It's Their World - (Free Spirit Parenting(tm)) by Erin Walsh (Paperback)

About the Book

Parenting in the digital age brings unique challenges and opportunities. It's Their World: Teens, Screens, and the Science of Adolescence offers tools and insights to help parents build deeper relationships with teens as they navigate the complexities of growing up. This book provides a friendly, clear, research-based framework to guide parents ...

Book Synopsis

Parenting in the digital age brings unique challenges and opportunities. It's Their World: Teens, Screens, and the Science of Adolescence offers tools and insights to help parents build deeper relationships with teens as they navigate the complexities of growing up. This book provides a friendly, clear, research-based framework to guide parents through the crucial developmental stages of adolescence, both online and offline. By understanding what teens need as they grow, parents can nurture strong, supportive connections that last a lifetime.

Review Quotes

"More than just an instruction manual, Walsh's book provides opportunities for meaningful dialogue around the purposes and utilization of technology."-- "Library Journal"

"In It's Their World, Erin Walsh offers an empathetic, research-based exploration of adolescence in our tech-saturated era. Combining the latest science with practical wisdom, this book is an invaluable resource for parents who want to help their teens navigate the complexities of a technology-mediated life. Walsh reframes technology from a source of alarm to a powerful opportunity for growth--when guided by understanding and connection."

--Katie Davis, author of Technology's Child: Digital Media's Role in the Ages and Stages of Growing Up, professor of digital youth and co-founder and co-director of the Digital Youth Lab, University of Washington

"It's Their World is a thoughtful, thorough, and above all actionable resource for any parent striving to understand what research says about teens and tech. Erin Walsh is deeply dedicated to helping parents support their kids. She is a steady, reassuring guide through the big issues of adolescence in a digital world. Parents who want to choose connection over conflict will find pages and pages of ideas to try today."--Dr. Emily Weinstein, researcher and co-founder, Center for Digital Thriving at the Harvard Graduate School of Education; and coauthor of Behind Their Screens: What Teens Are Facing (And Adults Are Missing)

"Amazing! This is an essential guide for every parent navigating the minefield of today's digital world--practical, insightful, and packed with really concrete strategies and language to help you tackle it alongside your kids. It also illuminates how young people's developing brains shape their choices, offering wonderful insight to create a smoother path to healthy screen habits for both parent and child."--Danielle Feinberg, visual effects supervisor at Pixar Animation Studios, including for Disney and Pixar's Turning Red; advocate for girls in STEM; artist; and mom of twins

"Erin Walsh joyfully explains the science behind how social technologies impact children and families, intermixing accessible expert perspectives with down-to-earth guidance, thought exercises, and activities to try with your own kids. Throughout the book, Walsh is keenly aware that a one-size-fits-all and purely protectionist approach is not always the most helpful. A true highlight in this work is how much youth voice and storytelling are honored and embraced--a key ingredient in unlocking the puzzle of parenting an adolescent in the ever-present digital developmental discovery hub."--Linda Charmaraman, Ph.D., senior research scientist at the Wellesley Centers for Women, founder and director of the Youth, Media & Wellbeing Research Lab at Wellesley College, co-author of the 2023/2024 American Psychological Association's health advisory on social media use in adolescence

"The title of this wonderful new book exploring the vast, complex world of media (specifically social media) in the lives of teens--It's Their World--says it all. Teens and those of us who care deeply about their well-being will come to understand the influence of media through a developmental lens. Erin Walsh combines compelling scientific knowledge, her own wisdom and experience as a parent, and her years of work in the field of media advocacy and education to offer us this scholarly yet easy-to-read book. I appreciate the positive tone (teens aren't always easy!), the incorporation of the words of teens themselves, and especially the insightful interweaving of science and common sense. Erin Walsh's winning approach to guiding teens (and adults) to use and enjoy media wisely and intentionally will serve us well."--Dr. Marjorie Hogan, MD, FAAP, and former member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Communications and Media

About the Author

Erin Walsh is a parent, speaker, author and co-founder of Spark & Stitch Institute. She is a highly sought-after speaker who addresses a wide range of audiences on topics related to child and adolescent brain development and digital media. She is a regular contributor to Psychology Today and her work has been featured in the Washington Post, Huffington Post, Parents, and Yahoo News. Erin has worked with schools, school districts, parent groups, and other youth-serving organizations throughout North America on issues related to digital media, children, and youth.

Erin is the author of It's Their World: Teens, Screens, and the Science of Adolescence and coauthored (with her father, David Walsh) the national bestseller Why Do They Act That Way?A Survival Guide to the Adolescent Brain for You and Your Teen. Building on the senior Walsh's groundbreaking work with the National Institute on Media and the Family, they cofounded the Spark & Stitch Institute, which is one of the nation's leading parenting resources on technology's effects on kids and families.