A route by role
For parents
Practical articles for moments when you first need to understand the situation and then look for a rule or boundary.According to the situation at home
Where to start
The phone is crowding out homework and time together
Start with the child's age and the specific conditions of their day.
RelationshipsMy daughter reads erotic stories
How to talk about content and relationships without shaming.
SchoolThe school is changing its phone rules
What to ask when preparing and introducing a rule.
All relevant articles
Reading for parents
You will find the same articles under the relevant topics. Here they are ordered by publication date.Mental health · Explanation / analysis
Facebook, depression and billions of dollars: what we actually know
We are still debating social media's contribution to a whole generation's depression. Meanwhile, Meta has agreed to a billion-dollar settlement. What did it know about the risks, and why was that not enough?
AI and children · Guide
When your teenager talks to AI about their problems
A practical guide for parents who want to understand — rather than ban. Discover why teenagers talk to AI, when it is fine and when to pay attention.
Relationships and growing up · Explanation / analysis
Boys, girls and porn: why ‘at least she's reading’ is not enough
We discuss pornography among boys at schools. With girls, sometimes we are satisfied that they are reading. Why take an interest in erotic stories, romantic fantasies and AI partners too, and how to talk about them without shaming.
School and phones · Guide
Phones at school: why I support an all-day ban and how to introduce it sensibly
I support schools without personal phones, not schools without technology. Why relying on children's self-regulation is not enough, and how to prepare an all-day rule that protects concentration, respects pupils' needs and offers possibilities after phones are put away.
Relationships and growing up · The author's reflection
The theory of points of contact with reality: sending children outside is not enough
Children need boundaries around technology, but also somewhere to go, someone to be with and something to try. How experiences with the physical world affect the desire to return to it, and why some encounters can lead to deep withdrawal.
Attention and habits · Explanation / analysis
A balanced approach to the digital future
‘Brain rot’ presents an unprecedented challenge. Now it is time to look ahead and formulate a balanced approach that is neither technophobic nor uncritically optimistic about technology, but realistic and constructive.
Attention and habits · Guide
Strategies for parents
Faced with ‘brain rot’, parents often feel powerless against technology giants with billion-dollar budgets and algorithms designed by teams of behavioural psychologists. The good news is that research shows considered parenting strategies can substantially reduce negative effects and help children build a healthier relationship with digital technology.
Social media · The author's reflection
The pandemic ended. The feed did not.
When explaining children's turn towards screens today, I give more weight to changes in apps than to lockdown habits. What the endless stream of recommended videos changed, and why I support shared time without personal phones.
Attention and habits · Guide
Building digital resilience
Digital resilience is not about rejecting technology, but about cultivating cognitive, emotional and social skills that allow children to navigate the digital environment critically and use its potential without being passively shaped by its algorithms.
Attention and habits · Guide
Brainrot by age: what to watch for in young children, schoolchildren and teenagers
We choose content for young children and gradually teach older ones independence. An overview by age: what research shows and which boundaries I recommend setting before difficulties arise.
Attention and habits · Explanation / analysis
Brainrot: when everything else is boring
Two hours of short videos, and then everything else is boring. Why I recommend limiting the endless feed and protecting parts of a child's day in advance, rather than only when difficulties arise.
Need a map first?