Sunday, September 10, 2017

#RBRT Read and Review: How to Manage Techno Tantrums by David Boyle and Judith Hodge

·         Title: How to Manage Techno Tantrums: 10 Strategies for Coping with your Child's Time Online
·         Author: David Boyle and Judith Hodge
·         Published: 2017
How to Manage Techno Tantrums: 10 Strategies for Coping with your Child's Time Online is a parenting self-help book about how to manage your child’s screen time
Image via Goodreads.
The stated purpose of Techno Tantrums is “to set out the knowledge that is out there and list some of the strategies that other parents have used.”  The authors hope is for the book to be empowering to parents, and I believe it succeeds.  It is a quick read that’s organized into four sections and an introduction.  The introduction begins with a fascinating hook. As it turns out there are many high ranking tech and gadget professional who strictly regulate the use of screen time in their own homes.

Where I think the book could most improve is in the first two sections, especially the section “From Fasting to Chilling”. An overview is given of several common concerns about the impact of too much screen time. Techno Tantrums does a great job of citing specific studies and each study’s results.  I appreciated having some understanding about the scientific evidence for each concern raised, including cutting off social interaction, suppressing emotion, decreasing the ability to relax, etc. But overall I found the explanation for each of these issues too cursory to be worthwhile. A full page or two of discussion about each issue would allow the reader to feel more informed about the current social research and whether or not it is conclusive.

An entire section is dedicated to the experiences of other parents who try to promote restricted or healthy screen time for their children.  I found this section to be incredibly helpful, and I plan to revisit it repeatedly as my child continues to grow. The book ends with an outline of ten strategies parents can use to setup a home life where screen time is regulated. It is stressed that parents must follow these regulations as well.  For example, if phones should be off and charging for the night by 8pm, that means everyone’s phone in the family needs to be off and charging, including mom and dad.

I have not come across any other books on this topic before. How to Manage Techno Tantrums clarifies that it is not about online safety, but rather about how the manage the time in front of online games and screens. It is an excellent resource for parents looking for ideas about where to start.  
Star Rating: 4/5 Stars
Techno Tantrums: 10 Strategies for Coping with Your Child's Online Time is available to buy as a paperback or an e-book from Amazon UK or Amazon.com.
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Thanks for reading! This is another #RBRT review organized by Rosie Amber who does phenomenal work on https://rosieamber.wordpress.com/ 
Thanks to Sue Fuest for sending me a free e-book copy to read. If you enjoyed this review, please share or follow for more book reviews.
-Brittany

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