Parents: did you, like myself, come of age before the advent of the smartphone? I’m still unclear if that makes me an “old millennial” or a “Gen-Xer”, but what I do know is that my wife and I not infrequently sense that we are gazing into an abyss of our digital age—social media, devices, twittersphere, “screen time”. Perhaps you’re like myself and relish playing the curmudgeon—having been raised on a diet of Seinfeld and Monty Python, am I the only one to see the inanity of Youtubers and Tiktokers and worry about the future of laughter? OK I digress (don’t get me started). But you don’t need me to tell you that this stuff is going away no time soon—in fact, the Pandemic has only heightened the reality of “screens”.

Notre Dame Academy recognizes that this can produce confusion and conflict within families: are we overindulging our kids, or are we overprotective? Our school wishes to help parents shoulder this burden, and therein lies the premise of “Screenagers”, a wonderful documentary and basis for webinars hosted by NDA for its families. There are two films in this series: “Screenagers”, and “Screenagers: The Next Chapter”.

Whether it is the heartbreaking account of a young victim of cyber-bullying, or the refreshing candor of teens acknowledging the allure of devices, this is not a documentary of navel-gazing and finger-wagging. This is a film that helps parents and teens approach the realities and perils of growing up in the digital age with open eyes and an open mind.

While not a religious film, it touches on key fundamentals of our humanity: moderation, self awareness, honesty, and communication. As part of the webinar, the films have been followed by an informative Q+A session hosted by NDA leadership. And most pertinently, Screenagers serves as an excellent springboard for important family discussions regarding the role of technology within the home.

It’s well worth your time to take advantage of this offer from NDA to watch the Screenagers Webinars, and in screen-friendly language, I would say “4 stars. Highly recommended”!

Matt Johnson – NDA Parent

The Screenagers Film Series is available to NDA Parents through March 26th. Register for your personal login using the following links.

SCREENAGERS: Growing Up in the Digital Age
https://www.screenagersevent.com/screenagers-notre-dame-academy
NEXT CHAPTER: Uncovering Skills for Stress Resilience
https://www.screenagersevent.com/nextchapter-notre-dame-academy