A Middle School in Minnesota Bans Phones, and the Students are Happy

At one level, as a dad, I'm concerned with the amazing draw that social media has on teens, and it is a reality that too many teens do end up with their worldview mangled by a distorted view of reality fostered by the likes of "influencers" and the like.

That noted, it's hard to find any job, even sometimes in retail or basic manufacturing, that does not involve the use of a smartphone, tablet, or laptop, and my take is that I want my kids to learn to handle these things while they're young in the same way I had to learn to handle MTV, walkmans, and the like when I was young.

The techniques for a parent are really about the same; walk around and figure out whether one's child is hiding in their bedroom, or doing something productive in common areas. It won't always be easy, but pointing out the realities of "dopamine hits" and how those who really become educated and succeed in life are those who succeed in applying "time on task", generally opening a lot of real books in the process.