Dr. Michael Rich, dubbed the “Mediatrician” thanks to his acclaimed work as a pediatrician, child health researcher, and children’s media specialist, offers a science-backed approach to give parents the confidence they need to raise a child well (and to raise a well child) in the digital age.
Children are growing up in a world of screens. They move seamlessly back and forth in a physical-digital environment. But parents are both worried and confused about when and how to introduce tablets, smartphones, even television. When it comes to navigating kids' use of media, all-or-nothing approaches are doomed to fail. Giving children free reign over their screen use carries potential risks to their physical and mental health and their emotional and social development. Yet rejecting digital media is undesirable (and probably impossible), since today's kids must navigate that realm to succeed in school and the world in which, as adults, they'll be expected to function well in a technology-rich environment. So how do we help young people establish mastery of screens and harness them for healthy development and social engagement?
Backed by evidence as well as decades of professional and personal practice, The Mediatrican's Guide will give parents peace of mind and kids much-needed tools to navigate digital media for the rest of their lives.
Features Include:
- Ask the Mediatrician: questions and answers based on Dr. Rich's long-running advice column and podcast
- Media Rx: prescriptive content based on insights from the Digital Wellness Lab and CIMAID
- Let's Chat: detailed discussions of special topics in media use and how to talk with your child about them
- Digital Wellness Toolkit: a one-stop guide for actionable advice that you can customize for your family's specific needs
“I wrote this book to share what I have learned, providing scientific evidence and tried-and-true parenting strategies to replace unease about media effects with knowledge, skills, and confidence to raise wonderful children in a media-saturated environment.”
Michael Rich, MD, MPH
About the Author
Dr. Michael Rich is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and practices Adolescent Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr. Rich was first a filmmaker, working in Japan with Akira Kurosawa and the US with Francis Coppola before transitioning to medicine, providing him with a unique understanding of the power of screens to engage, connect, and change us all. He directs the Clinic for Interactive Media and Internet Disorders (CIMAID) at Boston Children’s Hospital, the first evidence-based medical program addressing physical, mental, and social health issues associated with using digital technology. He founded the Digital Wellness Lab to bring together researchers, clinicians, and tech/media leaders to research positive and negative effects of interactive media use on children’s and adolescents’ health and wellbeing, to serve as a resource for parents and educators, and to respond to and innovate a digital environment in which we can raise healthy, smart, kind children.
Co-writer of the New York Times bestseller Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys and other Wall Street Journal, amazon.com, and Goodreads top picks, Teresa H. Barker writes about health and child development, parenting, creative aging, and life passages. Formerly of Oregon, she now lives in Chicago.
What People Are Saying
“When my wife and I were trying to navigate the digital world of devices and social media alongside our three teenage daughters, all roads led to the wonderful Dr. Michael Rich. Drawing on his experiences as a pediatrician and former filmmaker, he has the rare ability to offer seasoned and sensible guardrails as we all enter this brave new world together. This book is a must have, and will soon become your best friend, full of daily tips and long-lasting wisdom.”
Sanjay Gupta, MD, Associate Professor Neurosurgery, Emory University; Chief Medical Correspondent, CNN, #1 NYT and WSJ bestselling author
“Raising a child in an age of constant screens requires thoughtfulness navigating not only our own digital use but also our children’s. We didn’t know how to find a balance within it. Dr. Rich has taken his experiences and given us a roadmap to find that balance!”
Hank Azaria, Father, actor, and more than thirty characters on The Simpsons
“Parents, educators, and yes, even teenagers will all benefit from Dr. Rich’s thoughtful, timely, and entertaining overview of what it means to grow up immersed in a world of digital ubiquity. His work demonstrates empathy, deep understanding, and strong prescriptions for what ails us all.”
John Battelle, Cofounder of WIRED; bestselling author; professor of practice, Northeastern University
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