Dr. Kaitlyn Regehr’s new book “Smartphone Nation” aims to help parents teach their kids healthy digital habits. Unlike the common misconception that allowing young children to use smartphones too early is a mistake, Dr. Regehr believes it can be a stepping stone to creating healthier relationships with technology.
Instead of limiting screen time, Dr. Regehr suggests encouraging quality consumption and engaging in discussions about what’s being consumed online. This includes watching documentaries together as a family or having open conversations about the content seen on screens.
A “walkthrough method” involves scrolling through frequently used applications to understand what kind of content young people are consuming. Parents can also practice digital nutrition by actively searching for nutrient-rich content and questioning algorithmically determined feeds.
By framing their digital consumption in terms of “digital boundaries” rather than simply limiting screen time, parents can help their kids develop healthy habits and resist the influence of algorithms that seek to hold their attention.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/10/28/health/healthy-tech-habits-kids-wellness