The skills that every teen should learn before they ever get a cellphone

Being a teenager is like waking up every morning in a house of mirrors. You're everywhere and nowhere at once, trying to pinpoint which version of yourself is the most authentic.

For the past decade, teens have navigated this tumultuous period of their lives with a smartphone in their hand. We know the power of connectivity can be liberating, especially in adolescence. We also know how our craving for that connection often leaves us longing for more — incomplete without one more scroll or an extra like.

What we don't know yet is how that constant whiplash effect of moving from elation to despair or creative engagement to mindless distraction changes young minds. I've been writing about this subject for a year, studying the research that suggests a link between screen time and poorer mental health, talking to experts worried about the inevitable moral panic that comes with every new technology, exploring the positive aspects of being online, and even urging young people to reclaim their lives from the thrum of social media. Read more...