Growing Up in Public: Coming of Age in a Digital World

Heitner (Screenwise), a former media studies professor at Lake Forest College who now runs parenting workshops, offers astute advice on how parents can help their children navigate social media and other technology. She warns against using tech to surveil kids, suggesting apps that track teenagers’ whereabouts limit their chances to learn to “make good decisions independently.” Offering an evenhanded assessment of social media, she notes that while platforms can produce anxiety about not getting enough likes, they also provide opportunities for self-expression; for instance, she shares the story of a mother who learned of her son’s dancing abilities from watching his TikToks. The levelheaded guidance is a refreshing antidote to more alarmist takes on the topic (Heitner suggests that sexting can be a “healthy form of teenage sexual exploration” and outlines talking points to discuss with teens about sexting ethically and safely, such as excluding one’s face from intimate photos), though she’s elsewhere short on specifics, as when she urges parents to help “kids grapple with their ‘public’ audience in an intentional, empowered way” without clarifying how to do so. Still, parents will find this a useful roadmap for helping children cope with the perils of growing up online. (Sept.)