child is “ready” for a smartphone? What do parents and caregivers need to know before introducing this powerful technology to their child, and how can they best teach, guide, and monitor its use?

Children and Screens’ inaugural Fall 2023 #AskTheExperts webinar “Ready, Set, Smartphone: A Guide for Families” was held on August 23, 2023. A panel of media experts, child safety advocates, parenting coaches, and communications researchers provided best practices and strategies for evaluating child readiness,  integrating smartphone screen time into family life, and preparing children to safely engage with the new supercomputer in their pocket, as well as discussed specific considerations for smartphone use by neurodivergent youth and youth with disabilities.

Speakers

  • Elizabeth Englander, PhD

    Director; Professor of Psychology Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center; Bridgewater State University
    Moderator
  • Meryl Alper, PhD

    Associate Professor of Communication Studies Northeastern University
  • Stephen Balkam

    Founder & CEO Family Online Safety Institute
  • Devorah Heitner, PhD

    Author Growing Up in Public: Coming of Age in a Digital World
  • Elizabeth Milovidov, PhD, JD

    Founder DigitalParentingCoach.com

Video and Resources

Watch a recording of the webinar "Ready, Set, Smartphone: A Guide for Families," read the transcript, and view other related content in Learn and Explore.