I recently interviewed psychologist and technology expert Dr. Josh Straub for my Parenting Great Kids podcast. In his research, he’s discovered that technology is making our kids less empathetic, more shallow, and it’s shortening their attention spans. He elaborated on some of his findings in a fascinating blog post, Why Mister Rogers Is Smarter Than Baby Einstein.

And it’s not just the older kids at risk. Recent studies have revealed that kids younger than 5 spend an average of 40% of their waking hours each day in front of a screen. 40%! If not monitored correctly, social media and electronics could have a lasting, devastating effect on your kid.

‍I don’t say this to scare you. I say this to warn you and wake you up to a potential problem. Parents shouldn’t fear technology, we simply need to know what our kids are up against and how to respond.

Really, I think there’s hope for the text generation, and that hope is you. You have the power to successfully navigate your family through the complexities and uncertainties of technology.

Here are three tips for surviving, and thriving, in the text generation:

1. Don’t be afraid to take charge.

Electronics came…