The Underwood Parks and Recreation District (UPRD) is thrilled to bring “Screenagers” to the big screen on Wednesday, May 9 at 6:30 p.m. It will be the only screening in the area of this highly engaging film, which explores the complicated issue of children’s engagement with screens and the challenges of parenting in a digital world.
Believe it or not, the average American kid spends about 6.5 hours a day looking at a screen in one form or another.
This shocking statistic led physician and filmmaker Delaney Ruston to delve deeper into the concept of “screen time”, and to explore the struggles over social media, video games, academics and internet addiction. The result? A documentary that reveals how screen time can impact a child’s development, and one that offers solutions on how adults can help their children find a balance in this digital age.
“As a physician, I became increasingly anxious to know how our new tech world affects children’s development,” Ruston says of her initial inspiration to make the documentary. “I started finding new research on the impact of video gaming and social media on self-esteem, empathy, social skill development, academics and brain development. As a mom, I wanted to examine how we can better manage screen time in our homes and schools. What does science teach us about teaching self-control? How can we best encourage youth to find their own ways to achieve balance? What limits and rules are reasonable and how do we implement them?”
UPRD’s screening of “Screenagers” is part of the documentary’s new model of distribution known as a “community viewing model”, which highly recommends that a moderated discussion by local citizens follows directly after the screening. The UPRD is seeking a moderator and one to three panel members to facilitate this discussion. Contact the district for more information.
