The Anxious Generation
by Jonathan Haidt
Haidt argues that the shift from play-based to phone-based childhood, around 2010, drove a sharp rise in anxiety and depression among adolescents, and proposes four norms: no smartphones before high school, no social media before sixteen, phone-free schools, more independence. The evidence is contested by some researchers; the proposals are concrete.
Read it if…
you are a parent, teacher or policymaker trying to decide about phones and childhood.
Skip it if…
you want a book about your own habits; this is about children and society.
Three things you will actually use
- Delay smartphones and social media.
- Protect unstructured, unsupervised play.
- Act collectively with other parents; it is easier together.
Do this first
If you have children, write the family's phone rules in one sentence each and post them.
Our verdict
Urgent and debated; whatever the final science, the norms are reasonable.
Compare with other Parenting books
Good Inside
Dr. Becky Kennedy · Parenting
Warm, specific and practical; a strong parenting book for the early years.
CLICK TO SEE
The Daily Dad
Ryan Holiday · Parenting
Simple and steadying; a good daily companion for parents.
CLICK TO SEE
Browse all Parenting book reviews or get the free Reality Code Cheat Sheet.
As an Amazon Associate, WisdomDeck earns from qualifying purchases. Links marked “Click to see” go to Amazon. We are not paid for opinions, prices and availability are not shown here and change on Amazon, and we never see your purchase details. Nothing here is medical, legal or financial advice.